Making Electric Lamps - Online Course

This online course covers everything a maker needs to know to design, wire, test and sell electric lamps – beyond the skills needed to make the lamp base itself, which you already have. It addresses lamp design and proportions, bulb and component selection, mechanical and electrical construction, testing to the EN 60598 standard, and all the paperwork and regulatory requirements that apply to selling lamps in the UK and EU.

The course is not centred on any particular material for the lamp base. Whether you work in ceramics, wood, metal, glass, resin or anything else, or whether you are repairing or upcycling existing objects, the course content is equally applicable.

If you’re a craftsperson making lamp bases or upcycling existing objects, this course gives you everything you need to turn your work into a safe, compliant electric lamp.

I have been making ceramics since 2008, starting with evening classes and then setting up my own studio a couple of years later. With my background in science and engineering, I am drawn to the technical aspects of the craft, but enjoy explaining the technicalities in plain language to those with less technical knowledge. I regularly post on these lines on social media, and have been teaching since 2020, mostly online.

But I have also worked with wood, and in yacht design also designed for metal and plastic. And for many years I was working in marine electronics and computer systems, including smart interior lighting systems for large yachts, which created my interest in lighting. In my Product Safety for Potters course I briefly covered some of the requirements for lighting, and found that many students wanted to know more, so I developed this course. My aim is that you can complete the course confident that you can make lamps  that are safe, and comply with the regulations.

Making and selling electric lamps involves more than wiring up a bulb holder – but it is considerably more manageable than it might first appear. By the end of this course you will have a complete picture of what is involved, and the practical knowledge to act on it.

You will understand how to design lamps that look right as well as work well – with a grounding in the proportions and principles that lamp and interior designers use, and in the lighting characteristics that make a lamp genuinely useful in a room. You will know how to choose the right components for your design, and be able to wire a lamp correctly and safely from scratch.

You will understand how complying with the EN 60598 standard helps you get the CE/UKCA mark, and know how to design, make and test lamps that comply with the standard. And you will be able to produce all the documentation required to sell lamps legally in the UK and EU – CE and UKCA marking, declarations of conformity, technical files, labelling and instructions – without it becoming an overwhelming administrative burden.

The result is lamps you can make, sell and stand behind: well designed, properly built, safely tested, and fully compliant.

Why do this course rather than piecing together information from component web sites, online forums and reading government regulartions?

• The course takes you from a lamp base that you have made, to a fully functioning and tested lamp that has the necessary paperwork and complies with the relevant regulations as smoothly and easily as possible
• It covers the full picture in one place: design, components, construction, testing and compliance. Each area connects to the others, and understanding all of them together is what allows you to make good decisions at every stage
• The course focuses on using ready-made components correctly, so no specialist electrical background is needed. The emphasis is on practical, correct assembly rather than electrical theory
• You are shown how to assemble and test your lamp so that there’s minimum risk of things failing or your customers getting electrocuted
• I offer personal support throughout, including answering questions about your specific lamp designs and any particular compliance questions you have

• Approximately 6 hours of video talks, divided into 4 modules, with subtitles in your language
• PDFs of all presentations for offline reading
• Additional course material to go into topics in more depth
• Links to component and tool manufacturers and distributors (mostly UK)
• Personal support through emailing in questions or joining the monthly Ask Me Anything online session
• Access to the Tech section of my website for the duration of the course
• Course attendance certificate (PDF)
• 8 weeks from your enrolment date to complete the course

A self-directed online course with access to your instructor:

• You can start as soon as your order has been processed
• Four on-demand modules that you can take at your own pace. Each module has:
  • A video talk (about 90 minutes)
  • A downloadable PDF of the presentation
  • Optional material to go into things more deeply
• Ask questions any time by email
• Monthly “Ask Me Anything” live session (recorded if you can’t attend)
• Premium access to the Tech section of my website
• 8 weeks of access is included, extendable at any time for about the cost of buying me a coffee a month
• Course attendance certificate (PDF)

• Makers in any medium – ceramics, wood, metal, glass, resin, upcycled objects or anything else – who want to make and sell electric lamps
• Designers who want to ensure that their designs comply with the standards
• Lamp makers who want to be confident their lamps are fully compliant with UK and EU requirements
• Those who are unsure about safely wiring up and testing lamps, possibly with no prior electrical knowledge

• Video lectures with subtitles (in English and translated into attendee’s languages)
• Downloadable PDFs in English for offline reading
• Web site is in English
• Email support during the course

1. Design
   Measuring light – brightness, directionality, lighting levels, colour temperature and warmth, CRI, glare, reflection and refraction.
   Basic electrics – protection classes I, II and III; bulb technology, specifications, shapes and sizes; bayonet, Edison and other bases; bulb holders; switches; dimmers; smart lighting; power leads; outdoor lighting.
   Lamp design – the proportions and principles used by lamp and interior designers for floor and table lamps, ceiling lamps, sconces, task lighting and ambient lighting; lampshades; lighting for different rooms

2. Making – Mechanical
   Standards – IEC/EN 60598
   Tools
   Lamp strength and stability
   Basic lamp construction
   Bulb holders (mechanical)
   Lamp bases
   Movable joints
   Lamp shades
3. Making – Electrical
   Tools
   Buying components and the Bill of Materials
   Class I, II and III differences and wiring
   Lamp circuits and wiring
   Lamp cords; plugs; switches and dimmers; bulb holders (electrical); grommets, clamps and connectors
   Earthing
   USB and battery lamps
4. Testing and Paperwork
   Type, conformity and PAT testing – what the differences are, and when each is needed
   Should you use a test lab?
   What to test and how
   Type testing – thermal, heat and ignition, endurance, humidity, electrical
   Conformity testing – electrical and non electrical
   Class I, II and III test requirements
   Why it isn’t just PAT testing
   Choosing and using electrical test equipment.
   Paperwork: GPSD; CE and UKCA marking; low voltage directive; EMC requirements; ROHS and REACH; Eco Design; Energy labelling; WEEE; lamp marking and labels; lamp instructions; declaration of conformity; technical file

• Do I need electrical experience or qualifications? No. The course is designed for makers who may have minimal electrical knowledge. The focus is on selecting and assembling ready-made components correctly, and all the electrical steps are shown. You do not need to solder, design circuits, or understand advanced electrics or electronics.
• How technical is the course? The electrical and regulatory content is explained in plain language throughout. The course concentrates on the practicalities, and minimises technical requirements

• What materials can I use to make lamp bases? Anything safe and structurally suitable: ceramics, wood, glass, metal, plastic, concrete, stone, or upcycled objects. Unsuitable materials have low resistance to heat, flames or water, or don’t have adequate physical strength for the job.

• Does the course cover the material I use for my lamp base? The course only covers lamp base materials to the extent that this may affect design requirements, e.g. a metal lamp body being a conductor, or a 3-d printed one being susceptible to softening on overheating. You are assumed to have the skills to make the base in your preferred material.

• Will I learn how to design lamps, not just wire them up? The course covers lamp proportions, bulb choices, lighting levels, colour temperature, shade selection, room function, and how designers create visually balanced lighting. It doesn’t cover the aesthetics of lamp design, nor the skills and techniques needed to make a base in a given material.
• Do I learn how to choose the correct components? You’ll learn exactly how to choose which components are safe and approved for UK/EU use, and how to select components best suited to your lamp design.
• Does the course cover outdoor lighting? Yes, the requirements for outdoor lighting are covered, but the course does not go into the design of waterproof enclosures.
• Does the course cover smart lighting? This is mentioned but not covered in depth.
• Does the course cover earthing (grounding)? You’ll learn when a lamp must be Class I (earthed), when it can be Class II (double insulated), and Class III when neither of these are required (e.g. USB or battery lamps).
• Will this course help me make lamps that are legally compliant for sale? Yes, within the UK and EU. You’ll learn how to build lamps that meet the requirements of IEC/EN/BS 60598, how to qualify for the CE/UKCA mark, how to comply with WEEE and all other regulations.

• Does my lamp design have to comply with EN 60598? This isn’t a requirement, but to get a UKCA or CE mark you can either comply with the standard, or you have to be able to prove that your lamp is at least as safe as one that meets the standard. Most low volume lamp makers don’t have the resources to do this, so complying with the standard is the easier route.
• Can I test my lamps myself, or do I need to use a test laboratory? There is no requirement for lamps to be tested by a test lab, or even to test them in house. However you need to be able to demonstrate that your lamps are safe, and the course tells you how to test to the standard, or to a similar level using resources in your studio, or to justify where a test isn’t needed (e.g. heat and flammability tests for ceramics).
• Why can’t I just PAT test my lamps? This is one of the most important things the course addresses. PAT testing is a routine safety check on equipment already in use, and assumes that the item has been properly designed and manufactured; it is not the same as the type and conformity testing required to demonstrate compliance with EN 60598 before you sell a lamp. The course explains the difference clearly and takes you through what is actually required.

• Is the course applicable outside of the UK and EU? Most of it is – most countries base their safety regulations on IEC 60598, though often with some national variations; the exception is the USA ands satellite countries that follow UL / ANSI standards (though Canada allows for either). But some regulations, such as WEEE and Eco Labelling, are specific to the EU and UK, and these won’t be relevant in other areas.

• Does the course cover US standards? No. The course is  based on the IEC/EN 60598 standard, and not the US UL1598 and related ANSI/UL standards, which are also used in Canada, Mexico and parts of Central America and the Caribbean.
• Will you answer questions about my specific lamps? Yes, definitely. Questions about your own designs are very welcome, either emailed in or at an Ask me Anything session.
• .How much time is needed? Around 6 hours as a minimum for the four video modules, but if you explore the additional material and work through the testing process with your own lamps, you are likely to spend more.
• Do I have lifetime access to the course? You have 8 weeks to complete the course. After that, you can regain access at any time for about the cost of buying me a coffee a month.
• Are there any other costs? If you wish to test your lamps yourself, you will need a multimeter and a PAT tester for the electrical tests. Suitable models at modest cost are recommended in the course. Some mechanical tests require standard hand tools and a small torque wrench.
• For general questions on my courses, please refer to the general courses FAQ.