>> I have a lamp near my bed that is controlled by touching a part of the
>> metal. I like it. Each touch brightness until it then turns off. However, it
>> has started turning on in the middle of the night. Anyone know what cause
>> might be? Does something wear out and need to be replaced?

> Not "wearing out."  One component may be changing value over time
> changing the threshold it senses as a touch.

> Touch lamps can be temperamental.  Dirt or humidity can change the
> characteristics - I don't know the type you are talking about but some
> lamps use a fiber or paper insulator between the metal shell (part you
> touch or connects to it) and power line connection to the lamp -
> humidity goes up lamp triggers because the paper is slightly
> conductive (exacerbated if you've ever spilled something remotely
> hygroscopic in it)

> They can also trigger with fluctuations in the power mains - look for
> a coincident event like a heater switching on or lamp dimmer used or
> something else along those lines.  Power outages or glitches are
> another cause of false triggers.

> The things are too cheap to be worth fixing - and there's a shock
> hazard involved while troubleshooting it and again after it is back in
> use if the repair is less than safe.