Help rewiring a lamp, too much voltage?

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noir123

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hi this might be a noob question,

i just rewired a table lamp using a standard extension cord and now it's too bright, I've even blown a few globes in the process, is the thickness of the cable causing the problem? if so what thickness cable should i be using?

any help would be appreciated =D
 
The thickness of the cable will have no effect. What kind of light fitting is it?

If you put a lamp of too high a wattage in a fitting then it may overheat and blow. Most fittings have a maximum wattage they can safely take before either the fitting becomes damaged or the lamp overheats. This would shorten its life expectancy considerably.
 
It's that upside-down Australian electricity.

A loose connection can cause lamps to blow.
 
nah I'm serious,
OK this is what i did i bought a bayonet light-fitting, and an extension cable.
i cut the female end off and joined it to the fitting. I'm guessing bayonet doesn't have a polarity?
I first tried putting a regular 40w globe in and it blew about 10 seconds later, and it seemed way too bright for a 40w globe. Am i doing something wrong?
 
noir123 said:
nah I'm serious,
OK this is what i did i bought a bayonet light-fitting, and an extension cable.
i cut the female end off and joined it to the fitting. I'm guessing bayonet doesn't have a polarity?
I first tried putting a regular 40w globe in and it blew about 10 seconds later, and it seemed way too bright for a 40w globe. Am i doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
Have you inserted a 40watt 110volt bulb, into a 240volt supply?

Wotan
 
What voltages do you use down under?
You'll probably be better off asking elsewhere as this forum is for Electrics in the United Kingdom.
 
Sometimes if you knock lamps, they go much brighter than blow.

But there could well be mileage in the wrong voltage lamps. However, it is a 240V supply down there, no?
 
The lamp is brass plated, but i don't see how that could cause a problem, cause i ran the cable right up to the fitting. The only other thing i can think of is i haven't connected the earth yet.

Yes, the power supply in aus is 240v and yes i'm using 240v rated globes.

This is driving me mad i don't understand why it doesn't work properly, could the brass be acting as a capacitor or something? but then there's no voltage going to the brass to create one.

please help!!!

*just checked the socket says it rated for 250v 2amp, that sound right?
 
OK I'm just going to dismantle the lamp for safety reasons.
I might get a plastic thread to make it safer, instead of the metal one which might be cutting into the wires. I may have over-twisted the wires when attaching the fittings. those things are hard to put on and take off.

I'll try putting it together again once i learn more.

Any hints and tips are welcome.
 
i've reassembled it and seems to be working now.

I over twisted the wires the first time, which might have caused flux.
I learned to assemble the lamp in reverse, so that the wires don't get over twisted when screwing the fitting onto the threaded bar.

I'm glad i earthed it, i can see now why metal lamps can be so dangerous.

thanks to everyone that replied
 
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