wiring light bulbs in parallel - unusual fixture

[fonzy028]

hey


i hope somebody can help me with this.....its what i would deem quite simple but my knowledge is limited and i dont want to cause electrocution


im a scout leader and am in process of building in indoor artificial campfire. its basically a timber pyramid structure to which i intend to mount a number of regular sized bulbs, the flicker-flame type one sees at xmas with a mixture of coloured bulbs, to it.

however it wont be near a power outlet and so i only want to run one power cable from it to UK mains. its not disimilar to wiring a number of table lamps together to run on the one flex...

i want to do it in such a fashion whereby the whole system wont fail if one bulb "goes"...

i was looking at a parallel style wiring system for inspiration.....but somebody told me i may need some type of a capacitor/transformer similar to the box thing on a set of xmas fairy lights.

is this required?

how would i wire the bulbs up together? would there be one main live and neutral wire running alongside the bulbs with "T" junctions at each lamp fitting?

is there restrictions with the wattage and or voltage of the bulbs safety wise? and is it possible to mix them.....


i would be very grateful for any assistance anyone could give...

cheers

 

[breezer]

who ever told you that is assuming you are using non mains lamps, and since you will be using mains lamps the advice they gave is wrong.

how ever as you your self dont have a clue either (which is why you are asking) i put it to you that in this day and age of sue first ask questions later, it would not be a good idea for you to atempt such a project.

However, i would suggest one of

or similar

its not real, but infact a sheet of silk, a fan and some lamps. they are ready made, and all you do is plug them in.

i found this site
other suppliers of flame effect lights are available

 

[alpem]

Hi, All you need do is wire each bulb holder to the next in a string. That is wire one side of the holders to live in a row then wire the other side of them to neutral. Make sure none of the joins can be accessed by fingers etc. by screwing the holers to an insulator (piece of wood). Fit a plug with a suitable fuse-3amp will do for up to 12,60watt bulbs, 5amp will do 20,60 watt bulbs.
good luck
alpem

 

[breezer]

I think the idea is to have a fake fire, not a real one

 

[RF Lighting]

Hi, All you need do is wire each bulb holder to the next in a string. That is wire one side of the holders to live in a row then wire the other side of them to neutral. Make sure none of the joins can be accessed by fingers etc. by screwing the holers to an insulator (piece of wood). Fit a plug with a suitable fuse-3amp will do for up to 12,60watt bulbs, 5amp will do 20,60 watt bulbs.
good luck
alpem

Wow.

That post must win the "Most uninformed and dangerous reply of the week award" (awarded weekly on a week by week basis)

 

[Taylortwocities]

Fonzy, if you do something like this, PLEASE fit one of these rcd plug

I'd hate one of the little dibbers get their ging gang goolies in contact with lethal voltages...

PS Want to see some German Scouts plating around with an electric fence.
(Limitation of Discharge of Energy, perhaps!) clip

 

[trey]

When I was a cub scout (aged ~10) we were taught how to wire a plug - something I could already do. Now 20 years later we have scout leaders who can't even do that!

The best solution is to forget the wiring and buy a string of white flickering fairy lights. Wrap these around your wood frame. Far simpler and safer.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

When I was a cub scout (aged ~10) we were taught how to wire a plug - something I could already do. Now 20 years later we have scout leaders who can't even do that!

Times change - my school had guns and ammunition on the premises, and a rifle range...

 

[^woody^]

Times change - my school had guns and ammunition on the premises, and a rifle range...

Yes, the rifle ranges are gone

 

[Taylortwocities]

My scouts used to go off to a rifle range in Bookham to fire at defenceless pieces of paper. We were quite good at it too.

A few years ago I volounteered at my son's cub camp. None of the kids were allowed to do any cooking and the camp fire had a rope all the way round the campfire so you couldnt get any closer than 6ft.

So, no toasting marshmellows, then. Or ccoking potatoes in their jackets in the ashes. Where's all the fun gone? Good grief

 

[The Dentist]

Yup, this is a dissapointing read, scouts having to sit around a pile of wood with a few coloured lamps inside it, they will be putting the tents up inside the scout hut next, or is that what they do now already?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No - that makes the Scout Hut an HMO, and they can't get Change Of Use approval because the tent walls don't meet Building Regs requirements for sound or heat insulation, or fire proofing...

 

[ebee]

When I was a cub scout (aged ~10) we were taught how to wire a plug - something I could already do. Now 20 years later we have scout leaders who can't even do that!

Times change - my school had guns and ammunition on the premises, and a rifle range...

Well,
My school was approved by the government so nah nah nah nah naaahhhh


And I think the 17th now makes it illegal to electrocute apprentices too.

Life`s not as much fun as it used to be.

What about "catch the capacitor"? can we still play that one?