Edison light bulbs to 13a mains plug?

[Bradley Stearn]

Hey guys! I've been asked to DOP a music video with a very low budget, with the simple premise of it being an underground rave with hanging edison lightbulbs on dimmers/flickering. We are hoping to have the bulbs in cages like the one pictured, and then ideally I would have the cables going to some cheap 300w 13a dimmers that I purchased on Amazon. The plan is that a few bulbs can be dimmed at once using one dimmer.

 

Dimmers: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercury-350-109-DMR-1-Dimmer-Switch/dp/B000LAU04K

 

 

I was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere to buy lamp holders for the edison bayonet fit bulbs, that go straight to a 13a 3 pin UK mains plug? Or is this something that would require some DIY re-wiring?

[Phil Rhodes]

Personally I'd probablyb just order the parts from eBay and build them. After a while I found I ended up with a trunk full of bits of mains cable, connectors, lampholders and, inevitably, broken lightbulbs. Don't do it if you're not confident in your ability to do it safely, though. Where are you? I may be able to help.

 

P

[Mark Dunn]

Assuming the lamps are low-wattage domestic types, you need to attach one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/381113461192?adgroupid=&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80

to one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-3-Pin-13A-Mains-Plug-Power-BSI-Approved-BS1363-Black-00643-/201403881369?hash=item2ee49b5799

with the required length of this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flat-Twin-Core-Cable-2x-14-0-30-2x1mm-Red-Black-30m-Roll-8-75A-Amps-1mm-/121218051871?hash=item1c3928af1f

unless the fittings are metal in which case you should really use this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13A-13-AMP-3-CORE-MAINS-CABLE-WIRE-FLEX-WHITE-PRICED-PER-METER-CUT-TO-ORDER-/200974256114?hash=item2ecaffc7f2

 

You can use 5A flex with low-wattage bulbs but it's no cheaper. It might be a bit lighter though.

You can't really buy a pre-wired socket going to a plug, that arrangement would probably not be allowed pre-packaged because people with the brains of a potted plant would probably be able to figure out a way to start a fire with it. But as Phil says it's a snip to make up if you have a DIY bent and a properly-developed fear of electricity.

As he also says, if you 're not confident, don't, because electricity can smell incompetence a mile off and will punish you quite severely for it.

Re-wiring a plug is a bit of a lost art these days because everything you buy has one on already, but if you 're happy doing that all should be well.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Mark Dunn

[Bradley Stearn]

Assuming the lamps are low-wattage domestic types, you need to attach one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/381113461192?adgroupid=&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80

to one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-3-Pin-13A-Mains-Plug-Power-BSI-Approved-BS1363-Black-00643-/201403881369?hash=item2ee49b5799

with the required length of this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flat-Twin-Core-Cable-2x-14-0-30-2x1mm-Red-Black-30m-Roll-8-75A-Amps-1mm-/121218051871?hash=item1c3928af1f

unless the fittings are metal in which case you should really use this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13A-13-AMP-3-CORE-MAINS-CABLE-WIRE-FLEX-WHITE-PRICED-PER-METER-CUT-TO-ORDER-/200974256114?hash=item2ecaffc7f2

 

You can use 5A flex with low-wattage bulbs but it's no cheaper. It might be a bit lighter though.

You can't really buy a pre-wired socket going to a plug, that arrangement would probably not be allowed pre-packaged because people with the brains of a potted plant would probably be able to figure out a way to start a fire with it. But as Phil says it's a snip to make up if you have a DIY bent and a properly-developed fear of electricity.

As he also says, if you 're not confident, don't, because electricity can smell incompetence a mile off and will punish you quite severely for it.

Re-wiring a plug is a bit of a lost art these days because everything you buy has one on already, but if you 're happy doing that all should be well.

 

Great reply thanks Mark! Turns out the directors dad is an electrician, so we have him wiring up our lights for the shoot now. They were going to buy off the shelf builders lights, but they looked cheap and a lot more expensive it buy each unit.

[JD Hartman]

Hey guys! I've been asked to DOP a music video with a very low budget, with the simple premise of it being an underground rave with hanging edison lightbulbs on dimmers/flickering. We are hoping to have the bulbs in cages like the one pictured, and then ideally I would have the cables going to some cheap 300w 13a dimmers that I purchased on Amazon. The plan is that a few bulbs can be dimmed at once using one dimmer.

I was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere to buy lamp holders for the edison bayonet fit bulbs, that go straight to a 13a 3 pin UK mains plug? Or is this something that would require some DIY re-wiring?

 

You're the DoP or DP, curious...wouldn't your requirement be given to the Gaffer/set electrician or spark to solve? "I want this look (practicals in frame), here an example...", come back to me with a solution and costs. Do electrics in the UK not wire practicals up to the mains, build fixtures, etc.? Is it really rocket science? Does it really require the services of a bonafide licensed Electrician?

[Mark Dunn]

No it doesn't, but if they don't have the budget for a gaffer or sparks, why not take advantage of free expertise?

I could ask my assistant to light a still-life for me, but I don't have one, so I do it.

[Bradley Stearn]

I'm a student, so whoever I have gaffering for me probably isn't going to have the electrical knowledge. If the directors dad is an electrician, and is willing to help us out for free, I don't see anything wrong with that?

This is why I come to the forums, to ask for advice.

[JD Hartman]

No it doesn't, but if they don't have the budget for a gaffer or sparks, why not take advantage of free expertise?

I could ask my assistant to light a still-life for me, but I don't have one, so I do it.

 

No arguments there and none posted. Certainly use resources that are available. But the first post in this thread was a how to do it, before any statement of crew or budgets. A step in the right direction.

 

It's still not rocket science, wiring the equivalent of a table lamp doesn't require an EE degree. If the crewperson can't, they're a danger to everyone and shouldn't be in the electrics department, even as a student.

[JD Hartman]

Sorry I come off so hard/harsh, been doing electrical work since I was about 12 or 14. Instead of the Director's Dad doing all the work, more would be gained by having him demonstrating the work to be done, then watching and instructing you and your electrics as you assemble the fixtures correctly.

[Mark Dunn]

Same here. New appliances came without plugs here until the late 70s so I used to fix all my gran's.

I think it's an easy thing to learn, too, but you may only get one chance to get it wrong.