I have personally wired many things in my home, from switches and wall outlets, to a pool pump and garage furnace. However, I learned today about lamp cord polarity. Thank you!
The most helpful video I have seen. You talked about polarity and even the clockwise orientation of the wire. Thank you, Mark. I wish you were my local hardware man, but this video is the next best thing.
Saved my bacon and my beautiful lamp from being replaced as bought new and only had for 3 years. I replaced the socket incorrectly and could’ve electrocuted someone. He is very thorough and tells you exactly why you should take every careful step as so very appreciated! ❤
I was in the midst of my socket replacing project and realized I didn't know if it mattered which side of the wire went to which screw contact point in the socket... IT DOES! So thanks, Mark! When you said "Smooth is Hot" after explaining which is the hot and which is the neutral, I was able to thread the wires to the contact points "clockwise", and finish the project STAT :-D Such a great video--all the pertinent important information, and in a short concise delivery.
Thanks for helping me save my antique lamp :) I don’t have a wire stripping tool, so I used a utility knife to cut through the plastic. Whole repair went off without a hitch and the total cost was under $6!
This was EXACTLY the instruction I needed, and at the right pace and right amount of detail! Thank you so very much. You made my first lamp repair job go smoothly.
THANK YOU! The video that keeps on giving! Just repaired my lamp switch and your video is by far, the clearest and most precise instructions for this repair!
Great Service and tribute to this store! I wish you were in my neighborhood! Easy to understand, specific, methodical, safety-minded, educational. I feel confident I can do this because of this video.
Thank you, thank you, for your clear and concise instructions. Your tips on polarity and putting the wire on clockwise were extremely helpful. I was able to rewire a lamp I bought at a thrift store in only a few minutes!
How To! This was exactly what I was looking for! #1 I have about 4 lamps that need this switch replaced. It ‘s not the $$$ it the getting them to the repair place without ruining them😄 I 100% recommend this video. I want to thank you for your great instructions, although I think the lady that the lamp belongs too isn’t going to be happy about the shorter cord😅. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for teaching me how to do this. I really thought I was going to have to throw away a beautiful antique lamp with a broken socket. Now I don't have to and it works as good as new. Big fat hugs.
Mr. Wanamaker, thank you so much for your tutorial on fixing a lamp. I was able to fix my lamp in no time at all and it is working beautifully. You are a genius! I feel so proud of myself. Thank you.
I saw another link... but you've shown and explained things more clearly, like what's the difference between the gold and silver screws. I also thought that there should be something in place to shield the wires from the base and wasn't comfortable with their method. But, after seeing yours, it showed that the cardboard or maybe some electrical tape should be added to shield the wire from the metal. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule and being willing to share your knowledge with others. We greatly appreciate you.
The push-button switch on one of my favorite lamps finally gave up and died today, after more than 25 years of use. After watching this tutorial and inspecting my lamp, I'm confident that I can successfully replace the switch and am pretty excited about tackling this little project. Thanks for making and sharing such a great demo!
I would have never attempted to fix my lamp myself but this video was so helpful and easy to understand. I was able to fix a loose switch on my lamp that has been loose forever. Now it works and I didn't have to pay someone and I didn't electrocuted myself...a very good thing Thank you for a very helpful and understandable video.
Thank you so much! Had a pricey lamp (didn't want to replace it) and just replaced my first socket. The hardware guy (I was the only girl in the store) was impressed that I knew which wire (the smooth side for hot) went around which screw and how to attach the wire. So proud of me haha Thanks again for making it so easy!
I'd been doing it wrong for 50 years! Hit an old repurposed light and needed help: gold hot, smooth, ridged....good information - much safer now - many thanks!!!
Hugely helpful. Another video didn't explain about how the hot wire was the smooth one, and just before I was about to go out and buy an electrical tester I thought, go check out another video. This was great, thank you.
Very thorough video, and a very patient and detailed explanation process. I can decorate and put furniture together, but frankly, electricity scares me some. My 3-way bedroom lamp switch stopped working the other day. Just bought another 3-way replacement switch. For now, I’ll have my Super fix it. But this is good to know about. Thank you, Mr Wanamaker.
So glad I watched this complete, full of very important info before diving in without oxygen. Even though my dad is a licensed electrician I still fear currents. So thanks again. Fixing a nice thrift find that needs tlc
Thank you so much for this video. You made it very easy. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this but because of your instructions and the ease of them I feel like I could do it anytime now. Thank you again
Hey Mark . . . found you and want to thank you for the wonderful demonstration. I am 69 and never changed out a light socket before. Your tutorial was wonderful and most helpful. Thank you and Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Thanks so much for the video! You can see it is still helping a lot of people. I had a matching set of lamps and one wasn't working. Replacing the switch did the trick!
I know nothing about wiring. But, thanks to your video, I was successfully able to change out the broken socket on my favorite lamp. Thank you for posting this!
Your video was super helpful to me. You included important points about twisting the strands and looping the wire clockwise, which were both points that other videos left out. My life was miserable trying to get that wire to stay on while tightening and it was because initially I had it looped counterclockwise! Thanks for your clear video too - it was great having the close-ups.
What a great video! Thank you for making it and sharing it with us. I loved knowing the differences in the wires for the different polarities. My lamp is operational again!
Thank you! My lamp switch had started to work inconsistently, and I came across this video while searching for a way to repair it. This was easy to follow and very quick. I only needed to make a few modifications to the insulating shell since my lamp already had a bit of a shell built in.
I watched a few rewiring tutorials, and this has the best explanation and tips on polarity. Thanks! I was a little surprised you didn’t use the Underwriter knot though.
After seeing a few of these videos, yours was by far the best explained. Some of them did not go into the most important issue with is polarity and how to make sure you are wrapping the appropriate cord around the proper pin. Thanks, I wish we still had nice hardware stores in Florida.
Thanks so much for the great tutorial. You did a fantastic job explaining not only the how, but also the why. This saved me so much money! Keep them coming!!!
Thank you, sir, for all of your help! I have fixed a lot of toilets, but this was my first electrical wiring project. The switch assembly includes the bulb socket, so I was curious if the package displayed information on the type of bulb to use. Sure enough, if I'd read the info earlier, I could have saved myself some grief; it clearly states "...in lamps and fixtures with medium-base (standard) incandescent bulbs."
If I was in Arlington, I’d be in your store all the time! As it is, I pretty much live at the Ace store in Longmont-in there 1-3 times a day lately as I work on a diy garden irrigation project. Love those people there too! Excellent video. Now I won’t have to go there one more time, cuz now I know what to do with the switch they found me!! 😂
Thank You and also to the person who linked this video 👍🏾. I just received that switch piece via mail. Oh how I've wasted money replacing lamps over the years 💰😭
Informative video compared to others I watched. Comments about the smooth vs ribbed and why the knot was necessary. I pulled my socket out and saw the knot and wondered why when other videos did not address until I saw yours! Thank you!
Good instructions and view of what you're doing. Thank you. I saw two videos about the subject before finding yours. I couldn't see what their hands were doing, because the camera was stationary. I figured that it would be better to find a video where the process was being filmed.
Thank you so much! I was successful in replacing my lamp switches. I could not unplug my lamp so I flipped the breaker with the light on so I knew it was not getting any power.
YAY the BEST video!!! Thanks Mark, just started getting better at making lamps and I have struggled making sure I've got the wiring correct!! Thank YOU!!!
Thanks for the very professional video - I'd watched a couple of others and they didn't mention anything about proper sides, in fact one video actually said it didn't matter which side you plugged the wires into. So you explained that. Also - unplug the cord first (think I would've got that right) but the other videos didn't mention it. The comments led me to believe I should watch another video. Thanks for bringing up the standard and the education level so we can do things properly. I'm scared of electricity, but this seems reasonably easy. By the way, what does True Value charge to do this for a person? It'd be insane if they only charged you for the part!
Thank you for this video. I am not a DIY kind of girl but my daughter needed this lamp we had that did not work. I watched your video and was able to fix the lamp all by myself, well with your help of course.
Thank you, very informative! Thanks especially for the description of the difference in the wires. Once I took my lamp apart, I wondered how I was going to tell the difference, now I know.
Thank you for the instructions. I have several lamps that need to have the wiring and socket replaced. Two have cloth cords, and I am not sure how I will be able to do my most prized lamp. It has a section in the middle for a light. It's going to be a challenge that I might need help with. Wish you were close to me! It works great still, and I use it infrequently. The middle bulb is out and I have never tried to change it. I am going to replace my everyday lamp's socket from a turn switch to something simpler. Thanks again!
Glad I came across this. Good accent. I actually need to learn how to do a Mass/New England accent for a play and this should help nicely😄 I’m actually looking to fix a foot switch for a lamp. Thanks
If the on/off switch on an old lamp becomes an intermittent problem, you can sometimes salvage the lamp by buying a toggle switch at the local hardware box store. (I like to get the 3 prong switches because they stay in place and provide a much more secure connection .) Then you plug the lamp into the switch and always use the stand alone switch to turn the lamp on and off. This is MUCH easier than trying to rewire or repair the lamp. If it is a lamp that is next to a chair, it is more convenient to have the switch lower to the floor anyway. We currently have 2 lamps this worked for. We also used this solution for a set of string lights that didn't have an on/off switch for some crazy reason. WRZ 2020-04-10 Delaware County, PA
Thank you for your demonstration. I was able to put new insides in my smalll hanging lamp over my stove which is of vintage design and has a switch on one side that turns and its working perfectly. :)
I like that you not only said what you were doing, but also why you were doing it.
I have personally wired many things in my home, from switches and wall outlets, to a pool pump and garage furnace. However, I learned today about lamp cord polarity. Thank you!
The most helpful video I have seen. You talked about polarity and even the clockwise orientation of the wire. Thank you, Mark. I wish you were my local hardware man, but this video is the next best thing.
Saved my bacon and my beautiful lamp from being replaced as bought new and only had for 3 years. I replaced the socket incorrectly and could’ve electrocuted someone. He is very thorough and tells you exactly why you should take every careful step as so very appreciated! ❤
Thanks so much! Very helpful!
I was in the midst of my socket replacing project and realized I didn't know if it mattered which side of the wire went to which screw contact point in the socket... IT DOES! So thanks, Mark! When you said "Smooth is Hot" after explaining which is the hot and which is the neutral, I was able to thread the wires to the contact points "clockwise", and finish the project STAT :-D Such a great video--all the pertinent important information, and in a short concise delivery.
Thank you so much for this video (7 years after you posted it!). This old lady just fixed a floor lamp! :)
As soon as you said That, I knew your were from Massachusetts. Made me a bit homesick. Hope your shop is still doing well. Thank You for a great demo.
Thanks for helping me save my antique lamp :) I don’t have a wire stripping tool, so I used a utility knife to cut through the plastic. Whole repair went off without a hitch and the total cost was under $6!
This was EXACTLY the instruction I needed, and at the right pace and right amount of detail! Thank you so very much. You made my first lamp repair job go smoothly.
THANK YOU! The video that keeps on giving! Just repaired my lamp switch and your video is by far, the clearest and most precise instructions for this repair!
This is a fantastic how-to video! You explain every step so clearly, and the camera work allows us to see every detail perfectly. Thank you so much!
Just finished replacing my Mom's lamp socket! Small blade plus smooth cord plus gold screw! Easy to remember! Thank you sir, for your help!
Great Service and tribute to this store! I wish you were in my neighborhood! Easy to understand, specific, methodical, safety-minded, educational. I feel confident I can do this because of this video.
Thank you, thank you, for your clear and concise instructions. Your tips on polarity and putting the wire on clockwise were extremely helpful.
I was able to rewire a lamp I bought at a thrift store in only a few minutes!
How To! This was exactly what I was looking for! #1 I have about 4 lamps that need this switch replaced. It ‘s not the $$$ it the getting them to the repair place without ruining them😄 I 100% recommend this video. I want to thank you for your great instructions, although I think the lady that the lamp belongs too isn’t going to be happy about the shorter cord😅. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for teaching me how to do this. I really thought I was going to have to throw away a beautiful antique lamp with a broken socket. Now I don't have to and it works as good as new. Big fat hugs.
Mr. Wanamaker, thank you so much for your tutorial on fixing a lamp. I was able to fix my lamp in no time at all and it is working beautifully. You are a genius! I feel so proud of myself. Thank you.
I saw another link...
but you've shown and explained things more clearly, like what's the difference between the gold and silver screws. I also thought that there should be something in place to shield the wires from the base and wasn't comfortable with their method. But, after seeing yours, it showed that the cardboard or maybe some electrical tape should be added to shield the wire from the metal. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule and being willing to share your knowledge with others. We greatly appreciate you.
The push-button switch on one of my favorite lamps finally gave up and died today, after more than 25 years of use. After watching this tutorial and inspecting my lamp, I'm confident that I can successfully replace the switch and am pretty excited about tackling this little project. Thanks for making and sharing such a great demo!
I would have never attempted to fix my lamp myself but this video was so helpful and easy to understand. I was able to fix a loose switch on my lamp that has been loose forever. Now it works and I didn't have to pay someone and I didn't electrocuted myself...a very good thing
Thank you for a very helpful and understandable video.
Thank you so much! Had a pricey lamp (didn't want to replace it) and just replaced my first socket. The hardware guy (I was the only girl in the store) was impressed that I knew which wire (the smooth side for hot) went around which screw and how to attach the wire. So proud of me haha Thanks again for making it so easy!
I'd been doing it wrong for 50 years! Hit an old repurposed light and needed help: gold hot, smooth, ridged....good information - much safer now - many thanks!!!
Hugely helpful. Another video didn't explain about how the hot wire was the smooth one, and just before I was about to go out and buy an electrical tester I thought, go check out another video. This was great, thank you.
Great step by step instructions for a novice. Exactly what I needed.
Great job explaining the replacement process and the importance of polarity and the direction of wrapping the wire loop around the screw!
Great video! This is what I needed, especially the part about which wire is hot and which one is neutral. Thanks a lot!!!!
Very thorough video, and a very patient and detailed explanation process. I can decorate and put furniture together, but frankly, electricity scares me some. My 3-way bedroom lamp switch stopped working the other day. Just bought another 3-way replacement switch. For now, I’ll have my Super fix it. But this is good to know about. Thank you, Mr Wanamaker.
I followed along and had no problem at all with fixing my own lamp. Very clear and concise, and well shot. Thanks!
Fantastic tutorial! I was about to take my lamp to a repair shop. Now I’m going to give it a try myself.
This video was incredibly helpful! A great detailed explanation. Thank you, I just fixed my first lamp!
So glad I watched this complete, full of very important info before diving in without oxygen. Even though my dad is a licensed electrician I still fear currents. So thanks again. Fixing a nice thrift find that needs tlc
❤ This was my first time changing a lamp switch and you made it so easy. I got it right the first time around. Thank you!
Excellent instructions- best lamp rewire video- covers all the pertinent details in a concise manner. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video. You made it very easy. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this but because of your instructions and the ease of them I feel like I could do it anytime now. Thank you again
This is the best explanation of changing out a socket that I'v watched. Your rocked it Mark. Thank you very much.
Awesome. I was scared to do this but after watching your video, I’m confident I can do it following all the steps. Thank you!!
Hey Mark . . . found you and want to thank you for the wonderful demonstration. I am 69 and never changed out a light socket before. Your tutorial was wonderful and most helpful. Thank you and Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Thanks so much for the video! You can see it is still helping a lot of people. I had a matching set of lamps and one wasn't working. Replacing the switch did the trick!
I know nothing about wiring. But, thanks to your video, I was successfully able to change out the broken socket on my favorite lamp. Thank you for posting this!
Your video was super helpful to me. You included important points about twisting the strands and looping the wire clockwise, which were both points that other videos left out. My life was miserable trying to get that wire to stay on while tightening and it was because initially I had it looped counterclockwise! Thanks for your clear video too - it was great having the close-ups.
What a great video! Thank you for making it and sharing it with us. I loved knowing the differences in the wires for the different polarities. My lamp is operational again!
Thank you! My lamp switch had started to work inconsistently, and I came across this video while searching for a way to repair it. This was easy to follow and very quick. I only needed to make a few modifications to the insulating shell since my lamp already had a bit of a shell built in.
I watched a few rewiring tutorials, and this has the best explanation and tips on polarity. Thanks! I was a little surprised you didn’t use the Underwriter knot though.
This video is so perfectly succinct and helpful! Thank you!
Best video I’ve found on YT for rewiring a lamp. Excellent close-up shots.
Very good. As a senior citizen and a woman, I fixed my lamp.
Has anyone ever told you, that you look very similar to Abraham Lincoln ?
Thanks to this video I fixed my first lamp tonight. Thank you so much for posting such a helpful and straightforward video!
This is a real gem! Thank you for your effort to explain it so concisely.
So utterly simple. Fixed my Ikea floor lamp with your video! Wow. Thank you!
You explained and showed very well :-) Thank you for taking the time to teach us all. I wish you were my local hardware store. Best to you.
Great video, many thanks. With your excellent help, I just fixed my first lamp. Thanks again!
After seeing a few of these videos, yours was by far the best explained. Some of them did not go into the most important issue with is polarity and how to make sure you are wrapping the appropriate cord around the proper pin. Thanks, I wish we still had nice hardware stores in Florida.
Excellent teacher! I just replaced a lamp switch and socket! Thank You!
Wow. Great video. I feel confident enough to repair my beautiful, poorly constructed lamp.
Thanks so much for the great tutorial. You did a fantastic job explaining not only the how, but also the why. This saved me so much money! Keep them coming!!!
Thank you, sir, for all of your help! I have fixed a lot of toilets, but this was my first electrical wiring project. The switch assembly includes the bulb socket, so I was curious if the package displayed information on the type of bulb to use. Sure enough, if I'd read the info earlier, I could have saved myself some grief; it clearly states "...in lamps and fixtures with medium-base (standard) incandescent bulbs."
I learned so much here! Now I can fix my mother’s lamp.
what a beautiful lamp and a well-paced, perfectly informative talk. thank you.
Thanks so much for sharing this. Most informative one I've seen. And now I know the proper way to replace my lamp switch.
This video is amazing. I had never done anything like this before, but I was able to follow it and fix my lamp safely and cheaply. Thank you!!
What a stellar tutorial! Perfect! This helped exactly and my light switch is now fixed!
If I was in Arlington, I’d be in your store all the time! As it is, I pretty much live at the Ace store in Longmont-in there 1-3 times a day lately as I work on a diy garden irrigation project. Love those people there too! Excellent video. Now I won’t have to go there one more time, cuz now I know what to do with the switch they found me!! 😂
Thank You and also to the person who linked this video 👍🏾. I just received that switch piece via mail. Oh how I've wasted money replacing lamps over the years 💰😭
Awesome video! Especially the part explaining which wire is "hot". Tremendous help there!
Great video..Ive never fixed a lamp, but now I have to do it on my own..you explained it very well..thank you..👍🏽
Thanks for posting this informative video. I was able to re-wire an old lamp for my mom all by myself!
Informative video compared to others I watched. Comments about the smooth vs ribbed and why the knot was necessary. I pulled my socket out and saw the knot and wondered why when other videos did not address until I saw yours! Thank you!
Good instructions and view of what you're doing. Thank you.
I saw two videos about the subject before finding yours. I couldn't see what their hands were doing, because the camera was stationary. I figured that it would be better to find a video where the process was being filmed.
Thank you so much! I was successful in replacing my lamp switches. I could not unplug my lamp so I flipped the breaker with the light on so I knew it was not getting any power.
YAY the BEST video!!! Thanks Mark, just started getting better at making lamps and I have struggled making sure I've got the wiring correct!! Thank YOU!!!
Thanks for the very professional video - I'd watched a couple of others and they didn't mention anything about proper sides, in fact one video actually said it didn't matter which side you plugged the wires into. So you explained that. Also - unplug the cord first (think I would've got that right) but the other videos didn't mention it. The comments led me to believe I should watch another video. Thanks for bringing up the standard and the education level so we can do things properly. I'm scared of electricity, but this seems reasonably easy. By the way, what does True Value charge to do this for a person? It'd be insane if they only charged you for the part!
Thank you so much Sir! I fixed my vintage Wescal lamp by myself. Now it's working fine!
I thought that I had to get rid of a beautiful lamp. Thank you so much for such clear instructions =)
Thank you for this video. I am not a DIY kind of girl but my daughter needed this lamp we had that did not work. I watched your video and was able to fix the lamp all by myself, well with your help of course.
Yay!! It worked for me. Thanks 4 this vid. I miss our local hardware stores who offered these types of service.
Thank you for making it a step by step simple way for me to understand how to do it !!!
Thanks so much for the video, I'm getting ready to replace sockets on a couple of my antique lamps.
Thank you, very informative! Thanks especially for the description of the difference in the wires. Once I took my lamp apart, I wondered how I was going to tell the difference, now I know.
Thank you so much! I watched a video before this and they said the polarization was not an issue. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Omg I did it! Thank you so much!! This was an incredible experience and I can't wait to use my lamp!
You have no idea how much you've helped me. Thank you so much!
Best video I've come by to explain what to do and why!
Thank you for the instructions. I have several lamps that need to have the wiring and socket replaced. Two have cloth cords, and I am not sure how I will be able to do my most prized lamp. It has a section in the middle for a light. It's going to be a challenge that I might need help with. Wish you were close to me! It works great still, and I use it infrequently. The middle bulb is out and I have never tried to change it. I am going to replace my everyday lamp's socket from a turn switch to something simpler. Thanks again!
I just fixed my old lamp with your help. Thank you!
Wonderful! Now I feel confident about replacing a broken lamp socket.
Thank you so much for the very informative & helpful tutorial. It’s just what I was looking for. You’re a very nice man. Love from Australia 💕
Great overview with step-by-step instructions.
Great video and teaching. I felt confident doing this. Thank you!
Thanks so much. Saved 4 beloved lamps.
Thank you! You helped me save a floor lamp today.
Glad I came across this. Good accent. I actually need to learn how to do a Mass/New England accent for a play and this should help nicely😄 I’m actually looking to fix a foot switch for a lamp. Thanks
Thank you so much! Fixed my new thrift store lamp! Love it!!
Excellent video especially the great tips about polarity, wire ridges, etc. thanks a bunch.
You are an absolute life savior. Thank you so much.
Never knew about the smooth and ribbed element. Thanks!
I was truly impressed with that. I actually stopped the video to check it out.
If the on/off switch on an old lamp becomes an intermittent problem, you can
sometimes salvage the lamp by buying a toggle switch at the local hardware box store.
(I like to get the 3 prong switches because they stay in place and
provide a much more secure connection .)
Then you plug the lamp into the switch and always use the stand alone switch to
turn the lamp on and off. This is MUCH easier than trying to rewire or repair
the lamp. If it is a lamp that is next to a chair, it is more convenient to have
the switch lower to the floor anyway. We currently have 2 lamps this worked for.
We also used this solution for a set of string lights that didn't have an on/off
switch for some crazy reason.
WRZ 2020-04-10
Delaware County, PA
this actually helped me fix my old lamp thank you!!!
Great job demonstrating how to change a switch out
Thanks for your clear and safe explanation.
Thank you for your demonstration. I was able to put new insides in my smalll hanging lamp over my stove which is of vintage design and has a switch on one side that turns and its working perfectly. :)
Perfect info, thank you!