Rewiring A Lamp Plug

The prongs on the plug may have corroded and the switch may not operate correctly.

Rewiring a lamp plug. Try the old cord to the new. Step 1 overview diagram for rewiring a lamp. Each lamp cord is made of 2 wires stuck together. Always unplug a lamp before attempting any repairs.

Wrap electrical tape around the connection. If it is the neutral wire will be indicated by ribbed insulation a white stripe white. Strip the ends of the new cord and twist the strands clockwise. Illustration by steve stankiewicz.

Changing plugs for large appliances can be complicated so amateurs should change only lamp radio clock or other small appliance plugs. Replacing a plug and rewiring electronics. At the top of the lamp hook the ends of the old and new cords together. Head to your local hardware store or visit an online supplier.

A zinc plated nipple about 8 inches 20 cm long light bulb lamp cord lamp base plug lampshade socket socket cap harp knurl washer and a rubber washer. Tighten wires under screw heads and clip off any excess uninsulated conductor before you plug in lamp. Once it is unplugged take the lamp to a hardware store to determine what type of cord and plug will suit it best. Maintain the correct hot and neutral electrical paths from the outlet to the light bulb.

Check whether the cord is polarized. Cut off the old plug with a wire cutter stripper. Gather the necessary materials for your lamp. To install a self clamping plug 1 cut off the cord at a right angle near the old plug or further up if there is cord damage.

Properly wired plug and lamp socket. Now that you know how to rewire a lamp we ll shed some light in the next section on how to replace an incandescent fixture. How to wire a new plug safely.