Connecting Lights

nikoletta · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:56 pm Post Subject: Connecting Lights

Hello there,

I don't know much about electrics so I would appreciate your help. So... I am an art student and i would like to make a decoration lighting for an exhibition Im taking part in. The idea is that next to everyones artwork you would have a small golfball 15 watt lamp. There are 10 pieces therefore 10 lamps.I was thinking that the easiest way to make my mini circuit is to connect all 10 lamps and lampholder onto one "circuit board" (is that what they are called? you know those long plastic thing with many inserts for wires) and from their to a standart plug. Does that sound safe? Is it called a "circuit board" and if not what is it called? If you have any other suggestions please feel free to share with me!
Thank you in advance

electronicsuk · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:13 pm Post Subject:

Those long plastic things with many inserts for wires? Nope, no idea, unless you mean a terminal block/strip/choc-block, in which case that wouldn't be the best (or indeed safest without a proper enclosure + cord grips) way to do it.

What sort of lamp holder do you intend on using? If a normal pendant holder will do the job then you can simply use 3A 2 core flex and loop in and out of each lampholder with a 13A plug (fused at 3A of course!) on the other end.

Oh, and if this is for an exhibition then you might want to consider the possible liability issues if this turns out to be unsafe. Aren't there any electrical students that can lend you a hand?

__________________
Matthew

"I told you, I only wrote that poem to test my printer!"

jj4091 · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:16 pm Post Subject:

do you mean something like this? http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_Menu_Index/Festoon_Harness/index.html

nikoletta · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:30 pm Post Subject:

Thank you for your quick reply,

I believe that must be called a choc block.

I do intend to use normal screw on cap lampholders (like pendants).What I didnt mention earlier is that i will have the lamps fixed(maybe even taped) on the wall and they will be 1 m apart (approximately) so i will have lots and lots of wire going round the room. (the room size is 6x6 m) I know that lots of wires on the floor sound dodgy but i believe that it will work aestheticly.

Your suggestions sounds great but i have to admit that i dont get it all. Let me see if i understand what you mean:

so you say that if i get a standart twin and earth cable i run live through all my lamps and close the circuit in the last one? (thats a parralel connection right?)
If i do that i would come up with striped cables all over the place which doesnt sound safe. That why i would prefer a solution where i somehow connect all my wires in one "box" and from there directly to a plug.
Is that possible at all?

I'm very sorry if i sound completely stupid and ignorant and thank you again for your help...

electronicsuk · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:04 pm Post Subject:

nikoletta wrote:

Your suggestions sounds great but i have to admit that i dont get it all. Let me see if i understand what you mean:

so you say that if i get a standart twin and earth cable i run live through all my lamps and close the circuit in the last one? (thats a parralel connection right?)

Yes, but please don't use twin and earth. It isn't designed for anything other than fixed installation, it will be a pig to wire and you'll be very unlikely to get two wires into a single lamp holder. You want some 2 core lamp flex, and yes, it would be a parallel connection.

nikoletta wrote:

If i do that i would come up with striped cables all over the place which doesnt sound safe. That why i would prefer a solution where i somehow connect all my wires in one "box" and from there directly to a plug.
Is that possible at all?

Why does it sound unsafe to loop in and out of a single fitting? Why would there be striped (read: stripped) cables all over the place? What you want is possible, but I can't see why you would want to fan out from a central point - it will involve a lot more cable and mess.

If we're being honest, the solution of a proper festoon lighting harness by JJ is by far the best option based on your electrical experience. I've heard about some absolute electrical horrors that art students come up with on other forums, and this has the potential to go the same way!

__________________
Matthew

"I told you, I only wrote that poem to test my printer!"

nikoletta · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:13 pm Post Subject:

ok!

You are right. I didnt get what you meant by "loop in and out" to begin with but in the meantime i did some more research and now get it. It will be much more simple.
You obviously know what you are doing so i would really appreciate it if you could give me your opinion on what sort of wire you think i should use...

Thanks again for your time!

electronicsuk · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:18 pm Post Subject:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CA0dot5OV2.html should do the job nicely, and you should be able to squeeze two cables into a standard pendant. Remember a 3A fuse in the plug, NOT 13A! Make sure the lamp holders are plastic, too

__________________
Matthew

"I told you, I only wrote that poem to test my printer!"

nikoletta · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:19 pm Post Subject:

thank you!!!

x

bernardgreen · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:44 pm Post Subject:

Nikoletta

While I admire and support you doing this independently as part of the project I do have a concern about safety. Yours and the visitors to the display.

So may I strongly suggest that after you have assembled the lighting and BEFORE you plug it in you you ask one of the college staff to arrange for it to be inspected and safety tested.

I have been there with an art student friend many years ago whose "first time" electrics behind a stained glass collage would have been a serious hazard.