Good Questions: Can I Rewire Euro Lamps?

Hello AT,

I have been looking for a pair of bedside lamps, and recently saw a pair I loved in the Netherlands. I'd like to get them shipped over, but am concerned as they are 220 volts, while the US works with 110 volts.

Is there any place I can bring it to in NYC to get it changed? I'd rather not use a voltage converter, as I already have 3 running at home.

Thanks, Reshma

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Dear Reshma,

Lamps are just tubes with wires in them and all the wires and the plugs can be changed. While we are not sure, you may be able to simply switch out the plug - anyone know? - but if you have to rewire it, there are a number of lighting stores that will do this. Here's our list:

Filaments
Lighting Plus
Oriental Lampshade

Anyone else???

Comments (19)

It's something you can definitely have done -- using an adaptor isn't really a long-term solution, but you can easily have it rewired. My grandparents did it twice, once when they moved from the UK to the states and then when they moved back. I think they also rewired stereo equipment too -- but I *know* they did it to their lamps. They had it done in St. Louis, so I can't recommend an NYC source, but I did a quick google search, apparently New York magazine in their "Best of New York" had a "Best Lamp Repair" section (!!) -- here are their top picks, they might be able to point you in the right direction: http://tinyurl.com/fswpe

Just swap the plug and change the bulb to a US 110/120v bulb. The wiring is no different from a US spec wiring (just may not be UL/CUL listed which doesn't really matter in your situation.) As long as there is no balast (fluorescent) or transformer (reduced voltage like a 12v halogen) you shuold have no problem.

An electrician would tell you to re-wire it, but given that the current is stronger in Europe, the wires inside will be safe to use here with a new plug.

My concern would be the bulb socket -- I'm not sure the bases are the same size on the other side of the pond.

For long term use and safety, I would strongly recommend a professional re-wiring: If you love the lamp(s) enough, and plan to have them for a long time, it's a sensible and worthwhile investment

PS -- using a voltage adaptor/convertor wastes a tremendous amount of energy -- okay for traveling, but really impractical for daily household use.

I bought a hanging light fixture in Denmark a few years ago. It was incredibly easy to re-wire. I bought one of the cord and light socket sets at Ikea because I liked the thick round cord that came with it. I removed the wiring from the Ikea light socket and wired the new cord to the old light socket. I had no experience with this, just enough confidence to reverse engineer the wiring in the socket in order to attach the new cord and the assurance from the Danish shop-keeper that it would not explode when lit.
I have enjoyed the lamp and it has hung over my dining room table for several years without any problems.

Thanks guys - I think I'm definitely going to go for the lamps!

Be careful of wiring, because of euro voltage (220V) is higher, the current is lower, hence they use smaller wire (in general - sometimes not true).

Rewire with adequate wire, it's safer, and it's pretty easy to do and very hard to hurt yourself.

Your local library surely has a book on the topic.

The base of the bulbs will be different. There are a few options. There's a little metal contraption that looks like the base of a bulb that you can screw on the european bulb to make it the right shape. The store can also just change out the bulb socket to a U.S. one.

I bought a lamp in Italy. When I got home I took it to a local hole in the wall lamp store where I was living at the time and all they did was change the plug. The lamp works fine!

I took a lamp from India to US and replaced the bulb holder and plug with IKEA ones. It was perfect.

Greetings from foggy San Francisco. I just brought back from Paris 2 floor lamps (torcheres) and voltage adaptors so that the cords will fit in the wall. The lamps have 220/240v 150w halogen bulbs and floor dimmers. The problem is that the light output is reduced by half so the lamps are useless. I just bought on the web 2 new 250v US bulbs but it sounds from these replies as if maybe they will not screw into the sockets. Also how do you use new wiring with a French dimmer?

Would appreciate any suggestions. Sounds like the easiest way would be to buy an Ikea socket and wiring kit, throw away the socket, and connect the Ikea wire to the existing bulb socket and floor dimmer. Thanks. Mike Howard

Never mind, I took 'em to a lamp shop where they were fitted with US sockets (French sockets were too small) and US bulbs plus new dimmers and wall plug adapters. Total cost for parts and labor was 75 bucks each. Worth it. They give as much light as they did originally, but when we look out the window it ain't Paris. Oh well.

I am an engineer who knows enough about electricity to have built an amplifier from scratch and wired much of my house. Most of the posters above are terrible uninformed and are genuinely lucky to not have burned down their homes.

Euro electricity is at higher voltage... 220v 50 hz or cycles per second, and US at 110-120volts, 60 hz. Think of voltage as pressure in a pipe analog. At higher pressure, a smaller pipe can carry the same volume of water, whose electrical equivalent is amps or amperes.. what converts into watts, then lumens of light.

Therefore, Euro electrical wiring is smaller for the same amount of lamplight. So anyone who just changed the plugs and bulbs and plugged it into the wall is likely running way too much power through the cord... and risks burning it up and the house with it. If you can replace all the wire in a fixture with US "lampcord" , minimum 18 gauge with plastic insulation (UL standard) as well as the socket and plug, and you can have a safe conversion. We are in the middle of redoing several right now. You may have to "french wire" ... glue on top... because the holes are too small as designed for the Euro voltage and smaller required wire because of it. Beware uninformed DIY that might burn down your house and kill you. Paul Atlanta

Dear Paul Atlanta,

THANK YOU for setting the record straight. Yours was the only accurate and informed post in the group. Regards, Art Donovan

We have been rewiring antique and european lamps for over 10 years in NYC we could help if you have any questions. Feel free to ask any questions.We are a UL certified shop.

Can a US-purchased Ikea pendant light with two-prong plug be hardwired adapted to a ceiling junction box. My local city inspection department is requiring that the light be UL and that manufacturer supply information testifying how to hardwire...one or both unlikely.

Related: IKEA (US) please get it together and provide a realistic solution..your displays of such goods in mock-ceiling environments, fed by plugged outlet bars, is deceiving and misleading. When asked, their lighting specialist admitted customers have to run extension cords across the ceiling then down to baseboard outlets...not exactly the IKEA life, yes?

Yes, you need to be careful. I'm from Austria & was considering bringing back some of my dad's bauhaus lighting & a beautiful stereo cabinet. People kept telling us how easy the conversion would be, just switch plugs, etc. My wife's dad is an electrical engineer & when he heard this, he hit the ceiling & told us how dangerous this could be and that we would also in addition to burning down our house would ruin the lights/equipment in the long run. Your lights should be rewired properly by a certified electrician.

Konstantinos Kanellopoulos, do you have a contact email, ph and address? i would like a French lamp re-wired according to Paul Atlanta's advice above and would like to get a quote.

Thx
Addi