[benigni0804]

Hi Members,

I'm working on a self made industrial chandelier. So far I am pretty happy with the outcome but now when it comes to electrical questions I am lost.

I have 7 light sockets which all have to be wired up and then jointed together to another cord which will then evenutally go to the light switch.

I will use normal edison light bulbs between 25-40 Watt. The light sockets I am using can be found when search on amazon for: 2
2 of KINGSO E26/ E27 Solid Brass Industrial Light Socket Vintage Edison Pendant lamp copper holder With Knob

So my questions:

- which cord do I have to use?
- How would I bring together the 7 wires to another wire which would go to the light switch
- any tips I should consider?

Thank you all so much for your help.

Barbie :vs_bulb:

 

[Arrow3030]

Usually fixture cable is ran to each socket and crimp connected with in the fixture somewhere and a single fixture cable goes to the chandeliers canopy. It makes connecting to the building wiring much easier.
I've installed custom light fixtures before and they can be a pain but have always been worth the hassle to help someone complete their vision.
Post a picture

 

[benigni0804]

Thank you for your response. Which kind and size of cord would you use though? For the sockets and the one which goes to the canopy? I attached a sample picture of what I am envisioning. Thank you

 

[FrodoOne]

Which kind and size of cord would you use though? For the sockets and the one which goes to the canopy? I attached a sample picture of what I am envisioning.

You intend to use 7 (up to) 40 W lamps, which means that the total "draw" would be less than 2.5 A. Hence, any available "Flex" - such as http://www.ebay.com/itm/Qpower-18G50FTSFLEX-18-Gauge-50Ft-Flex-Wire-Bag-/191479280599 should be suitable.
(However, have you considered using LEDs, which would draw much less current and generate less heat?)

What you MUST consider is how the 7 individual pairs are to be fixed to the overhead "canopy" and how the "strain" of the suspended fittings is to be "taken" by the way in which the wiring is affixed to the "canopy". (Look up "Cable Clips".)

You will also need to consider how the wires are to be safely joined together and to the pair which goes to the ceiling supply.
For this you will need some type of low profile "junction box" on the upper side of the "canopy".
(Look up "Junction Box" on Ebay and also look up http://www.ebay.com/itm/10A-Dual-Ro...519852?hash=item3f52d34fac:g:IwsAAOSw0JpV5DRV for suitable "Barrier Strips", which it may be necessary to install in it.

Joining two groups of 8 stranded wires together by just using "wire nuts" is NOT recommended.)

 

[AllanJ]

Electrical connections should not be load (weight) bearing.

Use wood brackets, thin rope, etc. to support the lamp sockets leaving some slack in the wires. Wire not carrying current can also be used for support but non-conductive material is preferable.

 

[benigni0804]

Thanks you all this was great help. SO for the sockets, this 18 gauge wire would be fine??? https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/6...BaseShopping&gclid=CL_TwOHW_csCFdhahgodwdkNOQ

I'm still not 100% sure how to bring together the 7 pairs together. Can somebody please explain for beginners... thank you!

 

[FrodoOne]

for the sockets, this 18 gauge wire would be fine??? https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/6...BaseShopping&gclid=CL_TwOHW_csCFdhahgodwdkNOQ

I'm still not 100% sure how to bring together the 7 pairs together. Can somebody please explain for beginners... thank you!

The product mentioned should be OK for your purposes, but note "This product is not UL or CSA approved and should be used in low temperature and low wattage applications." The "low temperature" warning is yet another reason to use LEDs.

With regard to "joining the pairs together", I earlier recommended the use of "Barrier strips"/terminal blocks. (Barrier strips come in sets of 12 paired screw terminals and can be cut to the required number - in your case, two sets of 8, including the external connection.)

Have a look at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Electrical_connection_terminals#/media/File:D-2_001.jpg
This shows a "Barrier strip" being used to "through connect" external wiring to wiring within a device. (Note that the internal wiring is quite neat but the external wiring is less so. Also, the external wiring on terminals 3 and 12 has bare wire showing, which should NOT occur.)

In your case, you could use two "barrier strips" of 8 screwed down side-by-side about 1 to 2 inches apart. Terminate one wire of each pair on one strip and and the other wire on the other, with the pairs placed between the two strips.
To connect the terminals in each strip together, join all the outside terminals of each strip together using 14 short pieces (2 inches) of insulated wire - stripped of insulation for 1/4 inch at each end.

These barrier strips must be placed within a suitable insulated (plastic) junction box in order that they may not be accidentally touched.

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm still not 100% sure how to bring together the 7 pairs together. Can somebody please explain for beginners...

Further information re the wire that you intend to use (ELEC-D8323-8FT)

I have ascertained (from another site) that the insulation under the outer "braid" is colour coded - Black and White.
You MUST connect the Black wire at each socket to the Switch terminal (however it is designated) and the White wire to the other terminal - which will go to the "shroud" of the socket.

It SHOULD go without saying that, however you do it, all the Black wires must be connected together (and then to the switched "Line" [hot] side of the supply) and all the White wires must be connected together (and then connected to the "Neutral" side of the supply - at the ceiling fitting.)

Further to my remarks concerning LEDs.
Look up "E26/E27 LED Filament Lamps" to see if you find anything which will suit you. Admittedly, they are not cheap but they are efficient and cool when operating - in several senses.

Roughly speaking, you can expect that a LED lamp will give about 8 times the "lumens" that will be given by an incandescent lamp of the same "wattage".
So, the light from a 5 W LED will (roughly) equal the light from a 40 W incandescent.

 

[hello kitty]

(However, have you considered using LEDs, which would draw much less current and generate less heat?)

:surprise: LED bulbs are the only lamp I would consider, unless I absolutely couldn't afford them, but even then, I would effort getting the funds to make it happen. There are many styles to choose from. Tip of me hat to you FrodoOne!:thumbsup:

 

[al_smelter]

I won't get into the wiring aspect. Homemade stuff can be just about any way you want. UL has nothing in it.

But they don't print enough money to make me use LEDs for a project like yours. The entire "artsy" idea is to create a soft, warm ambiance with low wattage lamps. NOTHING can match the glow of a tungsten filament, especially if used with a dimmer. LEDs, even though they may look like an edison style, are simply way too harsh and bright... even with a dimmer. And at 25-35 watts, you won't singlehandedly destroy the planet, nor will you burn the wiring up with excess heat.

 

[hello kitty]

LEDs, even though they may look like an edison style, are simply way too harsh and bright... even with a dimmer. And at 25-35 watts, you won't singlehandedly destroy the planet, nor will you burn the wiring up with excess heat.

Suit yourself, but I count 15 of those 25-35 watt jobbies in his project.:vs_OMG: As I said LEDs (9 watts each, maybe) come in many styles. Also colors, and features, such as built-in alternating colors and blinking. And many do work with dimmers. For my money, I would jettison Edison and not look back. :glasses:

 

[Oso954]

Suit yourself, but I count 15 of those 25-35 watt jobbies in his project.

The pic is just an example. If you read the thread header or the OP, the project has 7 sockets.

 

[benigni0804]

Hi All,

thanks again for your help. So I got the barrier strips and the wire that goes in the wall plug. I wanted to see if it actually worked as I planned and only connected the wire for one socket to the barrier strips, to tried it out. When I connected the wire to the wall plug the bulb started to glow for a few seconds but then the socked blew up....:vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad:

What am I doing wrong? I attached pictures so you can get an idea...

thanks all...

 

[Oso954]

You are stripping way too much insulation off of the wires.

On the socket screws you just need enough to go under and around the screw. If you have more than about 1/16 of an inch of bare copper above the screw head (below the insulation), do it over.

Same thing with you terminal ends. There should be zero exposed bare copper exposed. The wire insulation should go into the insulated terminal end.

Your socket did not explode. The two bare wires touched throwing an arc, which damaged the socket.

 

[FrodoOne]

You are stripping way too much insulation off of the wires.

On the socket screws you just need enough to go under and around the screw. If you have more than about 1/16 of an inch of bare copper above the screw head (below the insulation), do it over.

Same thing with you terminal ends. There should be zero exposed bare copper exposed. The wire insulation should go into the insulated terminal end.

Your socket did not explode. The two bare wires touched throwing an arc, which damaged the socket.

With regard to "joining the pairs together", I earlier recommended the use of "Barrier strips"/terminal blocks. (Barrier strips come in sets of 12 paired screw terminals and can be cut to the required number - in your case, two sets of 8, including the external connection.)

Have a look at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Electrical_connection_terminals#/media/File:D-2_001.jpg
This shows a "Barrier strip" being used to "through connect" external wiring to wiring within a device. (Note that the internal wiring is quite neat but the external wiring is less so. Also, the external wiring on terminals 3 and 12 has bare wire showing, which should NOT occur.)

In your case, you could use two "barrier strips" of 8 screwed down side-by-side about 1 to 2 inches apart. Terminate one wire of each pair on one strip and and the other wire on the other, with the pairs placed between the two strips.
To connect the terminals in each strip together, join all the outside terminals of each strip together using 14 short pieces (2 inches) of insulated wire - stripped of insulation for 1/4 inch at each end.

These barrier strips must be placed within a suitable insulated (plastic) junction box in order that they may not be accidentally touched.

As Oso954 said "You are stripping way too much insulation off of the wires. "
"Your socket did not explode. The two bare wires touched throwing an arc, which damaged the socket."

As I said "Have a look at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/C...le:D-2_001.jpg
This shows a "Barrier strip" being used to "through connect" external wiring to wiring within a device. (Note that the internal wiring is quite neat but the external wiring is less so. Also, the external wiring on terminals 3 and 12 has bare wire showing, which should NOT occur.)"

BARE WIRE SHOULD NOT SHOW - nor, in my opinion, should bare metal be available to touch!

For this reason, the "Barrier strip" you are using should not be used for this purpose (120 V AC) since the bare metal could be touched.
I earlier recommended "Barrier strips" like http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10A-Dual...=item3f52d34fac:g:IwsAAOSw0JpV5DRV&rmvSB=true which are much safer - and easier to wire. All that is needed is to strip 1/4 inch of insulation from each conductor, twist the wires together, insert it onto the socket and screw down.

I suggest that you are in urgent need of assistance from someone who is proficient at these wiring activities.

(Also, the fabric covering of you wires is fraying. You can prevent this by using a suitable quick setting "cellulose nitrate" type adhesive to "set" them in position.)

 

[al_smelter]

Personally I would have all eight of the little devils under a wirenut. However, if you are not adept at strip length, you might want to practice before undertaking that tact. Strip length becomes more important when many wire are involved. It all has to end up under the skirts. So...

If you do decide to use that style of terminal strip, a piece of Lexan or Plexiglass should be installed over it when you are finished. This will keep unsuspecting paws away from energized terminals, especially if someone is cleaning the fixture from below and can't see the open blocks above.

If it's all going in an enclosure, then it's not a worry.

Listen to these guys about strip length, no matter which route you go. Insulation's there for a reason. Keep as much insulation on the wire as possible.