Teaching Lamp Repair Kit
Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic
The assembled kit. Photo credit: U-Fix-It Clinic
Use this kit to convey the fundamentals of electricity by way of teaching lamp repair. The skills and knowledge are transferable to repairing other simple electrical objects.
This kit is excellent for any venue, but is especially valuable in a classroom.
The hands-on activity is:
Relatable: lamps are everyday objects students recognize,
Science-Aligned: teaches the concept of a complete electrical circuit,
Simple and safe: uses low (9V) voltage,
Confidence boosting: guarantees a successful fix,
Standardized project: allows for higher student to adult/teacher ratio than varied objects, and
Affordable: free guide and low-cost reusable parts.
Safety — Students must be instructed that these kits are low voltage so there is no risk of electrocution. HOWEVER, their lamps at home are NOT low-voltage. There is a risk of electrocution in working with standard electrical objects, including lamps.
The Lesson:
Students are taught the basics of electricity, including complete circuits, in the context of academic subjects such as:
Physics - electricity
Chemistry - characteristics of various materials, recycling
Ecology - environmental systems / natural resource stewardship, impact of e-waste
Social Sciences - Right to Repair, circular economy
The Skills:
Problem-solving, creative thinking, design, cognitive, fine motor, collaboration.
Berkeley High School students at work in a class taught by Kimberley Schroder of Nimble Repair. Photo credit: Vita Wells
The Activity:
Each kit contains:
Basic components of a lamp — plug, cord, socket, bulb and power source.
Tools to repair — screwdriver, multimeter, wire stripper, wire cutter.
Note: the kit includes an intentional break in the circuit (inside the plug or socket) for students to find and fix.
Step-by-step instructions and teaching context:
See the two resources below: Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic and Nimble Repair.
The Steps — Students:
Plug in the assembly, confirming it does not work.
Unplug the assembly.
Investigate components to locate the break in the circuit.
Use the wire cutter, wire stripper and screwdriver to repair the circuit.
Use a multimeter to confirm they have a complete circuit.
Plug in the assembly, light the bulb and celebrate a successful fix.
“Break” the assembly for the next person using the kit — snip the cord inside either the socket or the plug.
Photo credit: U-Fix-It Clinic
The Kit:
Educators or volunteers assemble the kits from the information in the Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic Lamp Repair resource.
Users procure parts and assemble kits.
Each kit is intentionally “broken” — a wire is detached inside either the plug or the socket. The broken circuit is invisible from the outside.
More advanced: the “break” may be a burnt out bulb.
Nimble Repair’s Teaching Lamp Repair Resource:
Canva Slide Deck - Teaching Lamp Repair Using the Kit
Environmental impact of ewaste and Right to Repair
Introduction to electrical safety, lamp components, continuity, multimeter and other tools
Instructions on finding and repairing the lamp kit’s break.
The Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic Teaching Lamp Repair Resources:
Powerpoint Slide Deck - Teaching Lamp Repair Using the Kit
Information about context: environmental impact, repair versus recycling, global repair movement, Boulder’s U-Fix-It Clinic initiative, and Right to Repair.
Illustrated step-by-step instructions on finding and repairing the lamp kit’s break.
List of and links to parts and tools required to assemble kits
Image of assembled kit
Does not provide assembly instructions, but assembly can be construed from images, including those in the Slide Deck. Assembly is straightforward, requiring no more skills and knowledge than are taught to students.
Step-by-step instructions on finding and repairing an actual lamp
Explanation, instruction, resources and warnings relative to polarization, sockets, wiring, plugs
A comprehensive list of links to repair how-to’s and sources for parts and tools
Additional resources for teaching about complete circuits and repairing electrical objects:
Speedway Motors’ All About Electronic Circuits for Kids.
Consider using an Energy Stick for an engaging and fun way to expand students’ understanding of complete circuits.
Wayne Seltzer created the Teaching Lamp Repair Kit guidelines and the Teaching Slide Deck. Wayne leads Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic, which has promoted repair by hosting community repair events since 2013. Teaching workshops on how to repair basic objects, advocating for Colorado right to repair legislation, publishing articles, and more.
Kimberley Schroder, founder of Nimble Repair, created the Electronics Repair Slide Deck and uses the Energy Stick when teaching about complete circuits. Nimble Repair is available for consultation on assembling the kits, and/or teaching the workshop. Further, Nimble is seeking to bring workshops like this and other forms of teaching basic repair skills (jewelry, clothing) to more settings, from schools and community events to corporate team building experiences. Contact: hello@nimble.repair.