Rewire a table lamp - any help appreciated!

[Jacquiemalta]

Hi,

I have a table lamp that I love but it only allows bulbs up to 50 watt although the shade is large and open so not really a fire hazard. I have been using halogen bulbs to the equivalent of 70 watts (I think they're around 42 watt but I threw the box away) but they only last about a month before blowing. I have a feeling the fitting is dodgy because the bulb (bayonet) is never secure and rocks easily. Also, the switch which is part of the lamp holder, not on the cable, is dodgy too and needs playing about with a bit.

I want to rewire the lamp to take up to 100 watt bulbs and have been looking online at lamp holders. However from what I've been reading, the wattage is dependent on the shade, not the fitting. I'm not worried about the shade and would still like to use the lower watt bulbs equivalent to 70w anyway so the heat won't be too bad. Do I just need to replace the lamp holder with a new one and can I use the existing cable or do cables have wattages of their own?

I won't rewire the lamp myself as I work at a hotel and the maintenance team will do it.

Sorry if this is a stupid question to you professionals!

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Octopus]

Buy a 10W LED bayonet lamp - that will be far brighter than a 60 watt bulb....better than mucking around with the cables...

 

[Jacquiemalta]

Buy a 10W LED bayonet lamp - that will be far brighter than a 60 watt bulb....better than mucking around with the cables...

Thanks for your reply. When you say lamp, do you mean bulb or are you saying I should buy a whole new table lamp?

 

[Octopus]

Thanks for your reply. When you say lamp, do you mean bulb or are you saying I should buy a whole new table lamp?

Bulb!

 

[Taylortwocities]

My old gaffer always said

Bulbs grow
Lamps glow

 

[Jacquiemalta]

I've gathered from reading online that many people call them lamps. Everyone I know has always called them bulbs though so old habits die hard Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - yes an LED upgrade would be good. Screwfix has them and here is a link to one that might suit
http://www.screwfix.com/p/led-gls-lamp-warm-white-bc-7-6w/5712k

 

[Midwest]

Think these look better IMO; LED Filament light bulbs - https://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/product-type/led-bulbs/led-filament/?mkwid=s&pcrid=144637915390&pkw=led%20filament%20light%20bulbs&pmt=e&gclid=CNi_keH-kdACFeMy0wodBPECEg

Loads of places sell them, these LED filament bulbs

 

[Jacquiemalta]

Thanks for the links. I am still going to change the holder though as lamps (I learn quickly!) don't seem to sit correctly and the switch is dodgy anyway. I assume I can just connect the current cable to the new holder and that I don't need new cable?

 

[Midwest]

Thanks for the links. I am still going to change the holder though as lamps (I learn quickly!) don't seem to sit correctly and the switch is dodgy anyway. I assume I can just connect the current cable to the new holder and that I don't need new cable?

I would suggest if there's anything a bit iffy about your table lamp, get someone who is competent to check it's wired correctly.

 

[Jacquiemalta]

I'm not going to mess with it myself. I tile, lay floors, fit kitchens, build dining tables etc but my dad always told me not to mess with plumbing cos it's expensive to fix and not to mess with electrics cos it could kill me! The farthest I go is to wire a plug. I work in a hotel in Malta so the maintenance department can do it. The problem is that things are a LOT more slapdash here than in the UK so I need to understand this lamp situation cos I can guarantee you, I will have to know way more than they do about it before I ask them to do it!

 

[Midwest]

Cool, hands across the waters.

 

[1Justin]

Hi Jacqui. You can't get 100W bulbs anyway, good thing too, planet wrecking things. And remember that "Eco Halogen" is greenwash. There is no such thing as "Eco" Halogen, but others have given you some leads for LED bulbs so you should follow that up. You'll be looking for minimum ~950 Lumens in a warm white, which would probably be 10-12 Watt. .
If the bayonet fitting is dodgy, that can be replaced. "Lamp Parts" or some similar Google search will find what you need.
If the fitting is brass and it's an otherwise elderly metal lamp, then make sure the lamp is earthed. If it's old, then it's quite likely to not be. You may then need to replace the cable as well. 0.75mm three core. (And fancy braided stuff is also available in a huge range of colours). Make sure if you fit a new plug that you swap out the 13A fuse it came with it, and replace it with a 3A.
If in doubt about any of that, then get someone to fix it up for you and check it's safe

 

[Doomed]

I can still get 100W lamps at 4 wholesalers and the local Wilco's - they are classed as 'not for domestic use'

 

[Leesparkykent]

I can still get 100W lamps at 4 wholesalers and the local Wilco's - they are classed as 'not for domestic use'

They are called rough service lamps.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Hi Jacqui. You can't get 100W bulbs anyway, good thing too, planet wrecking things. And remember that "Eco Halogen" is greenwash. There is no such thing as "Eco" Halogen, but others have given you some leads for LED bulbs so you should follow that up. You'll be looking for minimum ~950 Lumens in a warm white, which would probably be 10-12 Watt. .
If the bayonet fitting is dodgy, that can be replaced. "Lamp Parts" or some similar Google search will find what you need.
If the fitting is brass and it's an otherwise elderly metal lamp, then make sure the lamp is earthed. If it's old, then it's quite likely to not be. You may then need to replace the cable as well. 0.75mm three core. (And fancy braided stuff is also available in a huge range of colours). Make sure if you fit a new plug that you swap out the 13A fuse it came with it, and replace it with a 3A.
If in doubt about any of that, then get someone to fix it up for you and check it's safe

I would imagine 100w incandescent lamps are far less planet wrecking to manufacture than LED lamps....nobody seems to take into account that much of the 'planet saving' energy efficiency of LED lamps is offset by the less than planet saving manufacturing process.

 

[The Ghost]

A picture would be nice!

 

[rolyberkin]

LED lamp is the way to go, make sure you buy a good quality lamp holder if you are going to change it, loads of cheap Chinese crap out there, buy something good and it should be fine.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

A picture would be nice!

There you go mate.

 

[Jacquiemalta]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I'm in the UK next week so I'll speak to my dad about it too.