When you want to add a lamp to your home, it’s important to wire it correctly so that it turns on when the switch is turned on and off when the switch is turned off. This can be especially difficult if you have a lamp that has no switch and requires you to plug in the bulb, which isn’t very convenient or safe.
Fortunately, it’s not that hard to wire a lamp and even if you have no electrical experience, you can do the work yourself. The first step is to unplug the lamp and then remove the shade, bulb and any wires that connect them to the base of the lamp.
The next step is to open the switch’s casing and remove any plastic clips that are holding it together. This may require a screwdriver to pry apart, but it’s not hard to do and most switches will come apart on their own with minimal effort.
You’ll also need a pair of wire strippers and a box cutter to cut away the insulation and make it easier to see the wires. Using your wire strippers, cut one side of the cable as close to the switch’s mechanism as possible without cutting through the copper wire itself. This will create a single piece of exposed copper wire that you’ll need to connect to the switch’s terminals.
There are several ways to do this, and you should check the wiring on your lamp for guidance. Some lamps have a two-circuit switch that controls a standard lamp socket at the top of the lamp and a smaller socket at the base for a low wattage bulb, such as a fluorescent light.
Other types of lamps may have a three-way switch that controls a standard lamp socket at both the top and bottom of the lamp. They have a narrow prong that connects to the hot wire and a wide prong that connects to the neutral wire.
Another type of lamp has a rotary switch that controls the lamp’s circuit by turning the knob. This makes it easy to turn the lamp on and off at the same time and is often more convenient than having to plug in a separate switch.
If you have a lamp with a rotary switch, it’s easy to wire the circuit so that you can control the lamp from your switch. It’s a great way to avoid walking through dark areas to reach the lamp and it can also help to save energy.
Adding an in-line switch to the cord
If your lamp uses a long cord, you can easily replace it with an in-line switch that is mounted on the end of the cord. These are available in many sizes and can be found at hardware stores, home centers and lamp specialty stores.
These types of switches are often a little more expensive than the ones that come with lamps, but they’re worth it because they’re convenient and don’t require any special tools to install. They’re also easier to use and don’t take up any space inside the lamp.
