How to Repair a Touch Table Lamp
Touch table lamps are quite a convenience; you can turn them off and on by simply reaching out and touching any piece of metal on the lamp. A common occurrence with a touch table lamp is that it simply fails to continue to work as a touch lamp. This isn’t quite so bad if it breaks while it is still in the on position. Don't despair; the lamp is not a total loss--repair it by replacing the touch dimmer control. The touch dimmer control is a black or white box connected to a series of wires that include a black wire, a white wire, a red wire and a yellow or gray wire. It is connected to the lamp through wire connectors and a ring terminal connected by a nut. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Remove the light bulb, lamp shade and harp from the touch table lamp. Squeeze the two sides of the harp toward the light bulb socket, allowing you to lift the harp up and out of the lamp harp base. Move your touch table lamp to a sturdy work surface or table.
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2
Remove the bottom of your lamp from the lamp base to access the wiring and the touch dimmer control. Depending on the manufacturer, the bottom of the lamp can be connected a number of ways. It can be glued on, screwed on or snapped on. If it is glued on, carefully peel the bottom off. If it is screwed on, remove the screws. If it snaps on, it simply lifts off like a butter tub lid.
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3
Remove and disconnect the touch dimmer control. Untwist the wire connector that connects the black wire from the dimmer control to one of the lamp wires and pull the wires apart. Untwist the wire connector that connects the white wire from the dimmer control to two lamp wires, and remove the wire connector that connects the red wire to another lamp wire. The yellow or gray wire is connected to a ring terminal that connects to the nipple on the lamp. The nipple is a hollow piece of pipe with threads along the exterior of the pipe.
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Turn the nut counterclockwise with pliers, then remove the nut to release the ring terminal from the nipple. Discard the old touch dimmer control.
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Feel the lamp wires with your fingers to determine which are hot and neutral. Lamp wires are not color- coded like standard household wiring; they are designed to match or color-coordinate with a table lamp and come in colors such as brown, black, white and even clear. Neutral wire has ribs or ridges down the entire length of the wire. The hot wire (commonly colored black and residential wiring) feels smooth down the entire length of the wire.
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Install the new touch dimmer control into the table lamp. Twist an orange wire connector to the black wire from the dimmer control to the smooth lamp wire that connects directly to the plug connecting the two together. Connect the red wire from the dimmer control to the smooth lamp wire that connects directly to the light bulb socket with a wire connector. Slide the ring terminal from the gray or yellow wire over the nipple and replace the nut to hold the terminal into place. Connect the white wire from the touch dimmer control to the two remaining ribbed lamp wires with the wire connector.
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Replace the bottom of the lamp, lamp harp, the light bulb and the lamp shade.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
