Lamps can accent your house
Some of the most beautiful settings in a home, like a sun room, a bedroom or even a recreation room, are accented by choosing the right lamp. Swag lamps can be hung in a corner to give a retro glow, porcelain table lamps are perfect accompaniments on end tables, parlor lamps will radiate warmth in a living room or a family room, and a chandelier is the perfect lighting effect for a dining room.
Inevitably, the highest winning bid on any lamp will be for the ones that work. Plug them in, turn them on and you have light. For that, you'll pay a premium, but here is the secret to winning with a low bid.
Parts that make lamps work
Did you know that a lamp, any lamp, has only three parts that will make it work or not work? The plug, the cord and the socket. That's it. All lamps are simple circuits. The power from the wall plug flows into the cord and exits at the socket which lights up the bulb. No computers, no motors, no magic. Just basic electricity at it simplest. Now, we aren't talking florescent lighting here, we are talking the standard and common Edison sockets that will accept incandescent, florescent energy saving bulbs and the new LED bulbs.
So what are you going to do when you win a lamp that doesn't work? Well, here's the deal.
Fixing lamp plug
If the plug is bad, cut it off with a scissors and get a new light-duty plug at the hardware store. Unscrew the screw that holds the cover down, flip the cover of the new plug open, insert the cut end of the cord inside, push the cover back into place and screw it down. That's all there is and you have just changed the plug.
Fixing lamp socket
The socket is just as easy. Every socket has a “Push to Open” tab on the side. Push the tab and pull the socket apart while leaving the socket base in place. Unscrew the terminals that hold the wires on. Get a new socket exactly like the one you had from any hardware store. Screw the wires back onto the new terminals and remember that the white wire goes to the silver terminal, the black goes to the copper terminal, and any green wire goes to a green terminal. Push the new cover back onto the socket base until it “snaps” shut, and you are done.
Fixing lamp cord
The cord is the easiest yet. Unscrew the wires from the socket, as detailed above, and pull the cord from the lamp. Cut the receptacle end off of a common household extension cord and push the wires back into the lamp. Wire them up to the socket and you are good to go, since the plug is already attached.
Fix it and score killer deal on eBay
If you are willing to do this, you will find some killer deals on lamps and lighting that doesn't work. In most cases, all you will need is a screwdriver and some time, but virtually anyone can do this. Plus, you win two ways, The first is on the low price bid you'll pay, and the second is the satisfaction you'll have when you turn the switch and the light goes on after you have repaired it. It just doesn't get any better than that except knowing, as always, that BAM's got your back!