I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!

On Saturday, 2 December 2017 21:44:43 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian

single insulated is ok inside the lamp if you earth the metal holder.
As ever more info would help.


NT

Brian Gaff wrote:

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Use an external PSU and replace the mains lamp with an LED? Then you
don't need to worry about double insulation and should be able to get
two individual wires in. Maybe automotive thinwall wire?

On 02/12/2017 21:44, Brian Gaff wrote:
I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian


Fit a 12V lamp and use an isolated power brick?

On Sat, 2 Dec 2017 21:50:38 +0000, Andy Burns
wrote:

Brian Gaff wrote:

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Use an external PSU and replace the mains lamp with an LED? Then you
don't need to worry about double insulation and should be able to get
two individual wires in. Maybe automotive thinwall wire?

You can even get LED lighthouse light effect simulators in some model
shops. They don't rotate but dim down then increase up to a bright
flash then start the sequence again. Just right for driving someone
barmy.

G.Harman

My guess is that it is made from serpentine, not granite, particularly
if it came from Cornwall. Turning anything from granite would take ages
as it is so hard, but serpentine is a pretty soft material. I have a
lamp base turned from serpentine, so wondered in your case if it would
be possible to drill out the hole (maybe you'd need two bits drilled
from you description) to take slightly wider cable.

--

Jeff

On 02/12/17 21:44, Brian Gaff wrote:
I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian

It has a plastic holder, and I was more worried about the cable outside
getting damaged really. Ideally simple two core with an outer sleeve would
be great, but it does not seem to have a big enough hole and in any case
trying to pull another wire through round the bend is going to be tough.
Not much else I can tell you except that it was made in Cornwall in the
late 1950s.
its also bloody heavy!
I suppose if I could get some twin ultra flexible with an extra sheeth and
put a small fuse in the plug, it should be fine, but I'm always twitchy when
its not for me. Its of no use to me and I tried to palm it off on a charity
shop but they looked at the wire and did that sharp intake of breath we all
know means, too risky guv.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
wrote in message
...
On Saturday, 2 December 2017 21:44:43 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of
granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch
that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too
big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than
a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian

single insulated is ok inside the lamp if you earth the metal holder.
As ever more info would help.


NT

That is an idea, but them I'd need to replace the BC socket which screws
onto the shaft of the lamp with a simple thread.
If one can get a socket like that with the right thread it would be a good
idea.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
Brian Gaff wrote:

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than
a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Use an external PSU and replace the mains lamp with an LED? Then you
don't need to worry about double insulation and should be able to get two
individual wires in. Maybe automotive thinwall wire?

No this does not rotate or anything, its not truly a look like a lighthouse
its a bedside light. In its original form it had a shade that clipped over
the glass envelope of the bulb that was made of some kind of paper, but long
since fell to bits.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Dec 2017 21:50:38 +0000, Andy Burns
wrote:

Brian Gaff wrote:

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in
any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than
a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Use an external PSU and replace the mains lamp with an LED? Then you
don't need to worry about double insulation and should be able to get
two individual wires in. Maybe automotive thinwall wire?

You can even get LED lighthouse light effect simulators in some model
shops. They don't rotate but dim down then increase up to a bright
flash then start the sequence again. Just right for driving someone
barmy.

G.Harman

On Sunday, 3 December 2017 09:28:14 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
It has a plastic holder, and I was more worried about the cable outside
getting damaged really. Ideally simple two core with an outer sleeve would
be great, but it does not seem to have a big enough hole and in any case
trying to pull another wire through round the bend is going to be tough.
Not much else I can tell you except that it was made in Cornwall in the
late 1950s.
its also bloody heavy!
I suppose if I could get some twin ultra flexible with an extra sheeth and
put a small fuse in the plug, it should be fine, but I'm always twitchy when
its not for me. Its of no use to me and I tried to palm it off on a charity
shop but they looked at the wire and did that sharp intake of breath we all
know means, too risky guv.
Brian

There is one other perhaps. Keep the single insulated flex and put sleeving over it, extending the sleeving into the lamp base. Whether that meets BS I don't know.

RCDs remove 90 something % of the additional risk from single insulted leads.


NT

tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Saturday, 2 December 2017 21:44:43 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of
granite
which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The standard
plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good old switch
that
you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and I'd
rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I want to
give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be too
big
for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost right angle
where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and use
that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in any
case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put more than
a
40 watt one in it it would look stupid!

Brian

single insulated is ok inside the lamp if you earth the metal holder.
As ever more info would help.


NT

tabbypurr wrote:

Brian Gaff wrote:

Its of no use to me and I tried to palm it off on a charity shop

RCDs remove 90 something % of the additional risk from single insulted leads.

But it's the 10% that the jobsworth in the charity shop cares about, and
the whatever % of homes that don't have RCDs.

On Sunday, 3 December 2017 12:53:48 UTC, Andy Burns wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:

Brian Gaff wrote:

Its of no use to me and I tried to palm it off on a charity shop

RCDs remove 90 something % of the additional risk from single insulted leads.

But it's the 10% that the jobsworth in the charity shop cares about, and
the whatever % of homes that don't have RCDs.

I doubt it, it's more a box ticking exercise


NT

On 03/12/2017 09:26, Jeff Layman wrote:
My guess is that it is made from serpentine, not granite, particularly
if it came from Cornwall. Turning anything from granite would take ages
as it is so hard, but serpentine is a pretty soft material. I have a
lamp base turned from serpentine, so wondered in your case if it would
be possible to drill out the hole (maybe you'd need two bits drilled
from you description) to take slightly wider cable.

+1

Or as Tabby half suggested, take a length of standard 2 core flex, strip
off a column's worth of insulation, rewire it with this with the
insulated part secured within the base using something like epoxy, shoe
goo, or hot melt adhesive.

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:

Brian Gaff wrote:

Its of no use to me and I tried to palm it off on a charity shop

RCDs remove 90 something % of the additional risk from single insulted
leads.

But it's the 10% that the jobsworth in the charity shop cares about, and
the whatever % of homes that don't have RCDs.

I suspect that the rejection of electrical goods is because their insurance
company tells them to.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

On Sunday, 3 December 2017 15:55:10 UTC, newshound wrote:
On 03/12/2017 09:26, Jeff Layman wrote:

My guess is that it is made from serpentine, not granite, particularly
if it came from Cornwall. Turning anything from granite would take ages
as it is so hard, but serpentine is a pretty soft material. I have a
lamp base turned from serpentine, so wondered in your case if it would
be possible to drill out the hole (maybe you'd need two bits drilled
from you description) to take slightly wider cable.

+1

Or as Tabby half suggested, take a length of standard 2 core flex, strip
off a column's worth of insulation, rewire it with this with the
insulated part secured within the base using something like epoxy, shoe
goo, or hot melt adhesive.

not a bad idea, as long as it's securely fixed.


NT

On Sat, 2 Dec 2017 21:44:33 -0000
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Easiest might be to convert it to use a 12V LED.

I know this sounds daft, but I have a rather nice lamp on a chunk of
granite which has had part of it turned to resemble a lighthouse. The
standard plastic BC bulb holder is screwed on the top with the good
old switch that you press one way for on and the other for off.
However the cable in it is only twisted pvc single insulated, and
I'd rather like it to be rewired so its legal and not dangerous as I
want to give it to somebody.
The snag is, a normal sized twin with out sleeve wire seems to be
too big for the hole that comes out of the base and turns an almost
right angle where the lighthouse bit is.
I suppose I'm basically snookered, or can I find a smaller cable and
use that?

I think the intention is to put an energy saving or led bulb in it in
any case not an old fashioned bulb, though to be honest if you put
more than a 40 watt one in it it would look stupid!