How to Guides – Margin Services Help Centre https://help.marginservices.co.uk Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:34:16 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 How to repair a light that has a lamp inside and outside https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/how-to-repair-a-light-that-has-a-lamp-inside-and-outside/ Thu, 30 May 2024 15:34:04 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=744

Commonly known as West German Lamps, these are popular lamps that have a lampholder inside and on top.

These style of lights come in all different shapes and sizes, so this guide below may not be exactly right but will be close enough to get an idea on how to make the lamp work.

Like the image below.

The main concept of this guide will be installing an E27 | Edison Screw Lampholder on top and an E14 | Small Edison Screw Lampholder inside.

All wired from a single supply and a connection inside the lamp to going the 3 wires together.

Below we begin, I will list the parts used in this guide below to easily identify the bits if you want to order.

 

So now we have the parts used, let get going…

First off you will want to work out how much rod to use, remember you need approx 6mm sticking out the top (after installing nut and cover) this will allow enough thread for the lampholder to sit on.

Ensure there is enough room for the hickey + small rod + lampholder, you ideally want to ensure the hickey is inside the shaft of the lamp so the small Edison Screw lampholder is in the main compartment of the lamp base.

The reason you may want to try and house it all up in the shaft is so you don’t see it when the lamp is turned off.

Working out how much rod to use can be tricky but a bit of thinking and working out will ensure you get it right, this is hard to help with as different lamps require different lengths.

Once you have the length cut the rod to length, take a steel nut and screw it onto the end then place a tube grommet in the end of the rod and screw the hickey onto the rod.

Repeat the same process but using the small rod the other side of the hickey, as shown below.

 

Note: It may be worth using some superglue after you have confirmed all the lengths are correct, this will ensure that nothing will move over time.

Take the bottom section of the E14 lampholder and screw it onto the smaller piece of threaded rod.

 

The next thing to do is to thread a steel nut onto the rod followed by a washer as shown below.

 

Knowing how far to put the nut down the rod can be a trial and error process, the best way would be to measure the distance from the nut to the top of the rod, deducting the thickness of the washer inside, the lamp base and the nut + washer on the top.

Then ensuring you have 6mm sticking out the top, for me this is too much and i prefer to just guess and try.

If there is not enough thread sticking out the top i remove it spin the nut down a bit and try again.

Likewise, if too much is sticking out the top you can either cut the rod off or simply remove the assembly and spin the nut up the rod.

Once you have the correct length set put a mark on the rod where the nut is this is because if the nut moves when wiring the assembly you will have to do the above process again.

Next is wiring the assembly there are 2 options and i will cover both here – 

Jump to option 1 – In depth and tricky but will look way better if you are planning on re selling or if you cannot hide the connections inside the lamp.

Jump to option 2 – Faster and easier however not as cosmetically clean, however if you can hide all the wiring and connections then this is the best option to take.

Option 1:

 Take the 2 small chandelier wires and measure from the E14 to the E27 lampholders as these wires will be going from the E14 to the E27 lampholder’s.

Ensure to over cut a bit it is always better to have more than less when it comes to cabling!

Once you have the length take the heat shrink sleeving and cut it so all of the heat shrink will be inside the rod and just sticking out either end, this will do 2 things, 1 to give it extra protection, 2 looks neat.

Take the E14 insert and wire it onto the wiring loom, further information about wiring the lampholder can be found here: Installing Arditi Brand E14 lampholder’s

Take the assembly and carefully thread it from the E14’s cap up the assembly and out the top of the long rod.

Once the E14 lampholder has been wired, next we need to look at getting the main supply cable into the assembly and sticking out the top.

Due to the lack of room inside the threaded rod, I had to strip the outer PVC jacket from the cable.

Note that I cut a slightly larger piece of heat shrink sleeving and slid it onto the cable.

As you can see here i have slid the heat shrink up to the hickey this will hide 99% of the inner cores of the cable, it’s not there to protect the cable it’s more of a cosmetic.
Tip

I removed the larger all threaded rod to help with installation of the cable.

Once the supply cable has been pushed through the rod and sticking out the top of the alongside the chandelier wire assembly, then it is time to install the whole assembly into the lamp base.

Take another washer and nut and install that on the piece of thread sticking out the top.

Now carefully tighten the top nut up, you may want to use glue as well as you don’t want to over tighten the nut as well as maybe a rubber/plastic washer if required.

Once you have the whole assembly in place where you want it you can then place the nut cover over the top and screw on the bottom section of the lampholder.

Please see the following link for full installation guidance on wiring the lampholder: Installing Arditi Brand E27 lampholder’s

Note: The above guide is for a 2 core cable, the connection wiring is the same but the earth will go into the cap as show below.

As the guide will only show a single cable you will need to ensure you either solder the chandelier wire to the supply wire or use ferrules.

 

Once the lampholder has been wired completely please jump to the Cord grip section to finish off the whole installation.

Option 2:

For this option i used 2 core flat cable as it fits into the thread rod well, no need for a earthed solution as long as the inner cores (blue, brown) are NOT inside the threaded rod.

You will need 3 pieces of wire for this 1 small piece for the E14 lampholder, 1 longer piece for the E27 lampholder and the main length for the supply.

All 3 will need to be joined inside the lamp base.

Take all 3 pieces and strip the ends so they are all the same, then using Wagos connect all the browns together and all the blues together.

As above you should already have the hickey installation on the threaded rods.

Take the E14 insert and wire it onto the wiring loom, further information about wiring the lampholder can be found here: Installing Arditi Brand E14 lampholder’s

Once the E14 lampholder is wired and complete take the assembly and feed it through the lamp base.

As you have already placed the nut in the correct position you should have the right amount of thread sticking out the top.

Take another washer and slide it over the thread followed by a nut.

Now carefully tighten the top nut up, you may want to use glue as well as you don’t want to over tighten the nut as well as maybe a rubber/plastic washer if required.

Once you have the whole assembly in place where you want it you can then place the nut cover over the top and screw on the bottom section of the lampholder.

 

Please see the following link for full installation guidance on wiring the lampholder: Installing Arditi Brand E27 lampholder’s

This should then complete the installation of the E27 lampholder.

Cord Grip

 After the wiring has been completed you will need to install a cord grip (strain relief) onto the cable.

This is crucial as this will prevent the cable from being pulled out of the lampholders or wago’s.

There are many ways of doing this but below is the best way for a standard hole in the side of the lamp base.

We use a cord grip called a CE4 that will slide onto the before pushing the cable out of the lamp base.

These are the easiest ones to use as you can leave the grip loosen on the cable until the very end where you can then simply use a slotted screwdriver to tighten it onto the cable.

This will be done right behind the cable hole as shown below.

Once this has been done it’s a simple matter of installing a switch/dimmer and a plug top.

 

]]> How to Convert a Gas Blow Torch Into a Light Fitting https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/how-to-convert-a-gas-blow-torch-into-a-light-fitting/ Thu, 30 May 2024 14:24:30 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=683

This guide is to show you how i have personally converted gas blow torches into light fittings.

This is the way i have done it but there are other ways that you can achieve this, from a personal view i much prefer this option as the lampholder is virtually hidden and gives a great effect when using a flame light bulb.

I have cut the torch about to get the lampholder to fit using a multi tool like a Dremel with a cutting tool on the end, these are great tools that can be picked up on the cheap and are perfect for little hobby projects like this.

Here is a list of products that i have use din this project.

Step 1

The cord grips are designed to screw into the base of the lampholder however the thread will need to be cut down slightly, use a hacksaw or a sharp knife to do this.

As you can see the grip on the right is stock and how you will receive it and the one on the left is the badly cut version by me 🙂 it won't be seen so does not need to be neat.

Please be careful!

 

Step 2

Once the cord grip has been cut down screw it into the lampholder as show below.

 

Step 3

Take 1 of the 2x additional shade rings purchased and screw it onto the skirt of the light fitting.

 

Step 4

Unscrew the lock ring on the lampholder and push the cable through the bottom of the lampholder and connect the cable to the connection unit as seen below.

Ensure the earth cable is connected to the bottom section of the brass lampholder, it does not matter which way around the brown (Live) and Neutral (Blue) go.

Tip
See this guide on how to wire the BC un switched lampholder
Learn More

Once the lampholder is back together, just grab your screwdriver and tighten the cord grip grub screw up, this will prevent the cable from being pulled out of the lampholder.

Step 5

To get the BC lampholder to fit I needed to remove the end of the torch, I had already cut this part before making this guide, but below is the finished piece after cutting.

I used a Dremel with a cutting disc and a pair of gloves, as the brass go hot from the cutting process.

Once cut use a file to ensure a smooth surface and is burr free.

 

Step 6

Push the lampholder assembly up into the brass section leaving a bit of thread sticking out the end, this can vary, and you may need to remove the 2nd shade ring you installed earlier on, or even add a 3rd one if needed.

Once the hole is correct and the lampholder fits, then take the 3rd or 4th shade ring and thread it onto the lampholder holding it in place.

 

Step 7

The next step would be to cut the pipe on the torch as seen here, the amount to cut off will depend on the style of torch.

Then push the cable through the backplate section.

 

Step 8

Once the assembly is in position you can then put the holding plate back on to hold everything back into position.

 

Step 9

From there on wards you can install a switch on the cable if required then a plug top to finish the project off.

 

Below are a couple of other torches i have made for reference.
Affiliated Links
Please note that we are using Amazon affiliated links within this guide, this means if you use one of the links to purchase a product we recommend, then we get a tiny kickback. This does not alter the price for you at all.
]]> Installing our ceiling roses https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/installing-our-ceiling-roses/ Thu, 30 May 2024 14:05:37 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=663

This quick guide is to show you how to install our ceiling roses.

These can be installed over the top of a standard plastic rose, meaning you do not need to remove all the cables out of the existing rose.

In this guide I will be showing you how to install the new bracket behind your old rose, keeping the old rose into position and replacing the cable for a new one.

This may be different for you, but the concept is still the same.

If you cannot keep your old rose in place, then you DO NOT need to remove the bit of metal from your new fixing bracket.

You will also then need to grab some connector blocks to connect the cables together.

Warning

Before we start, as always please ensure you have disconnected the power supply to the light fitting, if in doubt consult a qualified electrician.

Step 1

Grab a pair of pliers and snap off the smaller side of the bracket as shown here.

Please Note: Be careful on the rough edges of the part you have snapped off, they can be sharp!

Step 2

Once the piece of metal has been removed you can now work on your existing light fitting, first off ensure the existing rose is not too big for the bracket, if so then you will have to remove the existing rose completely.

If the bracket fits either side of the rose, then you can remove the 2 screws that hold the rose onto the ceiling.

Step 3

Once the screws are out of the old rose you can then slide the new bracket behind the old rose and re position the screws into the old fixing holes in the ceiling.

Then taken the 2 screws and tighten the rose back up.

 

Step 4

Once the new bracket is installed you will need to take an earth cable and link the earth block on old rose to the earth block on the new bracket as shown below.

 

Step 5

If your changing the cable drop then you can remove this cable from the old rose, you can then connect your new cable to the old rose.

Please Note: if you have already got a lampholder on the end of the new piece of cable ensure you slide the new ceiling rose onto the cable before connecting it.

 

Step 6

Once the new cable has been connected to the old rose you can then slide the new rose up the cable and hold it into position using the 2x thumb screws.

 

]]> Converting a Hong Kong Paraffin Lamp into a Table lamp https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/converting-a-hong-kong-paraffin-lamp-into-a-table-lamp/ Thu, 30 May 2024 13:34:52 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=638

This guide will show you how to turn a glass paraffin style lamp into a light fitting.

Your lamp may not look the same, but may have the same types of features as shown in this guide and may help you.

The concept around this lamp is the cable begin drilled through the glass bottle and up into a G9 Halogen lampholder using an LED lamp.

Parts used in this guide:

The first step is to drill a hole into the glass we have a video on how I drill glass bottles.

Once the hole has been made in the bottle you will need to put cable protection in the hole to prevent the cable from potentially cutting on what could be a sharp hole.

This is where we use one our black grommets.

 

Once this has been achieved, we can put the glass bottle to one side for a second.

I then had to work out how to attach a lampholder and what lampholder to attach to the fittings i have.

This is always something that needs a bit of thinking as there are many ways to achieve this.

I was lucky with this item as i had a hole already in the center of the metal disc, all i had to do was make it 10mm nice and simple with a drill.

I then decided to use a threaded rod with a nut and washer.

 

As you can see above i pushed the threaded rod through the hole and put a nut + washer underneath, the reason i did not put a nut on top is because the lampholder will do this job instead of a nut.

There are other ways you can do this like using a pottery nipple

However, the thread length was not long enough for this scenario, hence why we went for a threaded rod + nut.

We always recommend using a dab of super glue on the nut to lock it into position.

Once this is done, we can look at putting the lampholder on top, we decided to use a G9 as they are small lampholders and worked well for this demonstration.

So, we took the G9 holder again a dab of glue on the thread and simply screwed it on.

Note i had the knob for the wick that i had to also glue into position as it kept falling down, this will not be in use so glue was the best option, i used a hot glue via a gun for this as i can squish it all down.

Once the lampholder is fixed into position, i then installed a cord grip onto the bottom of the fitting where the nut went (annoyingly i have no image of this step) you can see this location of the cord in following images.

Grab the cable and push it through the bottle hole and out the top as shown below.

Once the cable is sticking out i then pushed the cable through the main assembly (note cord grip position mentioned earlier) the cord grip again was glued onto the end of the thread.

Tip

It does not matter which way around the wires go in the push fit connection.

Once the cables have been connected, you can then push the ceramic insert into the lampholders base.

Then lay the assembly on the table and tighten the cord grip to prevent the cable from moving as shown below.

After this has been done, just doing check to ensure everything is tight and not going to move.

Then I carefully screwed the assembly onto the glass bottle, pulling the cable back out.

This then finished off the installation, all that was left to do was to place a lamp inside the holder and put the top glass on then test and confirm it’s safe to use.

]]> Measuring Bottle Hole For Bung Size https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/measuring-bottle-hole-for-bung-size/ Fri, 17 May 2024 10:59:52 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=569

The best way to measure the internal dimension of your bottle neck hole is to use a piece of card as seen in the steps below.

Step 1

Grab the bottle, a piece of card and a pair of scissors.

Step 2

Make a T piece from the card bigger than the hole.

Step 3

Keep trimming down the sides of the T section.

Step 4

After a couple of snips the card will fit into the hole, ensure its a snug fit.

Step 5

Once it fits take it out and lay it on the table and measure the width with a ruler or other device, the measurement will then be the minimum size of the bung, so in this example we would need a 19-21mm Bung

As the hole is 20mm the 19mm fill fit in then the bung will tighten to 21mm which is larger than the measured hole.

Below is a quick video on how to install our bungs.

]]> How to turn a bottle into a light fitting https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/how-to-turn-a-bottle-into-a-light-fitting/ Fri, 17 May 2024 10:39:53 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=561

Looking to turn a bottle into a light fitting?

This concept is extremely popular as people are turning their favourite Gin bottle into a light for themselves or as a gift for a relative.

So, the question is how can i make a great bottle light fitting i hear you ask?

There are 2 questions a lot ask… to drill or not to drill?

We cannot make this decision for you, but we do have the parts for either option!

Let cover drilling first, I personally have drilled a lot of gin and wine bottles for myself and for family members as they are scared to do so, with an extremely high success rate.

 

However, there is always that one that will chip or worse, smash!

Luckily for you, I have put a video together explaining how I drill a bottle, which can be found below.

Once this has been achieved you can simply go for our popular kit 21, this being a basic kit using a metal lampholder and a standard PVC flex.

Want the online guide for wiring kit21?

 

Learn More

Alternatively, you can make your own “Kit” to make your light fitting bespoke and a one off unique lamp you won’t find anywhere else.

Here is a quick breakdown of the core components needed. (click on the links below)

Lampholder – This can really vary as we have lampholders with switches or without, then we have Bayonet cap or Edison Screw Tip: Ensure the lampholder states 10mm

Bung – We have several sizes here is a guide on how to measure a bottle to get the bung size tip: Try to go for the bungs between 16-18mm and 22-24mm – The 10mm entry lampholder will screw straight onto this.

Bung Cover – As the title states, this will cover the brass on the bungs between 16-18mm and 22-24mm Tip: Again ensure the cover states 10mm

Grommet – Simply protects the cable as it passes the potentially sharp glass.

Cord Grip – Only really one type of cord grip that will work the best to be honest.

Cable – Browse all of our stunning 3 core braided cables.

Switch – This is if you have Not opted for a switched lampholder. Tip: Single Pole means the switch will only switch the Live cable | Double Pole means the switch will switch the Live and Neutral wires.

Plug top – Standard UK 3 pin plug top.

OR

Custom Cable – Let us do the hard work of installing the switch and plug top for you, ensuring you receive a high quality, safe cable.

So that covers the options for drilling the bottle now let’s talk about the option if you are worried about potentially breaking the glass.

 

The concept is almost the same except you don’t need a grommet or cord grip oh and the fact you don’t smash any expensive bottles 🙂

We have an off the shelf kit called Kit 32 (as seen above)

If you do decide to use that kit, you WILL need to still choose a Bung as above.

However, again if you want to stand out from the crowd then the following items will cover the base components.

Lampholder – This can really vary as we have lampholders with switches or without, then we have Bayonet cap or Edison Screw Tip: Ensure the lampholder states 10mm

Side Entry Cord Grip – This is the item that will allow the cable to enter the lampholder without going through the bottle. Tip: Ensure it states 10mm

Bung – We have several sizes here is a guide on how to measure a bottle to get the bung size tip: Try to go for the bungs between 16-18mm and 22-24mm – The 10mm entry lampholder will screw straight onto this.

Bung Cover – As the title states, this will cover the brass on the bungs between 16-18mm and 22-24mm Tip: Again ensure the cover states 10mm

Cable – Browse all of our stunning 3 core braided cables.

Switch – This is if you have Not opted for a switched lampholder. Tip: Single Pole means the switch will only switch the Live cable | Double Pole means the switch will switch the Live and Neutral wires.

Plug top – Standard UK 3 pin plug top.

OR

Custom Cable – Let us do the hard work of installing the switch and plug top for you, ensuring you receive a high quality, safe cable.

And that’s it, really much easier and less scary than getting the drill out on your bottle.

As I say these above links are for the basic core components, you can go further by extending the distance from the bung or side entry cord grip to the lampholder by using an extender or if you are looking to change the angle slightly then the adjustable parts will work.

As long as everything states 10mm, then all of these items will simply screw together.

 

]]> How to fix or install a lampholder onto a ceramic item with limited hand access. https://help.marginservices.co.uk/knowledge-base/how-to-fix-or-install-a-lampholder-onto-a-ceramic-item-with-limited-hand-access/ Thu, 16 May 2024 11:04:56 +0000 https://help.marginservices.co.uk/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=442

This quick guide is to explain a handy method we use to repair or to add a lampholder to a ceramic item that has limited hand access.

If the ceramic item is narrow or too long to get your hand up inside the top of the item then this method could work well for you.

It requires a long item with a handle or stop at the end, this will prevent the pottery nipple from sliding off the rod, this is why we use a long shaft screwdriver as the handle prevents the nipple from sliding off.

Items used in this guide:

Pottery Nipple: https://www.lampspares.co.uk/pottery-nipple-plastic-10mm-thread

Lampholder: https://www.lampspares.co.uk/bc-black-unswitched-lampholder-10mm-screw-metal-skirt

 

Step 1

Slide the pottery nipple onto the long shafted item in this case a long shaft screwdriver.

 

Step 2

Push the screwdriver up into the ceramic item in some cases depending how long the ceramic item is you may need to lay the item down and use another item to push/pull the screwdriver up out the top hole. this of course is hard to show by pictures but hopefully you can work something out.

 

Step 3

Once the end of the screwdriver is out grab the shaft and pull it up until the pottery nipple is sticking out the top.

 

Step 4

Take the bottom section of your lampholder and slide it down the screwdriver shaft (whilst holding the screwdriver up)

 

Step 5

Finally whilst pulling up on the screwdriver to create a bit of friction screw the lampholder base onto the pottery nipple thread.

 

As i say this is a real basic guide from here you can then install the cable and connect the lampholder.

 

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