Rewiring Vintage Lamps

[Erny]

Hi all,

As you may know I've recently joined the forum and have an avid interest in all things vintage - in particular the restoration of vintage items. More recently i have taken an interest in electrical items.

I'm looking to re-wire two vintage spot/desk lamps that date from the 1960s/70s (as shown below). They currently have 2 core insulated flex with a Bakelite type bulb holder surround. I want to use them as bedside table lamps but down want to give myself a zap out of bed in the morning.

With that in mind, obviously they need to be earthed as the body of the lamp , swivel stand and base are all metal- can anyone advise me how to go about doing this - obviously I would like to do the restoration in a tasteful manner but as always safety is paramount. Would I be right in thinking new earthed bulb holder and then earth bolts/ earth spade connectors joining the metal parts to give continuity?

Thanks for any suggestions/advice in advance. Picture of the same lamp taken from Etsy for illustration .

 

[Dan]

Cool lamp, a zap out of bed is what I need in the morning but not sure how many mornings I'd survive with my borderline useless heart lol

I'm sure the lads will be able to help. I'm not a sparks myself.

 

[Erny]

Hehe

Cool lamp, a zap out of bed is what I need in the morning but not sure how many mornings I'd survive with my borderline useless heart lol

I'm sure the lads will be able to help. I'm not a sparks myself.

Haha! Thanks, I picked them up at Europe's biggest flea market in Amsterdam.

 

[Dan]

Wow how many!?

 

[Erny]

Wow how many!?

Just two of them (one yellow and one orange) but it was the best flea market/ car boot ever with loads of vintage items, mid century design items, vintage lighting, vintage electronics. It was mega! (IJ-Hallen - De grootste vlooienmarkt van Europa - http://ijhallen.nl/en/) - This is the flea market.

 

[amlu]

You should be able to replace the 2 core flex with 3 core 0.75mm H05RR-F flex and attach the earth somewhere in the case with a eye crimp.

 

[Erny]

You should be able to replace the 2 core flex with 3 core 0.75mm H05RR-F flex and attach the earth somewhere in the case with a eye crimp.

I thought that but as the flex passes through the main bulb housing and through the hinge into the base and back out would all three separate parts (bulb housing, hinge and base) not need to be earthed so that there is no danger of the cable rubbing on the hinge over time and then shorting?

 

[telectrix]

even though the casing is metal, it may still be classII and as such will not require earthing.

 

[Erny]

even though the casing is metal, it may still be classII and as such will not require earthing.

Ahh thanks, any way to verify this (sorry if I'm being a complete newbie). I work as an IT engineer at a college so I've also inquired about a short elec course

 

[telectrix]

if the lampholder has no exposed metal parts, it could be class2.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I agree. The plastic flex clamp at the back is very suggestive of class II, if it goes straight into a fully insulated plastic / phenolic lampholder with a skirt, and the flex remains sheathed all the way from the plug into the back of the holder, then it almost certainly is quite safe as-is. This is the way modern lamps are made and I would not modify it for the sake of it, you might not make it any safer. Of course, one should not assume that something is class II unless it has the square-in-a-square symbol.

 

[Erny]

Thanks for all the pointers, information and advice.

I've just spoken to a colleague (college PAT tester and fully qualified electrician by trade, now theatre technician). He has informed me that it is a Class 1 product - Ive run through some basics and it needs new glands, mini SES holder and rewire of 0.50 3 core which I will then earth to the inside of the bulb housing on pre-existing holes to keep the aesthetics.
I'll post up restoration pictures as I go along

 

[Lucien Nunes]

At present it cannot be class I as it is not earthed, it must be class 0 if there is only basic insulation present. Is there a particular constructional feature that makes the earthing necessary, or is it the lack of verifiable class II status that makes it unacceptable as-is?

 

[Erny]

Ahh right I see, with it having a swivel yoke on the lamp I didn't want there to be any remote chance that the flex can be worn through and give a shock, therefore I will be earthing. That coupled with the lack of status. Thanks

 

[westward10]

Having not physically seen it one cannot be guaranteed but I would say it doesn't need earthing. I agree with Lucien in Post 11, plus you will spoil it's originality.