In the Creative-Cables textile cable catalogue, you can find more than 150 different models of cable for lighting, available in a wide variety of shapes, materials, and especially colours!
However, to create lamps and lighting projects that are truly unique and creative, we have also taken care of all those components that, together with the cable, make up your lighting creation. That’s why on our website you’ll find more than 120 different lamp holders, so you can find the one you like best or that matches your cables perfectly! Like the cables, our lamp holder kits are also available in a wide variety of colours and materials: from classic ceramic ones to cheerful models in coloured silicone, from Scandinavian-inspired wooden versions to simple thermoplastic lamp holders. The latter are particularly significant, as many kits consist of an external element paired with an internal lampholder of this type. Understanding how to assemble this type of lampholder is therefore important, as it’s a process that can then be applied to many different kits!
In our fifth tutorial, we’ll see how to assemble the lamp holder kit with a metal cylinder cup, which features a thermoplastic lamp holder inside. The first step is to dismantle the lampholder, separating all its components, as shown in the first photo. As we’ve already seen in our tutorial on how to connect a simple lampholder, once you’ve unscrewed the front cylindrical part of the lampholder and separated the cable clamp and metal cup, you’ll be left with the rear section containing the mounted contacts.
To remove the contacts from their housing, we’ll need to unlock the anti-loosening mechanism, a system that prevents the upper ring from unscrewing every time the light bulb is removed. To do this, simply lift the metal tab inside with a screwdriver until it passes the plastic catch on the body of the lamp holder. As always, for greater safety, remember to carry out all operations with NO ELECTRICAL CURRENT present.
At this point, insert the previously stripped cable (do you remember how to strip a textile cable?) into the cable clamp, through the hole in the metal cup, and finally into the back of the lamp holder, in this order. Once this is done, we just need to insert the exposed copper wires into the terminals and tighten them with a screwdriver.
Put the contacts back in place inside the rear part of the lampholder and make sure the anti-loosening mechanism clicks into place: simply lock the contact block by turning the part in the opposite direction to how you removed it. Screw in the smooth plastic cylinder and you’ll have finished wiring the actual lampholder.
Just one step left to complete our task today: fit the outer metal cup! To do this, simply pass the threaded part of the cable clamp, located on the back of the lamp holder, through the hole in the cup, then screw the outer part of the cable clamp on. This way, the cup will remain firmly secured between the cable clamp and the lamp holder, and the fabric cable will not slip.
Lampholders with a metal cup are available not only with a plastic cable clamp, as shown in the tutorial photos, but also with a cylindrical cable clamp. But don’t worry: for these too, the process for assembling the lamp holder kit will be the same; only the method for tightening the cable clamp will change. We’ll soon show you how in a new tutorial.
