How to Disconnect Touch Light Switches

Touch switches use your skin to complete the circuit when you touch the metal on the lamp, turning your lamp on and off. A touch switch on a lamp is a convenient way to operate a light that is in an inconvenient location or on a bedside table. Disconnecting the touch light switch on your lamp allows your lamp to stay on until you unplug it from the wall or you use a receptacle that is controlled by a wall switch.

• 1

  Unplug your touch lamp from the wall outlet and move it to a sturdy work surface.

• 2

  Remove the lamp shade and the lamp harp from the lamp. Remove the bottom from the lamp to access the touch control light switch. The bottom of the lamp attaches with screws or peels off much like the lid from a butter tub.

• 3

  Wrap the lamp wire in black electrical tape that connects to the black wire on the touch control light switch. Wrap another piece of black wire around the lamp wire connected to the gray or red wire from the touch control switch. Depending on the manufacturer of the touch control switch, the second power wire on the touch control is black or gray.

• 4

  Untwist the three wire connectors holding the lamp wires to the touch control switch. Locate the threaded nipple where the wires travel through the neck of the lamp. Remove the locknut from the nipple holding the yellow wire to the lamp body with pliers.

• 5

  Pull the ring terminal connected to the yellow wire from the threaded nipple and replace the locknut.

• 6

  Twist an orange wire connector to the two lamp wires you marked with black electrical tape, connecting them together. Twist another orange wire connector to the remaining two lamp wires to connect them together.

• 7

  Replace the bottom onto the lamp and install the lamp harp and shade.