We have moved in to our new flat. It took quite an effort to select and buy lamp fittings for various rooms. I was attracted by a particular design which was a hanging lamp with a side bracket. I bought two of these of same design so that they could be hanged as a pair on opposite walls.
The lamps were fitted and when we switched them on they were glorious. I got so much fascinated, I watched them for quite a time. Soon afterwards trouble broke out; one after another the lamps failed . Even after replacing the bulbs which got fused out the lamps were not working. We called on the electrician but he did not have a ready solution. He wished to take them to his workshop and repair. It took more tan a month and constant chasing but finally I learnt that due to heat the wires inside the fitting had melted. They were able to salvage one of the lamps but I did not know the fate of the other one. Finally it was learnt that the glass shade of the fitting had broken and we have to buy a new one.
It was another hunt to get a fitting almost matching the surviving one. I was extremely happy when they fitted both the lamps back on a fine day. The good news was that both the lamps were working on the first day. But the old lamp was blinking for some time and finally conked off on the second evening.
I was at my wits end. I did not know what to do further. But on one thing I was sure; To repair the failed lamp somehow and to do the repair myself and not leaving it to the mercy of the electrician.
The lamp was hanging from the floor at a height of 8 feet. I had to climb up on a stool and balance myself precariously for unscrewing the fittings while making sure that the glass shades were intact. My wife helped a lot but I had to do a balancing act to retain my position on the narrow stool. After an hour I finished the operation successfully. I carefully removed all the outside connectors and when I looked at the lamp holder I got quite a shock and a surprise. The wires had not melted as told by the electrician but the connecting terminals had badly corroded and the wires were not connected securely but simply twisted on the terminal. When I checked with the OVA meter I found that the current was not flowing due to the corrosion of the electrodes.
It took nearly 2 days for me to remove the corrosion but I was successful only with one terminal. For the other one after racking my brain I came out with a solution of providing a bypass wire connection connecting directly yo the lamp base avoiding the terminal. I thoroughly checked with the OVA meter and finally checked with a brand new lamp as the old one had fused out. The lamp lit brightly when connected.
I had to reassemble the fitting and the wire had to be inserted through a curved tube and it was very difficult. The wire was very thin and when I pulled it through the tube it started breaking. I did not know what to do. I thought it was hopeless and stopped the work for the day. I had a brain wave next day. I took up a thick wire and was successful in inserting through the tube after several trials. I cut the old wire just above the lamp holder and the connected it to the new wire. After checking with the OVA meter and making sure the connection was OK I proceeded.
Fitting the lamp back on the wall bracket was the most difficult part. The lamp's back portion had to be fitted to a wall bracket through 2 screws. Standing precariously on the narrow stool and managing not to fall I tried hard fitting the screws. But the gap between the fitting and the wall bracket was so narrow I failed in inserting the screw with my fingers. The screw used to fall down and I had to seek the help of some one to retrieve it. This happened several times causing considerable fatigue. Also the lamp holder which was connected to the new wire suddenly got separated due to its weight and fell down on the floor. I thanked God that it had not happened with the bulb or glass shades
on. I fitted an outside metal wire between the holder and the top of the fitting so that the weight would be supported. Finally one of the screws fell down and I was not able to trace it out after spending more than an hour. I abandoned the operation for the day.
The next morning I got rejuvenated and searched for s similar screw in my box of odds and ends. I could not get an exact match but got a screw which I though would fit in. After several attempts I could fit the bracket to the fitting. The new screw some how did the job. I was in the 7th heaven when the lamp lit up brightly and all my woes flew off.
To end the story next day our servant maid quietly came up with the missing screw which had got trapped near a corner box on the floor. I thought of replacing it on but wiser council prevailed as I did not wish to start the whole process again.
The lamps were fitted and when we switched them on they were glorious. I got so much fascinated, I watched them for quite a time. Soon afterwards trouble broke out; one after another the lamps failed . Even after replacing the bulbs which got fused out the lamps were not working. We called on the electrician but he did not have a ready solution. He wished to take them to his workshop and repair. It took more tan a month and constant chasing but finally I learnt that due to heat the wires inside the fitting had melted. They were able to salvage one of the lamps but I did not know the fate of the other one. Finally it was learnt that the glass shade of the fitting had broken and we have to buy a new one.
It was another hunt to get a fitting almost matching the surviving one. I was extremely happy when they fitted both the lamps back on a fine day. The good news was that both the lamps were working on the first day. But the old lamp was blinking for some time and finally conked off on the second evening.
I was at my wits end. I did not know what to do further. But on one thing I was sure; To repair the failed lamp somehow and to do the repair myself and not leaving it to the mercy of the electrician.
The lamp was hanging from the floor at a height of 8 feet. I had to climb up on a stool and balance myself precariously for unscrewing the fittings while making sure that the glass shades were intact. My wife helped a lot but I had to do a balancing act to retain my position on the narrow stool. After an hour I finished the operation successfully. I carefully removed all the outside connectors and when I looked at the lamp holder I got quite a shock and a surprise. The wires had not melted as told by the electrician but the connecting terminals had badly corroded and the wires were not connected securely but simply twisted on the terminal. When I checked with the OVA meter I found that the current was not flowing due to the corrosion of the electrodes.
It took nearly 2 days for me to remove the corrosion but I was successful only with one terminal. For the other one after racking my brain I came out with a solution of providing a bypass wire connection connecting directly yo the lamp base avoiding the terminal. I thoroughly checked with the OVA meter and finally checked with a brand new lamp as the old one had fused out. The lamp lit brightly when connected.
I had to reassemble the fitting and the wire had to be inserted through a curved tube and it was very difficult. The wire was very thin and when I pulled it through the tube it started breaking. I did not know what to do. I thought it was hopeless and stopped the work for the day. I had a brain wave next day. I took up a thick wire and was successful in inserting through the tube after several trials. I cut the old wire just above the lamp holder and the connected it to the new wire. After checking with the OVA meter and making sure the connection was OK I proceeded.
Fitting the lamp back on the wall bracket was the most difficult part. The lamp's back portion had to be fitted to a wall bracket through 2 screws. Standing precariously on the narrow stool and managing not to fall I tried hard fitting the screws. But the gap between the fitting and the wall bracket was so narrow I failed in inserting the screw with my fingers. The screw used to fall down and I had to seek the help of some one to retrieve it. This happened several times causing considerable fatigue. Also the lamp holder which was connected to the new wire suddenly got separated due to its weight and fell down on the floor. I thanked God that it had not happened with the bulb or glass shades
on. I fitted an outside metal wire between the holder and the top of the fitting so that the weight would be supported. Finally one of the screws fell down and I was not able to trace it out after spending more than an hour. I abandoned the operation for the day.The next morning I got rejuvenated and searched for s similar screw in my box of odds and ends. I could not get an exact match but got a screw which I though would fit in. After several attempts I could fit the bracket to the fitting. The new screw some how did the job. I was in the 7th heaven when the lamp lit up brightly and all my woes flew off.
To end the story next day our servant maid quietly came up with the missing screw which had got trapped near a corner box on the floor. I thought of replacing it on but wiser council prevailed as I did not wish to start the whole process again.
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