12/30/2019
It's a new year and time to make a mental note to run a safety check on your portable lamps. Common practice for most people is to wait for their lamps to stop working before they throw it out or have it repaired. In most cases when the lamp fails, nothing to serious happens in other cases (and I've seen it) the lamp socket lights up like a fourth of July fire works display. Pretty scary.
Either way it's best to be pro-active and give your old lamp a safety inspection. Here are a few simple things to do and a few warning signs to look out for.
Lets start with the socket:
First thing to do is unplug the lamp and remove shade,harp and bulb. Inspect the inside. Does the tongue (thin metal piece at the bottom) look dark or even charred? Is there any signs of burn marks? If so the socket is worn and may be loosing its ability to keep a good contact with the bulb.
Next place the bulb back in the socket and plug the lamp in.
If its a single socket the bulb should turn on and off smoothly with out and flickering of the bulb. If the bulb has a tendency to
flicker or even turn off; the turn mechanism is worn. The socket k**b should also make a clean on/off sound, If it feels like what I call squishy when turning the k**b then that may be a sign of wear. The same goes for push through sockets as well.
The same steps goes for sockets that use three way bulbs. Although admittedly a lot of the times the culprit is the three way bulb itself they have a tendency to loose their high setting.
If not sure test your three way bulb in your other three way lamp sockets to rule out bulb failure.
Lets now go to the cord set.
Unplug the lamp and look at the plug. Are the two prongs at the end even size (unpolarised) or is one prong thicker then the other (polarised)? If it is the first, even size prongs, then it's time to change out your cord set!
Next run your fingers up and down the cord. Is there any divots or exposed wire showing? Bend the cord and feel for
any stiffness. If the cord blanches then the outer jacket is drying out and could tear apart, Inspect where the cord meets the plug. This is an area that wears down first due to extensive bending.
If your lamp shows any of these signs that I have just mentioned; then give us a call and have your lamp overhaul
for safety and piece of mind.
Most table lamps are only $35.00 for a new cord set and socket. Floor lamps start at $40.00.
