bobw

If I wanted to cut off the end of a 3 prong extension cord and solder it direct to a light bulb, which color wire would I solder to the bottom of the bulb and which to the screw-threaded portion of the base ?

inBOIL

Depends on what color wires you have. The one that connects to the middle prong (ground) doesn't connect. The other two wires can connect either way.

Edit: go here http://www.peavey.com/support/techno...hockhazard.cfm

And remember, the wires can be connected wrong, so be careful.

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Martian

Also, this is a bad idea. If you want a light bulb on a cord, connect a socket on the end. Don't solder it right to the bulb.

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twistedmosaic

Yes, ignore the green, and connect the black and white to whichever. This is a terrible idea, however. Just buy an old lamp at a garage sale for 50 cents, or a drop light at walmart for $2 and use the socket from it. Then you can replace the bulb and not start fires or electrecute things.

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inBOIL

Where's the fun in that?

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shakran

I agree with the others. It is insane to have open electrical connections, especially ones that are not secured in some way. You will either shock the shit out of yourself, or set the rug on fire. Or both.

twistedmosaic

unless you are TRYING yo make one of these:

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The_Jazz

Red one to your left testicle, yellow one to the tip of your penis, ground wire inserted delicately into your rectum, hold the lightbulb in your left hand. Make sure to wear safety goggles.

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Tully Mars

Honestly it likely won't matter. As long as the element has power running through it it will light up. Try it on a bench vise. You can switch them around touching the white wire to the side and black to the bottom and it will light up without any noticeable difference. But if I remember correctly the bottom should be hot, ie black.

All that said I agree with everyone else, go buy a socket. Open elec. connections are a bad idea.

Edit:

Here's a diagram:



8- Neg.
11- Pos.

But like I said in a basic incandescent bulb it doesn't matter which way the power flows within the bulb itself. As long as 110 goes through that element (#3) it will light.

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thingstodo

The big question is why on earth would you want to do something like that? Even more, you want to do that and don't even understand which wires do what.

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smoore

wtf? seriously?

You know you can go down to the Ace Hardware or Home Depot and buy exactly the interface you want, right?

I have one in my toolbox for illuminating dark hallways and closets.

It's just a bulb socket with a plug. It's cheap as hell.

... I... uh... damn.

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smoore

Tully Mars

Well, I came home tonight very tired only to find my electric meter gone and the power out in my house. My friend warned me as the town filled up with summer tourists people would move into town and take anything not bolted down, though he told me to lock up my water meter since it's brass. Took me a while to trouble shoot, in the dark, exactly what or why I didn't have power. All the other houses on my street had power. So much for my advice regarding no open electrical connections. I'm not going to detail exactly how I resolved this issue. But standing on a plastic five gallon bucket (doesn't create a ground) I manged to hook myself back up with some #10 wire I had left over from installing my A/C. I'm not sleeping in the July heat down here without A/C.

What a pain. Hooking up 220 in the dark, standing on bucket with make shift leads isn't my idea of fun. I need a beer... and ice. All my ice melted all over my kitchen floor.

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thingstodo

I have a feeling I know what you did. Must have been fun, especially standing on a bucket!

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Tully Mars

Yeah, not exactly a mystery of the universe or anything. Hardest part was keeping my flashlight on the project. I couldn't find my mini mag. Ended up using the pen light from my trauma bag, its switch doubles as a pocket clip. I had it in my mouth trying to keep it lit up while standing on a bucket. Just as I finished it start raining again, glad that waited.

Good news is I now have a a pair of needle nose pilers and a Phillip and flat head screwdriver (I didn't look at the lugs and assumed flat) covered in enough duct tape to work on anything live.

I went out this morning and covered the front with a small piece of thin plywood. Wouldn't want some kid to climb up there and investigate what's in that hole.

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thingstodo

Now that just made me really LMAO!!

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MSD

That's only so you don't accidentally zap yourself by touching the threaded part and the grounded lamp body at the same time, whereas the individual in question here seems to be quite intent on electrocuting himself.

Tully Mars

Well, then maybe he could wet his finger, put one foot in the toilet...

In all Seriousness- messing around with live connections is a bad idea.

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athenand

Regardless of how dangerous and unnecessary the lightbulb soldering idea is, if you have a two wire cord, the smooth insulated side of the cord would connect to the bottom tip of the lamp, and the ridged insulation side of the cord would solder to the screwshell part. If you have a three wire cord, connect the black wire to the bottom contact of the bulb, and the white wire to the screw shell part - and the ground wire (bare copper or green insulated) doesn't connect to anything at the lamp. The color coding, or the identification scheme on the insulation, only matters when you connect to a lamp socket. The idea was to keep the white wire connected to the screwshell - which has almost no voltage on it during normal installations - and the "hot" wire connects to the center tab down deep in the socket, where people wouldn't normally be likely to be sticking their fingers into it.

bobw

Thanks for all the encouragement ! I have yet to electrocute myself... but I'll keep trying.

Tully Mars

I've heard of people getting killed messing with 110 so don't try too hard. I've been zapped with 110 too many times to count. I've even got the hell zapped out of me working on a 220 dryer outlet one day. I had turned the breaker off, the ex- Mrs. Tully noticed the breaker box door open and the breaker off- so she turned it back on. I touched a screw driver to the live wire and the power traveled up my arm down my side and leg then exited through my knee which was next to the hot water pipe. Blew a hole in my knee about the size of a silver dollar. I'm still breathing. Had I been standing in water barefoot not sure I'd be typing this, so I don't work on anything without "tagging it out" even at home, even alone.

Bottom line- be careful. Live/hot wires are not toys.

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cj2112

Just an FYI....Most duct tape does conduct electricity....not very well, but it is conductive, so please don't rely on it to insulate your tools or you may end up looking like this --->

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dlish

this thread is almost as good as the "refilling the BIC lighter" thread

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Jinn

I'd have a few choice words...

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Tully Mars

The key point in that entire post was "Ex" Mrs. Tully.

I once spent four hours in the driving rain sitting on the second story of my house because she and her girlfriend went shopping. The ladder leaning against the front of the house seemed out of place, so they laid it down in the front yard. Imagine my surprise when I finished cleaning the gutters on the back side of the house.
-----Added 14/8/2008 at 01 : 48 : 05-----

Good duct tape does, the cheap stuff usually doesn't, IMHO. But you're right given a choice I would have used a ton on electrical tape instead. I'm limited as to what available at the local Mexican Wal-Mart.

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dlish

tully.. she almost killed you, she left you out on a roof in the rain..and she couldnt cook for shit... no wonder shes ex-mrs tully

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Tully Mars