[SydVicious]

I have decided that I can't find anything like that I want so I need to make my own light fixture. I have read a ton of web pages and forums and I'm still not sure what the best method would be. I'm making a wooden shelf that is hollow inside to allow for wiring. I'll have 16 sockets coming down from the shelf. I've already researched wiring the light sockets, adding strain relief and I think I should be fine getting everything installed up to the point of actually joining all the sockets wired together. I keep reading people saying just use wire nuts and pigtail to connect everything. I've seen people suggest several different types of wire connectors. I just can't seem to decide what is the best way to go and commit. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist and I'm new to a wiring project this big. It seems that everyone has a different way of doing this. I just want to make sure my fixture is safe. Also, I should mention that I am a renter so I have to wire this so I can plug it into an outlet instead of installing it in an overhead fixture.

My next question is: I want to use two types of wire. One type has ground wires and one type does not. Is this going to be a problem? I didn't realize when I was being creative and designing my fixture that the twisted wire didn't have a ground.

I would really appreciate any help and advice. Thanks in advance. :biggrin2:

 

[Daniel Holzman]

Generally I applaud DIY work, especially one as ambitious as your project sounds. But let me point out something. You say you are a renter. This poses a problem. You will be constructing an electrical device that you plan to plug in. Your device will not be UL certified. If by some unfortunate accident your device causes a fire, your renter's insurance may not cover the costs, since you are using a home made, uncertified electrical device. And you may be violating the terms of your lease. Consider this before you build and install your fixture.

 

[SydVicious]

Generally I applaud DIY work, especially one as ambitious as your project sounds. But let me point out something. You say you are a renter. This poses a problem. You will be constructing an electrical device that you plan to plug in. Your device will not be UL certified. If by some unfortunate accident your device causes a fire, your renter's insurance may not cover the costs, since you are using a home made, uncertified electrical device. And you may be violating the terms of your lease. Consider this before you build and install your fixture.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm trying to do as much research as possible so that I create a safe and reliable light. I also want to point out that this is for a makeup mirror so it will be used under supervision. As apposed to being an overhead light that is turned on and left alone.

 

[de-nagorg]

I second checking with the insurance and landlord.

That said, each socket can be wired with the twisted wire lampcord, then ran to a junction box, all wirenutted together, to a grounded wire with the ground to the junction box, and the lampcords to their respective hot or common wires .

A switch in the circuit is a bonus, add one.


ED

 

[dmxtothemax]

Depending on the lamp bases your using you may not need a j box.
You can run a cord to the first base then daisy chain from there.
Weather you need a earth depends on weather there is any metal.

 

[SydVicious]

Thanks for the responses. Can you clarify how I would wire the non grounded wires to a grounded wire?

I second checking with the insurance and landlord.

That said, each socket can be wired with the twisted wire lampcord, then ran to a junction box, all wirenutted together, to a grounded wire with the ground to the junction box, and the lampcords to their respective hot or common wires .

A switch in the circuit is a bonus, add one.
ED

Also here is a link to the sockets I am thinking about getting. http://www.colorcord.com/collections/sockets-cord-grips/products/twist-socket-frost-white

 

[dmxtothemax]

If your mirror has no metal then you need no earth,
So if there is one available at the j box
then you simply don't tap into it
you just leave it as is.

 

[de-nagorg]

That could be confusing, my mistake.

You do not ground the sockets, you ground the junction box to the three prong cord ground, since the mirror frame is a wooden item, it needs no ground, just the junction box to the outlet.

The lampcord has two different sides, one smooth one ridged, look up in a book which one is the hot and the neutral, then wirenut each one to it's respective wire from the plug in wire, they are usually black and white, again look up which is hot or neutral.

You may need to use some pigtails, due to the fact that one should not wirenut more than three wires in a nut, I have seen places where a person tried to wirenut too many together and some always work loose and cause failure.


ED