Bought one of these "balance/counter-balance" type lamps with a 50W HI bulb inside. Although I got it at a house auction, it looks brand new. Plugged it in. Didn't work. Took the bulb out, then the shield, and found a wire burned. Repaired it. Light worked great... for about 3 hours on and off over the course of a few days. Yesterday when I returned to my chair where the light had been on for half an hour I found the area dark. This time it wasn't the light nor the wires in under the shield. The round metal stand - which contains some power transformer or some other mechanism I suppose - was hot. I turn the switch off and it cooled down... but the light remained dead (as I expected it to). Can someone please tell me what mechanism is likely to be in that stand and whether or not it's a common part generally available at an electric component store or do I have to find the manufacturer and order form them... if the price is reasonable. Sometimes these parts are more costly than the end piece.
- posted
20 years ago