# Wiring a bulb into a vivarium.



## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Hi hi folks!

Because my room isn't as bright as I thought it would be, I want to wire a small energy bulb into my vivarium in order to create a more defined day/night cycle.

But I have NO CLUE about electrics. My excuse is that I'm a girl :Na_Na_Na_Na:

All I want is to secure a fitting that will hold a bulb into the top of the vivarium and then wire that to a socket. So basically it's a bulb on a plug. Which will then be set up on a mechanical 10:14 hour ratio.

I have NO IDEA how to go about this. I can paint and I can bake, but I really know nothing about wiring things together. Is it possible to do this? If so, how? And what would I need? Ideally, I'd like to buy something premade that would only require me to attach it to the lid and plug it in, but I don't know if such a thing exists!

Help!

:help:


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

if you go the a rep shop they make these pre made for about £10-£15,

or you can go to a hardware store
bulb holder £1
wire 50p per ft
plug 50p
then the bub 50p
and make it yourself,
attaching the wires to both the plug end and the bulb holder is very easy and just requires undoing and then retightening 2 screws

hope that helps

i am just about to fit my lights in the new viv so i will get some pics for you


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## tomsteele (Aug 29, 2011)

i get mine off ebay, delivered right ot your door  eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Question is, can an idiot wire it?  Knowing my luck, I'd kill myself before it was even plugged in!


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

I get those too, you do have to ignore one part of the plug and only wire two in, you just have to get the colours right, (which is usually written on the plug :whistling2

The only part I found fiddly was getting the wire to go into the grooves which are at a funny angle, but it doesn't matter if they don't so that's fine too.

Oh and you need to expose the internal wiring from the casing yourself... 

Does it fill you with confidence that I'm a girl too, and I got it right? :lol2:


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

em_40 said:


> I get those too, you do have to ignore one part of the plug and only wire two in, you just have to get the colours right, (which is usually written on the plug :whistling2
> 
> The only part I found fiddly was getting the wire to go into the grooves which are at a funny angle, but it doesn't matter if they don't so that's fine too.
> 
> ...


You're officially my role model for the day 

I'm naff with DIY xD I usually just stand around and pass over the screws! I'm fairly okay with wiring a plug. It's the thought of actually wiring into the light holder which worries me a tad more


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

I don't think it even matters which way the wires go round on the light bit, you just poke them through a hole a secure with the screw.


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## falkirk09 (Jul 31, 2009)

tomsteele said:


> i get mine off ebay, delivered right ot your door  eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace


 i used these for my ceramics, well pleased with them, i drill a small hole in the viv top n thread the cable through it before fixing the plug.


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

falkirk09 said:


> i used these for my ceramics, well pleased with them, i drill a small hole in the viv top n thread the cable through it before fixing the plug.


That's well worth noting, I always wire mine and then have to take them apart again :blush: Mine go through the back though so they can stack


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## tomsteele (Aug 29, 2011)

Recluso said:


> Question is, can an idiot wire it?  Knowing my luck, I'd kill myself before it was even plugged in!


As said above, the wiring for the plug is clearly digramed, so yeah and idiot could :lol2: the light screw bit doesn't matter just put a wire in each of the holes, takes about a minute:2thumb: easy peasy:no1:


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

here you go.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/783521-how-wire-bulb-viv-tutorial.html

nice and simple


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

ch4dg said:


> here you go.
> 
> http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/783521-how-wire-bulb-viv-tutorial.html
> 
> nice and simple


I think I love you


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

Recluso said:


> I think I love you


see its not that bad:2thumb:


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