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I was hoping someone could help me. My mum has a very small, ceramic table lamp with a metal base, which was a 2nd hand gift. When given to her 2-yrs ago, it had a 60W light bulb screwed into it. There is no on/off switch or button of any kind... it's like the clapper of lamps... you tap the lamp once for dim, twice for medium brightness, thrice to turn it on high & 4 times to turn it off. I've never seen anything like it.
It's worked fine until the bulb blew out this morning. I've tried to replace the bulb with the old iridescent type bulbs... it looks to me as if they're both the same type... in other words, there are no special markings on the bulb to say it's a 3-way bulb. It will only stay on high & in order to turn it off, we need to unplug it from the wall... taping on it doesn't turn it off any longer.
Does anyone know if there's a special bulb needed for these types of lamps? Since it was a 2nd hand gift, there was no box & there's no brand name on the lamp... only a sticker saying it was made in China. Can I purchase a workable bulb?
Thank you very much!
P.S. I did test several brands of iridescent bulbs, just in case one was defective.
The lamp probably had a "touch switch".
It's connected to the metal base; when you tap the base it senses the "touch" and changes the settings of the bulb.
It's highly probable that the switch has gone bad- there are generic replacements available.
Thank you. Now I feel stupid for asking. I thought a 3-way bulb was labeled as such. Nevermind... I'll show myself out of the room, on my way to buying a 3-way bulb.
Probably was NOT a three way bulb. I have a couple of those lamps and they take normal 60W bulbs, there's an internal dimmer. Most likely it's gone bad, possibly failing due to the old bulb blowing.
The lamp probably had a "touch switch".
It's connected to the metal base; when you tap the base it senses the "touch" and changes the settings of the bulb.
It's highly probable that the switch has gone bad- there are generic replacements available.
Great info, thank you. I'll see if a new 3-way bulb works, if I can still find an iridescent bulb (or as Pitt calls them, incandescent ), in the store. If not, I'll search online for a YTube video on replacing the touch switch. I don't mind a project & I'll learn something in the process.
When the light blew out, it did so with sparks & a pop, so perhaps you are right on the touch switch going bad... I've never before seen a light bulb that sparked or popped before failing.
Probably was NOT a three way bulb. I have a couple of those lamps and they take normal 60W bulbs, there's an internal dimmer. Most likely it's gone bad, possibly failing due to the old bulb blowing.
Okay, good info, NY, thank you. I've never had a 3-way lamp, but I assumed there would be some indication of the bulb being 3-way written on the bulb. I'll do a bit of digging via Google & YTube on how to fix a 3-way lamp. Thank you.
There a difference between "3-way bulb" and a "3-way lamp".
A 3-way bulb IS marked as a 3-way. It will have the 3 watt ranges stamped on it (example- 25-60-100).
A 3-way lamp will have a switch that when operated will turn on one "bulb or lamp", when operated again it will turn off that "bulb or lamp" and turn ON another. Operate the switch again and both bulbs turn on. One more time- and they're off.
There a difference between "3-way bulb" and a "3-way lamp".
A 3-way bulb IS marked as a 3-way. It will have the 3 watt ranges stamped on it (example- 25-60-100).
A 3-way lamp will have a switch that when operated will turn on one "bulb or lamp", when operated again it will turn off that "bulb or lamp" and turn ON another. Operate the switch again and both bulbs turn on. One more time- and they're off.
Great, thank you. Glad I didn't go out for a bulb yesterday. Mum's already wrapped up the lamp to drop off with my brother to see if he wants to take it apart & fix it or use the lamp shade on another lamp.
There a difference between "3-way bulb" and a "3-way lamp".
A 3-way bulb IS marked as a 3-way. It will have the 3 watt ranges stamped on it (example- 25-60-100).
A 3-way lamp will have a switch that when operated will turn on one "bulb or lamp", when operated again it will turn off that "bulb or lamp" and turn ON another. Operate the switch again and both bulbs turn on. One more time- and they're off.
I've never seen an incandescent bulb marked like this. I've seen 30-70-100, 50-100-150, etc. but never one where the highest wattage didn't equal the sum of the other 2, especially not one where the highest wattage is greater than the sum of the other 2.
Unless they have come up with a new way of making them that I am unaware of, a 3-way incandescent bulb has 2 elements in. The first click of the switch turns on the low wattage (i.e. 30) element, the second click turns the low wattage (30) element off and the high wattage (70) element on, the third click turns the low wattage (30) back on giving the highest (30+70=100) wattage light.
Compact 3-way fluorescents (and other types) may be rated as differently because the light is created differently and have "wattage equivalence" ratings that will differ from the actual consumed usage.
Last edited by rrtechno; 01-06-2015 at 07:17 PM..
Reason: additional information
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Ahahahaha. Yes, sorry. 
), in the store. If not, I'll search online for a YTube video on replacing the touch switch. I don't mind a project & I'll learn something in the process.
