How to Rewire a Lamp with a Rotary Switch

Many table and floor lamps are equipped with an in-line switch that is attached directly to the lamp cord. These switches are activated by turning a small plastic wheel on the switch body and are sometimes known as "rotary switches" because of this. If you have decided to rewire an existing lamp with a new cord and factory-installed rotary switch, the job will take only a few minutes to complete.

Things You'll Need

• Replacement lamp cord with factory-installed rotary switch and molded-on wall plug
• Screwdriver
• Utility knife

Instructions

1. Unplug the lamp. Remove the shade and/or harp and light bulb. Place them aside for now. Remove the socket shroud from the lamp socket by squeezing where the word "Press" is stamped into the metal. Remove it from the crimped socket base and put it aside too. This will expose the socket interior.

2. Pulling carefully on the socket interior, raise it an inch or two. You may need to assist this effort by pushing up on the lamp cord where it enters the lamp base. Use your screwdriver to loosen the two screws holding the black and wires to the socket interior. Loosen them until you can remove the wires. You do not need to unscrew them completely. Put the socket interior aside with the other parts of the lamp.

3. Remove the lamp cord from the lamp by pulling it out through the lamp base. If it is worn, frayed or discolored; discard it. Insert the new lamp cord into the base of the lamp and push it up until it comes out through the hole in the socket base. If the ends of the wires on the replacement cord have been prestripped, remove the insulaton from the ends of the two wires. Some replacement lamp cords even come with bare ends eliminating this minor chore as well.

4. Use the utility knife to split the lamp cord down the center. Then pull gently on the ends until you separate about two inches of wire. Use the utility knife to carefully remove a small portion of the outer plastic from either of the separated wires. As soon as you determine which wire is the black one; stop. Bend the bare ends of the black and white wires around the shaft of the screwdriver forming them into a "U" shape.

5. Slip the bare end of the black wire around the brass screw on the socket interior and tighten it down with the screwdriver. Do the same with the white wire; attaching the bare end to the white metal screw on the socket interior.

6. Pull the lamp cord downward from below the lamp body until the socket interior is seated directly atop the socket base. Locate the socket shroud and while pressing it at the designated spots, snap it back into the socket base.

7. Reinstall the light bulb, shade and/or harp. Plug the new lamp cord into an adjacent wall outlet. Rotate the wheel on the in-line rotary switch and your lamp will turn on.

References

• Reader's Digest: Lamp Repair

Resources

• Armor Crafts: Lamp Cord Set