Can I rewire a desk lamp?

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Tincan

7 posts

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#285744 14-May-2021 13:42

I've had a hunt around but all the information and instructions I find seem to be US based - does anyone know if this is something I can do at home in NZ?

My sister was getting rid of a little desk light that stopped working and I thought it might be fun to try a a DIY fix instead of just throwing it out, so I was wondering if anyone knows if it's the sort of thing that can be done, and if so what sort of cable etc to look for/where to source it (maybe Jaycar or somewhere similar?).

It seemed like a pretty minor task but the lack of local information has me wondering if it's just a big no-no here.

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#2707553 14-May-2021 13:51

Home wiring exemptions allow such things in NZ

https://worksafe.govt.nz/dmsdocument/1574-new-zealand-electrical-code-of-practice-for-repair-and-maintenance-of-domestic-electrical-appliances-by-the-owner-of-the-appliance-nzecp-50-2004

BUT... If you don't know anything about electricity or wiring or appliances DONT DO IT...

While it might just be a lamp , its plugged into 240V and the last thing you want to do is end up livening the frame or other location that people can touch and could be POTENTIALLY LEATHAL...

mdooher

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#2707582 14-May-2021 15:12

You could legally do it if it is for you or someone in your household...but from your question, it is clear that you should get help from someone who knows what they are doing.

You are on the right track by asking, and as they say, everyone has to learn somewhere.

Matthew

mattwnz

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#2707593 14-May-2021 15:39

If you are looking for wire, I found Jaycar have lots of different types that you can buy per metre. I stick to 24 volt LED strip lighting.

Tincan

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Wannabe Geek

#2707596 14-May-2021 15:45

Ah, thanks folks. Everything I've seen has made it seem pretty basic if you've got an ounce of common sense and can follow instructions, but like I said it's all been American stuff and I know they don't use the same voltage we do so maybe that's a factor. I'm pretty DIY savvy but haven't done much with electricity so I might sadly admit defeat on this one. Thanks for the advice though!

mattenz

190 posts

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#2707609 14-May-2021 16:06

It's probably not that difficult, probably just a connection come loose inside.

richms

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#2707628 14-May-2021 16:22

American stuff is blatantly unsafe how they do things, Single insulation, wirenuts inside a metal base, no earthing and wires in screw terminals is a disaster in the making. So many cringe videos of "derp look at me Im a woodworker and I made a lamp" on youtube.

The thing is that there can be things done in the design of the lamp to do the bare minimum to be double insulated and if you work on it and don't exactly replicate how the lamp was, you are compromising the cost engineered design down from "barely safe" to "not safe" even tho there is no difference really in how it is, but you're the last person to work on it so its all your fault if it does become live or whatever. Also many lamps have holders with one way clamps on the wire for terminals. Some have release slots beside them but you still need the right ferrule on the end of the stranded wire to go into them. That's a tool you probably do not have available to you.

Its a desk lamp, unless its an heirloom piece, just bin it and get another.

Richard rich.ms

frankv

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#2707631 14-May-2021 16:27

Tincan:

Ah, thanks folks. Everything I've seen has made it seem pretty basic if you've got an ounce of common sense and can follow instructions, but like I said it's all been American stuff and I know they don't use the same voltage we do so maybe that's a factor. I'm pretty DIY savvy but haven't done much with electricity so I might sadly admit defeat on this one. Thanks for the advice though!

You should be fine... there's nothing different about 230V vs 110V wiring, except the shape of the plugs and maybe the colours of the wires (230V wires are coloured whereas 110V are colored ;) ). Same principles of "don't let the bare wires touch under any circumstances", and "make sure they are connected to the right terminals" apply.

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richms

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#2707634 14-May-2021 16:33

frankv:

You should be fine... there's nothing different about 230V vs 110V wiring, except the shape of the plugs and maybe the colours of the wires (230V wires are coloured whereas 110V are colored ;) ). Same principles of "don't let the bare wires touch under any circumstances", and "make sure they are connected to the right terminals" apply.

Expected standards are vastly different between the markets. They allow things there which are absurdly unsafe.

Richard rich.ms

Rikkitic

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#2707636 14-May-2021 16:36

I vote with the folks who say you probably shouldn't do this. It isn't particularly difficult, but if you don't have at least some basic understanding of electricity, it can be potentially dangerous. 240 volts will kill you many times over if you get it wrong. So can an electrical fire. The principles are the same here and in the USA, but bear in mind that our mains voltage is twice theirs and that means the current will be half for the same load. Our wiring may be thinner and our switches may have a lower rating. In practice these things won't cause problems for what you want, but they illustrate some of the differences. It is not likely, but not entirely impossible, that a cheaply-made Chinese lamp could pose electrocution and fire hazard risks and even put the phase connection onto exposed metal bits.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Ge0rge

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#2707643 14-May-2021 16:49

Interesting that the majority of posters have assumed the OP wants to connect it to 230v.

Why not do something fully DIY and put low voltage DC LEDs in the lamp, along with some sort of Arduino controller or similar - make it a neat little Smart Lamp instead? ~12vDC wall wart to run it, much safer and learn a heap more while at it.

Bung

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#2707645 14-May-2021 16:58

Any exemptions for home owners to repair appliances don't allow work on anything the manufacturer regards as not repairable. If it is held together with security screws that you can't get undone, that's a clue :-)

Rikkitic

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#2707651 14-May-2021 17:22

I don't like just saying not to do something if someone wants to learn about it. If that is the motive, I recommend a little reading to grasp some of the principles. You don't have to burrow through a full engineering course, but you should at least learn what Ohm's law is, also how it relates to power consumption. This is really the only basic tool you need. Learn the difference between DC and AC and try constructing some basic circuits to know how simple switches work. There are a lot of excellent inexpensive learning tools, both virtual and actual, available for this kind of thing. I can't give specific recommendations because it has been a long time since I played around with this, but others here certainly can. It is a fun hobby and also safe if you just work with battery circuits.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Tincan

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2707689 14-May-2021 18:54

Rikkitic:

I don't like just saying not to do something if someone wants to learn about it. If that is the motive, I recommend a little reading to grasp some of the principles. You don't have to burrow through a full engineering course, but you should at least learn what Ohm's law is, also how it relates to power consumption. This is really the only basic tool you need. Learn the difference between DC and AC and try constructing some basic circuits to know how simple switches work. There are a lot of excellent inexpensive learning tools, both virtual and actual, available for this kind of thing. I can't give specific recommendations because it has been a long time since I played around with this, but others here certainly can. It is a fun hobby and also safe if you just work with battery circuits.

Yeah, I'd love to learn a bit of electrical engineering, just for this kind of thing and various tinkering projects ☺️. I don't necessarily want to know how to wire a whole house or anything, I just like to fix things if they can be fixed. Never quite sure where to start though. I periodically search online in the hopes that I'll stumble across a local intro to electronics/electrical engineering short course or something (I learned to weld that way and it has possibly made me unrealistically optimistic about my chances of finding another one!😅) But if anyone has some recs for good tutorials for a complete novice, especially ones relevant to NZ wiring - if it matters - I'd be keen to check 'em out!

Tincan

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#2707690 14-May-2021 18:58

richms:

Its a desk lamp, unless its an heirloom piece, just bin it and get another.

To be honest it's not even about the lamp itself (although it is quite a cool one) - it was more that I thought it would be a fun project that could keep something out of landfill, but you're right that it's not worth burning my house down over!

Tincan

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2707692 14-May-2021 19:01

Ge0rge: Interesting that the majority of posters have assumed the OP wants to connect it to 230v.

Why not do something fully DIY and put low voltage DC LEDs in the lamp, along with some sort of Arduino controller or similar - make it a neat little Smart Lamp instead? ~12vDC wall wart to run it, much safer and learn a heap more while at it.

Hey, something like that might be cool, cheers!

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