Tools and Materials
- Continuity tester
- If required: plug, socket, or cord replacements
- Insulated screwdriver
- Utility knife
- Multipurpose tool
Turn On the Fixture. Plug the lamp into a receptacle, and turn on the switch. Flex the cord back and forth over its entire length. Flexing the cord will separate the ends of any broken section of wire. If the bulb flickers, a wire in the cord is broken. Cord most commonly breaks at the plug end, the shell, and at the junction where the cord enters the lamp base.
- Flex the cord while the light fixture is turned on. If the bulb flickers, the cord is defective.
- To evaluate the integrity of a wire, use a continuity tester to check the plug prongs and the lamp socket.
Incandescent light bulbs are designated by letters and numbers that represent their shapes and diameters.
Test the Cord. If flexing the cord does not cause the bulb to flicker, use a continuity tester to evaluate the integrity of the wire. Check the prongs on the plug end and the socket itself-including both the shell and center contact. Be sure the switch is turned on but the power is off. Place the clip on the continuity tester on one prong and touch the probe to one exposed wire at the end of the cord, then the other wire. Do the same with the other prong. If the circuit is complete, the tester will light. You can also perform this test while flexing the cord. If the cord is defective, the broken wire ends will make intermittent contact, causing the meter reading to jump wildly up and down. If you find a faulty plug, switch, or line cord, replace the defective part.