If the socket on your favorite lamp stops working, you don't have to throw it away. You can buy replacement sockets at most hardware, home center and electrical supply stores.

Carefully inspect the old light socket. You will find a number followed by a "W." The number will be between 20 and 120. It stands for the watts for which the socket is rated. The new socket must be the same number.

Regular lamp sockets come in different configurations: plain, twist, chain and push-through. They are usually interchangeable. There also are three-way lamp sockets that are used with three-way light bulbs. Never replace a one-way socket with a three-way socket or a three-way with a one-way socket.

Here's how to replace the socket

1. Pull the plug before you start. Lamp shades are often held in place by a bracket called a harp. Remove and inspect the harp. If it is damaged, you also may want to replace that.

2. Lamp sockets are made of four parts: upper brass shell, lower brass base, cardboard insulating sleeve and socket. Remove bulb and make certain the lamp is disconnected from the outlet. Press or pry off the bottom of the upper brass shell and pull it out of the base.

3. Remove the cardboard insulating sleeve.

4. Pull the socket out of the base. Wires are connected to screws at each side of the socket. Loosen the screws and remove the old socket from the wiring.

5. Test the lamp cord to make certain that it does not need to be replaced. Clip the continuity tester to one prong of the lamp, plug inand touch the probe to one of the socket wires. If the tester doesn't light up, touch the probe to the other socket wire. The tester should light. If the tester doesn't light when you have touched both of the wires, the lamp cord has to be replaced.

Repeat the procedure clipping the tester to the other prong, touching the wire that did not light up the first time. If it lights up, good. Now touch the probe to the other wire. If the tester light also lights for the second wire, it means that bare wires are touching and the cord needs to be replaced.

6. If the cord checks out, take off old base and run the wire through the new base attaching it to the lamp. Connect wires to the screws at each side of the new socket.

If the ends of the wires are frayed, clip away the frayed wire and strip away about 3/4 -inch of insulation from the wire. Form the newly exposed wires into C-loops and connect one wire to the screw at each side of the socket.

7. Push the socket down into the base and slide the insulating sleeve over the socket. Slide the outer brass shell down into the socket base being careful to align the notches so the socket is tight.

8. Reattach the harp. Screw in the bulb and put on the shade.

9. Plug in the lamp. Cross fingers and turn it on.