New lamp

[cowboyjwc]

Had someone buy a lamp at the antique shop where we have a booth, (not my lamp) and when they went to have their electrician hang it, he said it was going to cost $800.

WHAT? Yes because he was going to have to rewire the lamp because it was wired with lamp cord.

:happysad:

 

[hbiss]

Some fixtures ARE wired with lamp cord. What was the problem here?

-Hal

 

[kwired]

Had someone buy a lamp at the antique shop where we have a booth, (not my lamp) and when they went to have their electrician hang it, he said it was going to cost $800.

WHAT? Yes because he was going to have to rewire the lamp because it was wired with lamp cord.

:happysad:

Even if it needed rewiring for whatever reason and presuming this isn't an extremely huge chandelier- $800??

 

[texie]

Antique, custom, imports all present issues as 410.6 requires listing. In some jurisdictions this is a big deal.

 

[kwired]

Antique, custom, imports all present issues as 410.6 requires listing. In some jurisdictions this is a big deal.

If it is a permanent fixture yes. If it is deemed a portable lamp 410.1 still says it covers it - but is also crossing the line of what is covered by codes and what is consumer goods applied by the user. There is millions of decorative lighting products that are sold and used every day, many not listed or permitted/inspected when "installed", nor are they required to be permitted/inspected in most jurisdictions unless they are a permanent fixture of some sort.

 

[texie]

If it is a permanent fixture yes. If it is deemed a portable lamp 410.1 still says it covers it - but is also crossing the line of what is covered by codes and what is consumer goods applied by the user. There is millions of decorative lighting products that are sold and used every day, many not listed or permitted/inspected when "installed", nor are they required to be permitted/inspected in most jurisdictions unless they are a permanent fixture of some sort.

I missed that it was a lamp and not a fixture which certainly changes things.

 

[K8MHZ]

I missed that it was a lamp and not a fixture which certainly changes things.

If an electrician had to hang it, I would consider it a fixture, not a portable lamp.

 

[texie]

If an electrician had to hang it, I would consider it a fixture, not a portable lamp.

Good point. Now I'm confused, is it a lamp or a fixture? The wordings seems imply both.

 

[drcampbell]

Some fixtures ARE wired with lamp cord. What was the problem here?

It could be that it needs to be rewired with new lamp cord because the existing wiring is old, brittle & cracking. Possibly new sockets, too, which might need modification to be compatible.

 

[kwired]

If an electrician had to hang it, I would consider it a fixture, not a portable lamp.

Maybe. Seen many lamps in the 60's and 70's that were cord and plug connected but hang from a hook from the structure. I still consider them in same classification as a table lamp.

 

[hbiss]

To me a LAMP is a device used for lighting that is not permanently wired- cord and plug connected.
A FIXTURE is wired directly and usually affixed to the wall or ceiling.

As was said, many fixtures are wired with lamp cord, particularly hanging fixtures where lamp cord is woven down through the chain. The use of lamp cord in itself is not reason for the denial of a UL listing.

-Hal

 

[JFletcher]

Even if it needed rewiring for whatever reason and presuming this isn't an extremely huge chandelier- $800??

A moderately sized chandelier could have 25 or more sockets, not to mention all kinds of dangly, fragile pieces that need to be removed and reinstalled after rewiring

My thought though is that the electrician she asked didn't really want to do the work so he shot her a high price hoping she would go away.

 

[ptonsparky]

We had a customer that bought an antique fixture, chandelier, and had it hung in her old house. She then had us come in with a new service equipment that required about 20' of extension for each branch circuit. It was several thousand dollars of chasing mixed neutrals and horrible wiring later that we got the AFCIs to hold, with the exception of her chandelier. My guesstimate was over $400 to repair that fixture. She found someone else. :thumbsup:

 

[sameguy]

To me a LAMP is a device used for lighting that is not permanently wired- cord and plug connected.
A FIXTURE is wired directly and usually affixed to the wall or ceiling.

As was said, many fixtures are wired with lamp cord, particularly hanging fixtures where lamp cord is woven down through the chain. The use of lamp cord in itself is not reason for the denial of a UL listing.

-Hal

To me a lamp is the device that emits light, a fixture is where the lamp connects to receive power.
Fixed or portable fixture.
A chandelier could have "100dreds" of crystals, so rewiring could cost greatly.

 

[kwired]

To me a lamp is the device that emits light, a fixture is where the lamp connects to receive power.
Fixed or portable fixture.
A chandelier could have "100dreds" of crystals, so rewiring could cost greatly.

NEC terminology the lamp is the part that contains the light source. The complete assembly of lamp, diffusers, reflectors, refractors, associated supporting components, etc. is a "luminaire", though NEC once called it a fixture.

 

[Coppersmith]

Each electrical contractor is an independent businessperson free to charge whatever price they like. The consumer can accept or reject the price. Perhaps this EC has a niche market in antique lamps and frequently gets people to pay $800 for his lamp rewiring and hanging services. I think most of us would also charge $800 if we knew we could sell those jobs.

 

[kwired]

Each electrical contractor is an independent businessperson free to charge whatever price they like. The consumer can accept or reject the price. Perhaps this EC has a niche market in antique lamps and frequently gets people to pay $800 for his lamp rewiring and hanging services. I think most of us would also charge $800 if we knew we could sell those jobs.

Or he just doesn't want to do it unless it is for $800. I can't ever seem to get to the point where I can take that kind of approach, if anything I just tell them I don't have time to do a job if it is something I really don't want to do.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Good point. Now I'm confused, is it a lamp or a fixture? The wordings seems imply both.

Sorry fixture

 

[cowboyjwc]

Each electrical contractor is an independent businessperson free to charge whatever price they like. The consumer can accept or reject the price. Perhaps this EC has a niche market in antique lamps and frequently gets people to pay $800 for his lamp rewiring and hanging services. I think most of us would also charge $800 if we knew we could sell those jobs.

He could charge what ever he likes, but the point is the fixture didn't require a rewire.