YOU HAVE TO SPLIT A CABLE TO CONNECT ALL THREE LAMPS WITH THE ELECTRICITY GRID

Step 7: YOU HAVE TO SPLIT A CABLE TO CONNECT ALL THREE LAMPS WITH THE ELECTRICITY GRID

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LancePenney says: Apr 12, 2012. 5:48 AM

Connecting the wires together like this under mains voltage is really not safe. You should be using a junction box with the appropriate strain relief connectors. It looks to me that one could easily fit in the space between the lamps. Also, I don't see any ground wires. I hope you didn't cut them off just before the cables reached the terminal block. If so, you're looking for a shock anytime that you touch any metal part of the light fixture's chassis.
Otherwise a great job. I might try to make one of these for myself. Thanks for sharing.

hamesworth says: Nov 4, 2010. 12:05 PM

does this plug into the wall? if so what kind of part did you get to do so? Is there a switch?

needs_more_to_do in reply to hamesworthNov 5, 2010. 11:48 PM

Im not sure what your question is since wall plugs don't plug into anything but walls in the first place but... yes?

btop in reply to needs_more_to_doNov 10, 2010. 6:29 AM

haha

rosenred says: Aug 18, 2009. 6:41 AM

Not absolutely sure but I think they are called "Wire Strip Terminals" You just twist the lamp's wires together, put them in one of the holes and turn the screw (not visible in photo, it's on the other side). Nothing fancy really. You can hide the connection using heat shrink tube or electrical tape. :)

whyexactly in reply to rosenredAug 8, 2010. 8:55 AM

I think you're right there rosenred, if you look closely you can see the screws in this picture. Which of course would concern me a slight bit here, as now those screw terminals are "hot." I'd use those twist on caps myself.

jumpfroggy in reply to whyexactlyAug 8, 2010. 11:48 AM

Like this: "Twist on connectors" http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/en-us/d487.html Cheap, easily found at walmart/tool stores, etc. Agreed, I'd use twist on connectors along with electrical tape, and tuck it underneath the stand right in the middle. Rather that then try to find a rigid box to put the screw-terminals inside of. You could cover screw terminals with electrical tape, but that would be only marginally more safe than leaving them exposed... the tape could easily be damaged. I can't wait to have a reason to build something like this! Maybe for photobooth lighting? Hmm....

1nstru says: Nov 17, 2009. 3:30 PM

Some words of caution for those not wanting to burn their house down:

NEVER solder the wire ends when you use screw terminals to connect them.
The solder will slowly change form under the pressure of the screws until insufficient contact will lead to local heat-up due to high contact resistance.
That's a serious fire hazard!

Use crimp-on endcaps if you're dealing with multi-fibre wire. They are cheap, easy to use, and significantly reduce the risk of fibers shifting or breaking leading to high contact resistance (again: high contact resistance -> heat -> housefire -> not very good)

About the project in general: i love it! Totally my style. Too bad i don't have the space for something like this, but maybe i can adapt the idea to build a wall or ceilling lamp in this style.

jefletch in reply to 1nstruFeb 21, 2010. 2:02 PM

i was thinking that same thing, but at our local walmart, they offer these lamps in sizes from 6-8 inches all they way up to the 5ft bulbs. So what i was thinking is to get some small 8-12inch lamps, do this and create a cool desk lamp. just an idea

daddywoofdawg says: Feb 3, 2009. 2:28 AM

Details what I'm I looking at other than wire?

Dr.H2O in reply to daddywoofdawgMar 10, 2009. 3:06 PM

I think I saw that thing at the middle in my electric box .It's a sort of a converter or a connection to easily convert electricity from 1 wire to the 3 wires of the lamp. sry but i donna know it's term in english :| my native lang. isn't english !!