How to Wire a Lamp With Multiple Bulb

Wiring a lamp with a single bulb is much of a work, the connection is straightforward, what if you have a lamp and multiple bulbs such as Table lamps or floor lamps and you’re finding it hard to wrap your head around how to wire a lamp with multiple bulbs you need to understand that doing this requires a different procedure, such as connecting the connector light wire to the lamp, from the bottom and also joining the socket cord to the light cord, however, there is still more to doing that.

And, since you’re here looking to figure out how to wire a lamp with multiple bulbs below I will be breaking down the required steps you need to follow to get it done correctly.

How to Wire a Lamp with Multiple Bulb

Below are the steps to take to wire a lamp with multiple bulbs.

Uninstall the Lamp and its Wiring

The first step is to disconnect the lamp by removing the cap located on the wire connection housing. Removing this pop off cap shouldn’t be much of a hassle. Once you’ve done this, remove the outer shell connected with the bulb socket. 

Doing this will expose the metal socket that’s inside and the wire connections. Now, disconnect both the wire nut connection and the screw connections and wires consisting of the main lamp cord, and the two shorter cords leading to the socket. 

Install a replacement for the light cord 

Before replacing the wires you have to be sure that you are using the right lamp size. Now since the lamp wire has three sections. You have to pass the wires through the bottom of the lamp and to the outlet.

looking to figure out how to wire a lamp with multiple bulbs below I will be breaking down the required steps you need to follow to get it done correctly.

Looking at the cords and cable should be long enough to reach the base of the lamp central wire shielding from the board connection.

Go on to divide the tip of the wire along the cord’s middle seam. Doing this will create two distinct pieces close to 2 inches in length..

Connect the Cables

After installing a replacement cord pass the cables through the lamp. Make sure the bigger one passes through the bottom of the lamps and the smaller/Short ones pass through the outlet hole.

While doing this you have to ensure that you take your time while passing it to prevent kinking and restricting the cables while turning them.

Connect the socket cables to the light cord

Over here you have to Coil the exposed part of the neutral cable located at the tip and then get a wiring screw and tighten it over the tip that is exposed at the centre wire connecting box. 

After doing that with the neutral cable, do the same for the positive and negative charged cables too. Nice, you’ve done this.

Installing the plug

Now, get a new cable plug and remove the centre, after doing that put the lamp cord tip inside the exterior plug cover, and then connect the wires to the plug system’s terminals.

In a scenario where the centre of the plug is polarised, one edge will be bigger than the other displaying a big difference from the charge blade. Link the screw connector attached to this larger blade to the stable half of the light cable.

After doing that connect the smoother part of the light cable to the shorter blade of the screws connector.

 Two Bulb Lamp Wiring Diagram

how to wire a lamp with multiple bulb

How to Wire a Lamp with Three Bulbs

If you want to connect a lamp with three bulbs, Follow the steps below.

Uninstall the Lamp with the Old Wires

Disconnect the lamp from its shade and remove the lampshade. Now, locate the cap on the wire connection housing and pull it off. After doing this pop the outer shell of the bulb sockets.

Doing this will make the inner metal socket and the wire connections exposed.

Once you’ve done that, disconnect any screw connections or wire nut connections before you go ahead to remove all the wires which are the lamp cord at the base of the lamp, and the two shorter cords leading to the sockets.

Prepare the New Lamp Cord

Since there are three lamp cords of different lengths to prepare it you have to split the ends of the wires. The main cord is usually longer than the other two cords, al you have to do here is Split the ends of the wire along the centre seam of the cord, so two separated halves are spaning close to 2 inches long. 

Normally, you can do this by pulling the cord apart with your hands. Or, you can carefully cut down the centre of the cord with a utility knife. Finally, use a combination tool to remove about 3/4 inches out of the outer insulation from both ends of each wire.

Run the cords

Get the cords and run them through the lamp. Here’s how you do that. Insert the long one through the base of the lamp, and the shorter one through the socket channels. 

Doing this can be tricky; you just need to gently pass the cords to avoid the incidence of binding and kinkiness.

Connecting the sockets

Over here you simply have to connect the short lamp cords to the sockets. Now, get the neutral half of the divided cord and attach it to the silver-coloured neutral screw and tighten the screw around the wire One this particular half there are marks of small ridges on the plastic jacket.

 After doing that, repeat the same for the smooth half of the lamp wire, the hot one and connect it to the copper-coloured screw terminal on the socket. When you’re done repeat the process for the others (lamp socket)

Join socket cords with lamp cord

Locate the centre of the wire connection housing and join the three neutral wires together by turning the bare ends together and screwing a wire nut over them. Repeat the same for the hot wires. When you’re done with this the hot and neutral wires coming from the main lamp cord should be attached to the hot and neutral wires powered to each of the sockets.

Connect the new plug

remove the core of the plug and connect the end of the lamp through the outer plug jacket, after this, attach the wires to the screw terminals on the plug core. 

In a scenario where one of the blades is wider, it means the core is polarized. Now attach the neutral half of the lamp cord, the part with ridged installation and connect It to the screw terminal connected to the wider blade. 

After doing that, join the smooth half of the lamp cord to the hot screw terminal, which has a smaller blade.

Take Note: in most cases, replacement lamp plugs are usually unpolarized, meaning both blades are usually the same width, if you are faced with this, it makes no difference which blade is connected to which wire.

Finally, complete the installation by Putting the core back into the plug jacket

Test it before Complete Reassemble

Now that we’re done figuring out how to wire a lamp with multiple bulbs, what you need to do now is to test whether it is working before you completely assemble all the pieces back. You can do this by plugging in the lamp and checking to make sure the bulbs are operating properly.

And then remove the plug of the lamp again and snap the cap on the wire connection housing back in place after that couple all the other parts. And you’re done

Now that we’re done figuring out how to wire a light bulb holder, here’s the picture of a 3 bulb lamp wiring 

3 bulb lamp wiring diagram

how to wire a lamp with multiple bulb

How to wire a light bulb holder

If you are looking to wire a light bulb holder probably you are using the Es or E27 light bulb holder, here’s how to wire it 

Connect the neutral and hot wires to the related terminals inside the lamp holder. 

Since the screw-type lamp holder comes in 3parts which are the cap or bottom part, the centre part, there are various ways to connect it however here’s what you should do

Connect the live wire, which is brown to the centre pin of the lamp holder. Locating the centre pin and then tracing the metal back to the point on the other side where it connects to the screw terminal.

Now that we’ve been able to figure out how to wire lamp with multiple bulbs let’s proceed to some frequently asked questions regarding this topic

How to wire Multiple lights to one Cord

To do that simply install a light between an existing one and the switch by cutting the cable to the existing fixture, which is at the bottom and then inserts the ends of the cable into the electrical box for the new fixture onto these wires.

How to install a night light Switch

  • Firstly you have to get the Purchase Radiant Night, Light Switch and Switch Plate
  • Next, power off the electrical box
  • Get the switch plate off
  • Remove switch screws
  • Figure out the wire configuration. it’s usually single or 3 way
  • Un-join the wires from the old switch
  • Connect the wires again in the proper location of the new switch following the instructions provided on the package
  • Mount the switch again to the switch box
  • Remount switch plate
  • Power on the electrical box

What are the 3 wires on LED lights?

LED Lights with 3 wires will be a multi-function light. They can (most times) be used in whatever configuration is right for your application. For example, running and brake, running and blinker or brake and blinker. These LEDs will usually have black, red and white wires.

How do you know which wire is positive on a lamp?

Here’s how you figure that out: The side of the wire that comes with rigged marks is the negative one while the one with a smooth side is the positive side of the lamp

Which wire is hot on a lamp?

This is easy to figure out the colours of the wires matter in determining this, if you have three wires and the wire with black insulation is hot if they are more the three then it’s usually both the black and red that will be hot

Conclusion

Since we‘ve been able to figure out how to wire a lamp with multiple bulb, doing it with it 2, or 3 bulbs shouldn’t be much of a hassle. Also, you can check out how you can connect a Philips hue bulb to Alexa here.

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