Instructables

How to Wire-up a Light Bulb-socket

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Introduction: How to Wire-up a Light Bulb-socket

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tired of hiring electritions to do all of your simple electric work? thats all about to change!

Step 1: Items

you need:

a male electric outlet cord, a new light bulb-socket, and a flat head screwdriver.

Step 2: The First Thing You Need to Do Is,

pry the end cap off with a flat-head screwdriver: put aside.

Step 3: Slide It Out

slide out the socket with your fingers: put aside the socket & metal casing.

Step 4: Striping the Wires

strip about 4/5in. of insulation off of the wire.

Step 5: Sliding the Wires Through

slid the wires through the end cap.

Step 6: Curving the Wires

curve the wires in the clockwise direction.

Step 7: Attachment

attach the wires to the screws: screw on tightly

Step 8: Re-attachment

push metal casing back on socket.

Step 9: Snapping On

snap on the metal end cap.

Step 10: Finished

the finished socket. any better than the last one?

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    20 Discussions

    how do you wire a chain into it

    (actually, I was just making tiny lamps out of night lights you buy at the dollar store, I probably won't abandon that altogether.)

    Oh wow! You have just improved my life 100% at least. I love to come up with creative and really cool Ideas for lamps, but my husband NEVER had time to wire them or show me how! You are fantastic! So if you don't have a cord laying around, I guess you could just cut the cord off the toaster. (after you unplug it) Toast is just burnt bread. I see potential lamps plugged in all over the house! haha jk

    Hey so I have that exact same bulb socket and it comes pre-wired. What I want to know is if I attach a plug to the end of the cord and plugged it straight into the wall... What then? Do I need a special bulb or whatever or do I need to control how much power reaches my bulb? I'm making a chandelier for an art project and I know basically nada about electricity.

    wow, i take my hat off to you, tecno geek. a son of an electrician myself, and i can't even screw on a lightbulb right! your step by step guide is a model of instruction! wish i took electricity 101 w/you as my instructor. boy, you make it so easy! thx much. gonna check your other posts next...

    1 reply

    Thanks, you present this as straight forward as I imagined it was. I just needed to see it for myself, not fast, not with any mystique, but just as I would see it if I were to do this all the time. Thank you!

    It absolutely does. There's a hot wire, and a neutral wire. The hot wire goes to the hot terminal, the neutral goes to neutral.
    http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Electrical/Electrical-Repair/how-to-wire-a-light-socket

    does it matter which wire I attach to each screw?

    Does the cord have a ribbed side and does that need to be matched to the right screw or is that only for lamp sockets / holders going into ceiling fixtures etc? 

    1 reply

    If you're just wiring a single socket, say for a lamp the right wire to the right terminal (screw) is not critical, however for safety it's a good idea to use lamp wire instead of extension cord, and connect the ribbed (neutral) wire to the neutral terminal, and the smooth (hot) wire to the hot terminal. Also, I noticed this tutorial did not mention the need to put an underwriters knot in the socket casing which is another safety measure.

    If you are wiring up more that one socket to a single power cord you definitely need the right wire to terminal configuration.

    I'm not an electrician, this is basic DIYer stuff.

    Huge Improvement on your other instructables!!!!! Good pictures too!

    Sweet looking socket you got there... looks almost a bit steampunk, very nice. Too bad they only sell ugly cheap plastic ones here.

    GREAT job! Very well done, and agreeing with everybody else... much better. :D

    Well done on re-making your Instructable. You've taken on board everything people had said in the original one, which is excellent. Your Instructable is much better. Congrats

    1 reply