Common Floor and Table Lamps Problems and Solutions
- Bulb flickers or does not light
- Lamp blows fuse or trips circuit breaker
- Bulb broken or seized
- Bulb burns out too quickly
- Shock when changing bulb
- Shock when plugging or unplugging lamp
Bulb flickers or does not light
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Plug or bulb loose | Check plug in wall outlet, tighten bulb in socket |
| Bulb burned out | Replace bulb |
| Wall outlet faulty | Test lamp in another outlet. If it lights, service the outlet |
| Socket contact tab bent | Pry up contact tab |
| Socket faulty | Replace socket |
| Lamp switch faulty | Test and replace switch |
| Plug faulty | Replace plug |
| Lamp cord faulty | Test and rewire lamp |
Lamp blows fuse or trips circuit breaker
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Overload circuit | Move a high-wattage appliance to another circuit Have an electrician run a new circuit from the circuit panel |
| Short circuit in lamp cord | Test and rewire lamp |
| Plug faulty | Replace plug |
| Socket faulty | Test and replace socket |
Bulb broken or seized
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Socket corroded or damaged | Replace socket |
Bulb burns out too quickly
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Heavy use of lamp | Install long-life bulb or bulb life extender |
Shock when changing bulb
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Socket faulty | Replace socket |
| Polarity reversed | Check polarity in cord and plug |
Shock when plugging or unplugging lamp
| Possible Cause | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Plug faulty | Replace plug |
| Lamp cord faulty | Rewire lamp |
