What cable do I need to make a lamp: practical guide & tips

The importance of decorative electrical cable

If you are going to assemble a lamp, one of the most important parts of a lamp will be the decorative textile cable. As you know, this is an electrical wire that incorporates a textile cover on the outside that can come in different formats.

On one hand, we have the smooth colored textile cable. It is a kind of flexible round tube with a textile cover that can be in a variety of colors; on the other hand, we have the braided cable. In this second case, the cable is formed by two intertwined threads, so it is not smooth. It is also available in various colors.

Electrical cable section: the most important aspect

When we talk about assembling a lamp holder, we only need a cable with a small section and two wires. Let us explain: the section indicates the number of wires in the cable and the thickness of it. For example, a section 2 x 0.75 means that our cable is formed by 2 wires, each of which has a thickness of 0.75 millimeters. When we talk about thickness, we refer to the copper wire inside the cable, not the total thickness.

To assemble a lamp, it is sufficient to use a cable with a section of 2 x 0.75. With this type of cable, we could even install bulbs up to 700W. Normally, for a standard lamp, we will use LEDs from 5W to a maximum of 25W, so a section of 2 x 0.75mm2 is sufficient.

If your house installation has an earth connection, then you can use a section of 3 x 0.75mm, that is, three wires of 0.75mm thickness each. One of these wires will be the ground connection, although this point is not necessary if your house installation is standardized and safe.

Many times, users who want to assemble a lamp decide to buy thicker cable, for example, 2 x 1.5mm. The reason is purely aesthetic, as it looks thicker, although as we mentioned, it is not necessary for this type of lamps.

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