I want to run six sockets in parallel. I have been reading on how to do it, but this resultant wiring does not work... Please tell me where I went wrong and how to wire this! I realize the way I wired positive to negative for every socket is probably really stupid, but I don't have very much wiring experience >.<
Am I right that negatives need to connect like so? If this is the case, how do I connect them? The ones built into the socket are riveted in and don't have any obvious way to add a connection.
ya...you did it wrong parallel is NOT in series, and you wired that shit in series... ----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- those lines are in parallel -----------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------- those lines are in series... AC doesn't have a + and -...it has a 'hot' wire (carries a voltage/potential) the other is a ground wire (neutral) this is as simple as it gets... see how each light will feed off just the two main wires? Ln is each additional light scocket attached to the parallel power lines at top and bottom...simple huh?
Would it be best to wire them as if they are in a single row like this? http://www.berkeleypoint.com/images/parallel.jpg And am I correct that I will somehow need to attach the negatives of every socket as shown in my second picture?
Thank you, this is what I was looking for. Do you have any suggestions on how to attach the negative wire from one socket to the negative terminal on the next socket? Look at my second picture if you don't understand what I'm saying. EDIT: not that cball's reply didn't help at all, you just put it in layman's terms
I wired it like so But on each bulb, only the first two coils out of five are at full brightness......? Does it have something to do with the fact that I spliced mid-wire?
there is an odd event in electricity, 'ground loops'...that seems to be what you are seeing there unless it is just those bulbs... current will take paths of least resistance so one path has less then another, and has more current, creating a potential in itself in relation to the higher resistance run of wire...and current through that run is not getting the full 120 volts ac that the others are, it is reduced as via the artificial potential difference in the wiring paths. (think I got that right...). be sure the main cable can handle the load, if it is getting hot, it is a fire hazard, and needs replaced with thicker cable or multiple cables.
Thank for another educated reply! I am going to try running one cable for each set of three bulbs, I'll let you know if it works.
Well the two separate cords makes both sides brighter, but both sides still have one bulb brighter than the other two. I think I need to splice the wires right at the sockets instead of midway up the wire
how big are the wires? there shouldnt be any problem but if you are running too small wires their inehrit resistance will be higher. also if you are using too small ones you are running a huge risk of overheating them and torching the place. now enough naysaying. Get a thick wire. for each lightbulb socket on side A run one end into the socket and then their ends need to meet these ends will go into your wall socket. no midway splicing or anything else you will be leeching off the bulb thats spliced. then do the same for the negative. then repeat for the other side .......................................x----------------O--------x Like this Wallp-------------x-----------------O-------x----------Negwall .......................................x----------------O--------x X means connected. dots are just to make it look right so you should end up with three wires between two wires and lightbulb between the pairs of three. If you have two bulbs of a diffrent size you need to keep them separade and on their own wire so if you have 4 and 2 that means you will have 4 wires for one connection and a new plug for two electricity has a tendancy to go the easyest route when connected in pararell