Imagine this- you’re going off to bed to get a comfortable sleep for the night. As you’re about to go to sleep, you reach out to turn off the touch lamp but find that it’s not turning off. Unfortunately, touch lamps not turning off isn’t an uncommon incident.
So now you might be wondering about how to fix a touch lamp that won’t turn off. There can be a few reasons why this happens, and so in this article, we shall cover the causes as to why a touch lamp won’t turn off and how to fix it.
Why Does A Touch Lamp Sometimes Not Turn Off?
In case you were not aware, a touch lamp turns on and off based on when you touch a metal section. This metal section is part of the control box that houses the necessary electrical circuitry that controls the lamp’s operation.
So, when your touch lamp stops working, it is often because of a problem with the touch box or panel.
Several problems can occur within the touch box or panel that prevent your touch lamp’s regular operation. These problems include:
1. Loose Connections
Since the touch panel houses the electrical wires, there’s always the chance of loose connections. These loose connections can cause your lamp to go on and off erratically and not respond to touch.
Connections can come loose through time or if you happen to buy a faulty product. Their wires may not be properly connected, or the connectors themselves are flawed, and the cables slip out with time.
2. Faulty Or Worn out Wires
Another cause for why your touch box may not work is because the wires inside are damaged. Though this is unlikely, some models may use weaker wires that can be chipped off or damaged with time.
As a result, the electrical connection will grow unstable, and you might not be able to turn it off.
3. Worn out Or Damage Panel
The other issue that can occur is that your touch panel is damaged. It can affect your lamp’s ability to turn on or off and might make the metal non-responsive. Often, a touch lamp won’t turn on or off because the touch panel is worn out and doesn’t recognize input.
4. Fried Electrical Components
Due to electrical surges or abnormal currents, the electrical components inside the lamp’s touch panel can be fried. One of these components, the thyristor, controls the off and on function of the touch lamp.
When surges damage this component, it often becomes stuck on the ‘on’ state, and you can’t turn the lamp off.
Also, heat built up from using the lamp for an extended time can damage some of the electrical components. Watch out for heat buildup in your light during use.
These are some of the common reasons why a touch lamp won’t turn off at times. In most cases, the problem lies in the touch panel, and most of the fixes involve said panel.
What Are The Fixes For A Touch Lamp?
Since we’ve talked about the issues that can result in you being unable to turn your lamp off, let’s now talk about the solutions. However, keep in mind that some of these fixes result in you working with the circuitry inside the lamp.
As a result, you should make sure to observe proper safety measures, including wearing insulation equipment like gloves.
Be careful when working with the lamp since there is a risk of getting shocked. If you are worried about it, you can always ask for help from an expert or an experienced person to help you fix your touch lamp.
The ways to fix a touch lamp include:
1. Replacing the Touch Panel
The fastest but most expensive way to fix a touch lamp that won’t turn off is by replacing the touch panel. Changing out the touch panel involves changing the touch sensor in your light. You can find these touch sensors for the lamp in electrical hardware stores.
Firstly you need to remove the old touch sensor. For this, it is recommended to follow the instruction manual, which comes with the wiring diagram. It helps you with fixing up the connections for the new sensor. Or you can alternatively retrace the wiring of the initial sensor.
You can use a screwdriver to loosen the connectors and then take out the wires. Make sure never to touch the head of the wire as the wire will be open at that end. You might risk getting a shock then. Pull the wire out while holding the insulated part of the wire.
After removing the old sensor, you can then place it in the new sensor and retrace the connections. Use your screwdriver to tighten the connectors once the wires are in place. Check the wire to make sure it doesn’t slip during use.
Close up the touch panel and then see if the lamp is working again. Another thing to note is that you should check the fuse in your light if you have one. If the fuse is burnt or damaged, you will need to replace it before you can get the lamp to work.
2. Tightening the Connectors
One of the issues we mentioned is that connectors can be lost, and the wires may slip out. So, you will need to fix the cables and then tighten them.
Firstly, you will need to remove the lid on the control panel so you can access the wiring. It can be done by either unscrewing the lid or using a butter knife to pry it open.
Look for any wires that are slipping out. Carefully grab them and align the cables properly into their respective area. Then tighten the connectors with a screwdriver if you can.
In case you can’t use a screwdriver to tighten the connections, you can use tape to help tighten the wires. Though this makes it harder to work around, be careful when using tape to secure the cables.
3. Patching Or Replacing the Wires
The other issue that can make your touch lamp not work properly is that the wires may be damaged. If there are one or two damaged wires, you can get suitable wires from an electrical store and later use pliers to cut it down into proper size.
However, if there are several damaged or worn-out wires, you should consider getting a new lamp.
Remove the damaged wire by loosening the connectors and displacing the wire. Be careful not to touch any uninsulated parts, or you might get a shock. Then you can place in the new wire by carefully retracing the old wire.
Cut off any unwanted parts of the wire using pliers and then carefully place them inside the connector. Then tighten the connector or use tape to secure the new wire. You can repeat the process for other damaged cables if necessary.
4. Replace the Thyristor
As we’ve mentioned, if you find that your lamp is not turning off, you can check to see if the thyristor is intact or not. The thyristor is located on the circuit board of the lamp panel.
When you get a new thyristor, you will need to solder it into place, which can be difficult if you’re inexperienced. So it is recommended to get help in installing a new thyristor.
If the methods mentioned above still don’t help fix the lamp, your only option is to get a new light. That is especially the case if you happen to have a very old lamp where it’s likely that your touch panel is very worn out.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand how to fix a touch lamp that won’t turn off. Remember to be careful when you’re fixing the electrical connections as a risk of an electrical shock is always present.
