Replacing a table lamp light socket

REPAIRING A TABLE LAMP THAT WON'T WORK

TOOLS NEEDED:

Screwdriver
Wire stripper
Inexpensive 6 foot extension cord

Let's put some light on the subject of repairing a table lamp that won't work.
First, check the bulb. Then check the fuse box or circuit breaker box. If there is still a problem after that, then the issue is the wall plug, the wire to the socket, or the socket.
When I encounter a problem like this, I replace all three. You can use an inexpensive extension cord to replace the plug and the wire to the socket for about 3 dollars on sale. You can get a new lamp socket for new socket for several dollars.

When the older lamp that you want to keep won't work, and you want to keep it, rather that chance old shorted out wiring or a lamp socket with a probable limited future life span, replace these things and worry no more.
This repair begins with the removal of the old lamp socket. If you are replacing a 3 way lamp socket, be sure to get another three way lamp socket.
Step one:

1. Unplug the lamp, take the shade off, and remove the light bulb. There's will be a spot on the socket housing that has the word "press" stamped on it. You will find it slightly above the bottom metal socket holder.

2. Press the "press" spot , squeeze, and lift the top half of the socket from the bottom half. The top half should pop right out. If it doesn't, use a small flat screwdriver, while still squeezing with the other hand, to apply upward pressure in the slot where the on/off switch is. Slide off the round fiber liner that was around the inside of the socket. . unscrew the wires on the terminal and disconnect them. The bottom of the old socket must come off too. It unscrews from the pipe that the wire runs through, but it may be secured by a set screw.

3. Turn the lamp over and see where the present lamp cord goes into the lamp. Pull the entire disconnected old wire out of the pipe that leads to the lamp socket above and out of the lamp body. Cut the receptacle end of the extension cord off with your wire cutters, leaving the end with the wall plug still attached. Put that end through the same hole that the old lamp cord came out of and feed it up through the pipe to where the socket will be put back on.

4. Run the wire through the bottom of the socket base. Use your wire stripper, or with a sharp pocket knife, strip the two wires that will go to the socket back to the same length that the old wires were stripped.

5. Twist each bare wire end to the right separately, and attach the ground wire to the silver setscrew on the socket side. Attach the positive wire to the brass colored remaining terminal. If you are using a white extension cord, the wire that goes on he brass colored screw usually has a black stripe on it.

6. Slide the new fiber liner and top metal housing part of the socket down and snap the socket housing into place. Do not leave the fiber liner off. Replace the bulb and the shade.