Testing dollhouse circuits and bulbs

[Jennifer Murphy]

My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)

I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
and the sockets very small (3/8"). I seemed to get a better reading on
DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.

Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?

Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.

I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
resistance.

I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
several sockets. It was very dim.

When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
can get better readings.

Any comments or suggestions?

[bob haller]

if its so old convert everything using commonly available bulbs and a
transformer with enough current to handle everything.

you could also jazz it up a bit with small speakers playing music or
people talking. visit a local hobby shop to get ideas.

old stuff often wqasnt built for safety thats why i suggest a general
upgrade

[DerbyDad03]

> upgrade- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

As part of the upgrade you should make it Energy Star compliant by
using CCCCFL bulbs. ;-)

[Robert Green]

"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message
news:rpr1f71f0fspradfq...@4ax.com...

> My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
> dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)

Welcome to the wonderful world of electrical troubleshooting. I have about
20 meters (maybe 30) because they are indispensable for electronics work.
Some hook to PC's for recording work, some are small and lighted that I keep
in my car. I keep one in my camera bag, one connected to the battery
powered sump pump and even have a AA-A battery charger that reads the
voltage of each cell as it charges. My wife says it's a sickness but I
believe you can never have enough multimeters, flashlights or rechargeable
batteries. (-:

> I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
> house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
> and the sockets very small (3/8").

For testing like that I might make up a test prod from a dowel about the
size of the bulb with a screw in the center to simulate a bulb, but that's
probably a bit much for you just starting out. It takes a delicate hand to
read a micro-socket when it's on a test bench. Mounted in a doll house
might be much harder and close to impossible without the right probes. One
the backside of the socket there are often screw terminals. That would be a
good place to check the socket voltage.

> I seemed to get a better reading on
> DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
> like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
> most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.

> Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?

That's a good question. Measuring an AC voltage using a high quality,
accurate voltmeter, that set to measure DC volts, should, by definition
result in a reading of zero volts. The reason you read a small residual DC
voltage when measuring an AC voltage might be because of small inaccuracies
in your meter. Any true AC voltage has absolutely no DC component. I would
test it using a diode - even an LED would work - that will pass current in
only one direction. But that's little advanced. I suppose you could test
the circuit by reversing the probes. If it's DC, the + and - signs should
reverse themselves when you switch the probes. With AC, it shouldn't have
any effect.

> Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
> removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.

Excellent work! With an old dollhouse and the possibility that the bulbs
are getting more voltage than designed for, it's very likely the only
problem is burned out lightbulbs.

> I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
> continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
> resistance.

That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and the
bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying glass.
If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be very
obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.

> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
> several sockets. It was very dim.

You may also be experiencing problems with dirty switch contacts and dirty
or corroded bulb sockets. The center button connector of the socket should
be nice and shiny in each socket. I bet they're not.

> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
> can get better readings.

I don't think you have to do a complete rewire - if it were 110VAC passing
through those wires you would have seen the bulb go supernova and possibly
pop. There's got to be a transformer somewhere. By getting the bulb to
light in several sockets you've conclusively proved they can not be wired in
series (in a chain like old Christmas lights where if one bulb went dead,
they all died). That's important to know.

Trace where the AC wires comes into the dollhouse and find the transformer
(apologies if you've already done this - I just started reading this
thread.). If it's well wired to the cord and the cord's in good shape, I
wouldn't rewire the unit. Switches can often be "decrudded" by operating
them a few dozen times to scrape off the oxidation.

I think the next step is to clean the sockets, cycle the switches, install
the replacement bulbs and take it from there.

--
Bobby G.

[mike]

First problem is that you ignored advice and bought an autoranging meter.
TURN OFF THE AUTORANGING.
Dig around in the manual and look for range hold or range lock or
something similar. Set it to the 20V range (maybe 40V depending on the
meter) and leave it there while measuring voltage. You'll have to lock
it again if you change modes.

You've given few details, but some assumptions can be made.
There are always exceptions, but usually...

Where does the power come from?
If it's a battery, it's DC.
If it's a transformer, it's AC.

How are they connected?
If you can get one light to work in a socket, it's parallel.

2.5 vac 0.3a #14 flashlight bulbs x 12 = 3.6 amps.

11 ohms cold seems about 5x too high for that bulb. You sure you've
got #14 bulbs?

Short the meter leads and measure resistance of the leads. It's never
zero and sometimes a lot more if the probes are defective or just cheap
or connections are corroded. Subtract that number from your bulb
measurement.

#14 MINIATURE BULB E10 BASE - 2.47 Volt 0.30 Amp Miniature Screw (E10)
Base 0.50 MSCP, C-2R Filament Design, 15 Average Rated Hours, 0.94"
Maximum Overall Length #14 Miniature Bulb

NOTE that it's rated for 15 hours average life. Might wanna change
to a different bulb. Then you'll need a different transformer, but
12V bulbs on a 12V surplus laptop power supply works well. Cheap
non-regulated wall warts have small transformers and have serious
regulation problems as noted below.

If it's a battery, it won't last long. If it's AC, the transformer
should be as big as your fist. If it's much smaller, it's gonna have
a lot of secondary impedance. What that means is that it's sized
for max load. Designed properly, the lamps will work fine. Problem
is that one burns out reducing the load and the voltage goes up increasing
the stress on the others. Like dominoes, they start failing at
an increasing rate. That's why you've got one left that works.
There's another more subtle problem. About 70 years ago, the line
voltage increased from 110 to 120V. The life of a bulb goes down
MUCH faster than the voltage goes up. That can be a problem
for a bulb with a design life (at proper voltage) of 15 hours.

Your problem is likely bad connections in the circuit.
This can be corroded connections at the socket or corrosion
inside the socket where the lamp contacts it or corrosion on the
bulb itself. Sometimes, people just twist wires together to
make connections. After 70 years, corrosion causes the connection
to fail. You might measure unloaded voltage at the end of the lamp
string, but a bulb won't light in that socket.

You should have two wires leaving whatever powers it running together
in parallel throughout the house with each bulb tapped into the pair.
If you can tell where the wire runs, you should be able to tell, from
which sockets work and which don't, where the break is.

You can measure the resistance of the wiring, but it's
sensitive to contact corrosion at the probe point and it's easy to infer
a break where none exists.
Remember to short the probes in ohms mode and lock the range
so you won't see all the autoranging artifacts.

If you put the lamp in the far end of the wire, you can
measure the voltage at each socket. But if access is limited
you risk shorting the connection and smoking something.

From the symptoms, I'd guess that you have corroded connections AND the
wrong bulb type.

What's the voltage at the supply end of the circuit with the one-good
bulb burning?

Are we having fun yet?

[dpb]

On 12/20/2011 2:42 PM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
...

> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
> can get better readings.
>
> Any comments or suggestions?

As I said before, follow the cord in and find the transformer and work
from there.

One comment on your testing...you mentioned continuity check; that's
good. But then you went on an measured resistance even after you got an
open reading. If you have no continuity, there's no point in measuring
ohms; you already did; it'll show up as infinite. That means the
wire/filament's broke/bad connection. Just pitch those bulbs; they're
burned out and of no value whatsoever.

I'd really guess still there's a good chance the GE 50 toy train light
was the one initially used...

--

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is
only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness) and the
lifespan will be in the hundreds of hours.. This was commonly done in
doll houses and scenery for train sets etc.

Generally speeking the operating resistance of a tungsten bulb is
ABOUT10-12 times it's cold resistance - and measuring the cold
resistance of a #14 bulb, other than to determine if it is open or
not, is rather futile.

It is a nominal .75 watt bulb, with a HOT resistance of roughly 8
ohms, so the cold resistance is closer to 1 ohm than 11 - which is
why measuring the resistance is futile.

[The Daring Dufas]

Where can you get teeny tiny CFL bulbs? o_O

TDD

[micky]

From Keebler Light Products. They are made by elves.
>
>TDD

[micky]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:42:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
<JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:

>My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
>dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)
>
>I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
>house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
>and the sockets very small (3/8").

I very often use a jumper wrie with alligator clips on each end,
especailly for connecting the black test lead of the meter to a
grouond, or anywhere I want it connected. That leaves both hands free
to use the other test lead. I buy ten 12" wires for 3 or 4 dollars at
Radio Shack, and I clip one end to the metal proble of the test lead.

For small things, I put a hat pin, or corsage pin, or straight pin, or
headless nail thinner than the original probe in the alligator clip at
the other end. So I can test i cramped areas.

>I seemed to get a better reading on
>DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
>like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
>most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.
>
>Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?

For a doll house, if it's plugged into the wall, it's AC.
If it runs on batteryies it's DC.

IIRC, you can measuere DC current with an AC meter. The reading will
be wrong, but consistent and proportional to the actual value. The RMS
iirc. This is with an analog meter. Not sure how digital meters
behave.

On the other hand try to meaure AC with a DC meter and the average
value will be zero. Because the *average* voltage of AC *is* zero.
On an analog meter that's what it will show. Not sure if it would
jump around with a digital meter, or not.

>Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
>removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.
>
>I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
>continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
>resistance.
>
>I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
>fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
>several sockets. It was very dim.

Dolls have excellent vision, and don't need much light to read.
Don't forget, that if they are only 3 inches tall and you are more
than 60 inches tall. the light seems 20 times brighter for them.

[micky]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:12:16 -0600, dpb <no...@non.net> wrote:

>On 12/20/2011 2:42 PM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
>...
>
>> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
>> can get better readings.
>>
>> Any comments or suggestions?
>
>As I said before, follow the cord in and find the transformer and work
>from there.
>
>One comment on your testing...you mentioned continuity check; that's
>good. But then you went on an measured resistance even after you got an
>open reading. If you have no continuity, there's no point in measuring
>ohms; you already did; it'll show up as infinite. That means the
>wire/filament's broke/bad connection. Just pitch those bulbs; they're
>burned out and of no value whatsoever.

They might help to identify the replacement she needs. They may be
better marked** than the one good bulb. Plus she won't have to carry
the one good bulb with her when she goes out to get replacement bulbs.

I don't throw away bad parts until I have everything working.

**Which is not to say the OP needs exactly what was in there before.
Only that the base fit the socket and the voltage be right.
Different makers of bulbs may well use different part numbers, for
example.

(My father made a picture album in 1936, and in 1990 I went to a lot
of the same places and took a lot of the same pictures. I wanted to
add facing pages to his album, to show the changes in 53 years, and I
wanted to use the adhesive corners to hold the pictures, like he used.

(Most camera stores had clear vinyl, which of course have the
advantage of letting one see the corners, but I found one store that
sold the black paper corners my father used, identical, complete with
the same error in part of the embossed line.)

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:20:01 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message
>news:rpr1f71f0fspradfq...@4ax.com...
>
>> My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
>> dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)
>
>Welcome to the wonderful world of electrical troubleshooting. I have about
>20 meters (maybe 30) because they are indispensable for electronics work.
>Some hook to PC's for recording work, some are small and lighted that I keep
>in my car. I keep one in my camera bag, one connected to the battery
>powered sump pump and even have a AA-A battery charger that reads the
>voltage of each cell as it charges. My wife says it's a sickness but I
>believe you can never have enough multimeters, flashlights or rechargeable
>batteries. (-:
>
>> I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
>> house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
>> and the sockets very small (3/8").
>
>For testing like that I might make up a test prod from a dowel about the
>size of the bulb with a screw in the center to simulate a bulb, but that's
>probably a bit much for you just starting out.

I don't have the tools for that ;-(

>It takes a delicate hand to
>read a micro-socket when it's on a test bench. Mounted in a doll house
>might be much harder and close to impossible without the right probes. One
>the backside of the socket there are often screw terminals. That would be a
>good place to check the socket voltage.

I can't get to the back side. The sockets are mounted in the ceiling. On
the first floor, it's about 1/2" thick and completely finished. On the
second floor, there is an attic, but it's sealed. I don't want to start
taking it apart.

>> I seemed to get a better reading on
>> DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
>> like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
>> most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.
>
>> Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?
>
>That's a good question. Measuring an AC voltage using a high quality,
>accurate voltmeter, that set to measure DC volts, should, by definition
>result in a reading of zero volts. The reason you read a small residual DC
>voltage when measuring an AC voltage might be because of small inaccuracies
>in your meter. Any true AC voltage has absolutely no DC component. I would
>test it using a diode - even an LED would work - that will pass current in
>only one direction. But that's little advanced. I suppose you could test
>the circuit by reversing the probes. If it's DC, the + and - signs should
>reverse themselves when you switch the probes. With AC, it shouldn't have
>any effect.

I thought I got a +/- change one time, but it's so difficult to get at
the sockets, that I can;t be sure I'm getting good contact and not
shorting the probes.

>> Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
>> removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.
>
>Excellent work! With an old dollhouse and the possibility that the bulbs
>are getting more voltage than designed for, it's very likely the only
>problem is burned out lightbulbs.

I ordered a bunch of 2.5v #14 bulbs. They should be here tomorrow.

>> I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
>> continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
>> resistance.
>
>That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and the
>bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying glass.
>If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be very
>obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.

The filaments all look OK. A couple are somewhat blackened.

>> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
>> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
>> several sockets. It was very dim.
>
>You may also be experiencing problems with dirty switch contacts and dirty
>or corroded bulb sockets. The center button connector of the socket should
>be nice and shiny in each socket. I bet they're not.

The switches are definitely at least a little suspect. They are the
push-button type. They are a little loose in the housing and if I jiggle
them, the lights flicker. I can't see into the sockets, but the house
has been stored in garages on the east coast (humid) for many years. I
might go get a mirror on a stick and see if I can see into the sockets.
But if they are corroded, there ma not be much I ca do without taking
the while thing apart, which is too much for this Christmas.

>> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
>> can get better readings.
>
>I don't think you have to do a complete rewire - if it were 110VAC passing
>through those wires you would have seen the bulb go supernova and possibly
>pop. There's got to be a transformer somewhere.

Yes, I'm quite certain that it's not 110 and probably not AC.

>By getting the bulb to
>light in several sockets you've conclusively proved they can not be wired in
>series (in a chain like old Christmas lights where if one bulb went dead,
>they all died). That's important to know.

Yep, I was glad to discover that.

>Trace where the AC wires comes into the dollhouse and find the transformer
>(apologies if you've already done this - I just started reading this
>thread.). If it's well wired to the cord and the cord's in good shape, I
>wouldn't rewire the unit. Switches can often be "decrudded" by operating
>them a few dozen times to scrape off the oxidation.

The AC cord is one of those really old fabric-covered types. The place
where it goes into the base of the house is just a hole in the wood with
no fitting or stress relief. There is no obvious wear that I can see,
but it all seems a little unsafe to me.

>I think the next step is to clean the sockets, cycle the switches, install
>the replacement bulbs and take it from there.

I managed to get under the house. The whole bottom is covered and glued
shut. I'm starting to think that this wasn't that well made. I'm tempted
to cut the cord and go without lights for now. If the little girl really
gets into it (right now she's more into Buzz Lightyear), I'll consider
taking it apart and installing LEDs and a battery pack.

Anyway, thanks for the thoughtful and patient help.

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:33:27 -0600, j...@myplace.com wrote:

>On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:42:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
><JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:
>

>You have one good bulb and 11 dead ones. There has to be a
>transformer somewhere in there. They are not running 120volts to
>those bulbs. If you can find replacement bulbs, you are in good
>shape, the transformer may be weak, causing dim lights.
>
>I know you want to make the house authentic, but I still say that for
>cost and safety reasons, get a string of LED christmas lights (which
>do come in sets of 12), and fit them in so you dont see the actual
>bulb. Make a little shade around them out of a paper or plastic (LEDs
>do not get hot). This will save lots of cash, time, and be much
>safer.

Now dangerous are 6 or 12 volts light bulbs, or the wires supplying
them? You can't even feel the current with your hands, only if you
put the leads on your tongue. (OTOH, 110 volts on your tongue are
very very bad.)

How much cash can she possibly save?

OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
bulbs.
Also look here:
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/Lamps-Holders/_/N-5g6p/ and the
links there.
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/Lamps-Holders/Lamps/_/N-5g6r/
has a way to search by base, size, etc.

I don't think any of these are small enough
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=miniature%20lamp&origkw=miniature+lamp&sr=1
>
>You could even use the existing wires, use a 6volt DC wall wart
>transformer and solder in LEDs (with resistor) to each socket, and
>never have to replace bulbs or worry about safety.
>

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:02:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
<JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:

>
>>That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and the
>>bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying glass.
>>If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be very
>>obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.
>
>The filaments all look OK. A couple are somewhat blackened.

I like to flick the bulb with my finger. Often a filament is broken
but the gap is so small, I can't tell until I do that, but after that,
the filament vibrates for a couple seconds. If it vibrates, it's
broken.

>
>>> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
>>> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
>>> several sockets. It was very dim.
>>
>>You may also be experiencing problems with dirty switch contacts and dirty
>>or corroded bulb sockets. The center button connector of the socket should
>>be nice and shiny in each socket. I bet they're not.
>
>The switches are definitely at least a little suspect. They are the
>push-button type. They are a little loose in the housing and if I jiggle
>them, the lights flicker. I can't see into the sockets, but the house

That makes it much harder, but if you measure the voltage anywhere,
and bought bulbs that will work with that voltage, the burnt out bulbs
are probably the only problem with most sockets.

>has been stored in garages on the east coast (humid) for many years. I
>might go get a mirror on a stick and see if I can see into the sockets.
>But if they are corroded, there ma not be much I ca do without taking
>the while thing apart, which is too much for this Christmas.

Do you have a pencil with an eraser or the top, or a ball point pen
with an ink eraser on the top? These are probably too big, right? but
you can use a knife to make the eraser part smaller Cut from the end
down, instead of the side in.

But don't do anything until your correct bulbs don't work. I live on
the east coast too, NYC and Baltimore and haven't had trouble with
socket corrosion.

>
>>> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
>>> can get better readings.
>>
>>I don't think you have to do a complete rewire - if it were 110VAC passing
>>through those wires you would have seen the bulb go supernova and possibly
>>pop. There's got to be a transformer somewhere.
>
>Yes, I'm quite certain that it's not 110 and probably not AC.

That would mean batteries.

OTOH is the house plugged into the wall?

>>By getting the bulb to
>>light in several sockets you've conclusively proved they can not be wired in
>>series (in a chain like old Christmas lights where if one bulb went dead,
>>they all died). That's important to know.
>
>Yep, I was glad to discover that.
>
>>Trace where the AC wires comes into the dollhouse and find the transformer
>>(apologies if you've already done this - I just started reading this
>>thread.). If it's well wired to the cord and the cord's in good shape, I
>>wouldn't rewire the unit. Switches can often be "decrudded" by operating
>>them a few dozen times to scrape off the oxidation.
>
>The AC cord is one of those really old fabric-covered types.

So it IS plugged into the wall. In that case t here is probably a
transformer, not at the wall (that's a new idea) but attached to the
house or maybe in a little corner of the house, right where the wire
goes into the house. If the house is older than 1955? or so, I'd be
very surprised if there was anything to turn the AC to DC. (Even if
it's much newer) So why did you say abve that it's probalby not AC?

The place
>where it goes into the base of the house is just a hole in the wood with
>no fitting or stress relief. There is no obvious wear that I can see,
>but it all seems a little unsafe to me.
>
>>I think the next step is to clean the sockets, cycle the switches, install
>>the replacement bulbs and take it from there.
>
>I managed to get under the house. The whole bottom is covered and glued
>shut. I'm starting to think that this wasn't that well made. I'm tempted
>to cut the cord and go without lights for now.

Don't do that. Just unplug it. You'll have new ideas as the winter
goes on, and time to work on it, but if you cut the cord, you'll
probably never fix it.

I have an electric heater from 1947 with a cloth covered cord that is
in perfect condition. So is the heater itself. My mother bought it
to warm the bathroom when I was new-born. OTOH, I have seen old wire
whose insultation is crumbliing. You may want to cut off that part
that is crumbling, if any, but leave as much as possible so you don't
have to break into the house to add more cord if the cord at the hole
is good.

> If the little girl really
>gets into it (right now she's more into Buzz Lightyear), I'll consider
>taking it apart and installing LEDs and a battery pack

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:55:07 -0800, mike <spa...@gmail.com> wrote:

>Jennifer Murphy wrote:
>> My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
>> dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)
>>
>> I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
>> house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
>> and the sockets very small (3/8"). I seemed to get a better reading on
>> DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
>> like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
>> most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.
>>
>> Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?
>>
>> Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
>> removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.
>>
>> I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
>> continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
>> resistance.
>>
>> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
>> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
>> several sockets. It was very dim.
>>
>> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
>> can get better readings.
>>
>> Any comments or suggestions?
>
>First problem is that you ignored advice and bought an autoranging meter.

I don't recall anyone saying not to buy an autoranging meter. One or two
said not to buy any meter at all, but it seemed like they were just
jerking me around.

>TURN OFF THE AUTORANGING.

If the autoranging can be turned off, then why is it such a big deal not
to buy an autoranging meter?

>Dig around in the manual and look for range hold or range lock or
>something similar. Set it to the 20V range (maybe 40V depending on the
>meter) and leave it there while measuring voltage. You'll have to lock
>it again if you change modes.

I don't see any way to turn it off. It does have a battery test mode
with settings for 1.5, 6, 9, and 12 volts. Can I use that?

This is the meter:

http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_2

>You've given few details, but some assumptions can be made.
>There are always exceptions, but usually...
>
>Where does the power come from?
>If it's a battery, it's DC.
>If it's a transformer, it's AC.

In another thread, I explained that there is a 110 AC cord going into
the base of the doll house. There's a sealed compartment underneath that
I assume houses a transformer of some kind.

>How are they connected?
>If you can get one light to work in a socket, it's parallel.

Yes. I didn't know that when I posted before.

>2.5 vac 0.3a #14 flashlight bulbs x 12 = 3.6 amps.
>
>11 ohms cold seems about 5x too high for that bulb. You sure you've
>got #14 bulbs?

I have no idea what bulbs I have. The marking are illegible. I have a
bunch of #14s on order. I'll see what they do.

>Short the meter leads and measure resistance of the leads. It's never
>zero and sometimes a lot more if the probes are defective or just cheap
>or connections are corroded. Subtract that number from your bulb
>measurement.

With the meter set to ohms, the readong says "0.L" and the units says "M
ohms". If I short the leads, the display jumps around a bit and then
settles down at between 0.0 and 0.6 ohms. It's closer to zero if I short
at the tips and slightly higher if I short nearer the base.

The meter is brand new, so corrosion should not be a problem.

>#14 MINIATURE BULB E10 BASE - 2.47 Volt 0.30 Amp Miniature Screw (E10)
>Base 0.50 MSCP, C-2R Filament Design, 15 Average Rated Hours, 0.94"
>Maximum Overall Length #14 Miniature Bulb
>
>NOTE that it's rated for 15 hours average life. Might wanna change
>to a different bulb. Then you'll need a different transformer, but
>12V bulbs on a 12V surplus laptop power supply works well. Cheap
>non-regulated wall warts have small transformers and have serious
>regulation problems as noted below.

15 hours? What possible use would there be for such a bulb?

>If it's a battery, it won't last long. If it's AC, the transformer
>should be as big as your fist. If it's much smaller, it's gonna have
>a lot of secondary impedance.

I can't get at the actual transformer without taking the doll house
apart, which I don't want to do right now. However, the housing where I
think the transformer is placed is about 6" x 6" x 1".

>What that means is that it's sized
>for max load. Designed properly, the lamps will work fine. Problem
>is that one burns out reducing the load and the voltage goes up increasing
>the stress on the others.

Are you confusing load and voltage?

It's been almost 40 years since college physics, but my recollection is
that the voltage drop across each branch of a parallel circuit is the
same. So, from E=IR, the load (amperage) is the inverse of the
resistance. No?

>Like dominoes, they start failing at
>an increasing rate. That's why you've got one left that works.

If they fail at an increasing rate, the odds of having just one left
working would be small, no? Once all of the others are done, the last
one would go very quickly.

>There's another more subtle problem. About 70 years ago, the line
>voltage increased from 110 to 120V. The life of a bulb goes down
>MUCH faster than the voltage goes up. That can be a problem
>for a bulb with a design life (at proper voltage) of 15 hours.
>
>Your problem is likely bad connections in the circuit.
>This can be corroded connections at the socket or corrosion
>inside the socket where the lamp contacts it or corrosion on the
>bulb itself.

I can't get to most of that to check. The bulbs look clean.

>Sometimes, people just twist wires together to
>make connections. After 70 years, corrosion causes the connection
>to fail. You might measure unloaded voltage at the end of the lamp
>string, but a bulb won't light in that socket.
>
>You should have two wires leaving whatever powers it running together
>in parallel throughout the house with each bulb tapped into the pair.
>If you can tell where the wire runs, you should be able to tell, from
>which sockets work and which don't, where the break is.
>
>You can measure the resistance of the wiring, but it's
>sensitive to contact corrosion at the probe point and it's easy to infer
>a break where none exists.
>Remember to short the probes in ohms mode and lock the range
>so you won't see all the autoranging artifacts.
>
>If you put the lamp in the far end of the wire, you can
>measure the voltage at each socket. But if access is limited
>you risk shorting the connection and smoking something.
>
> From the symptoms, I'd guess that you have corroded connections AND the
>wrong bulb type.
>
>What's the voltage at the supply end of the circuit with the one-good
>bulb burning?
>
>Are we having fun yet?

Actually, yes. :-)

[Jennifer Murphy]

This seems to be the case.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:29:02 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

That's a good idea. A pencil should fit just fine. I'll try that when
the new bulbs arrive.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:33:27 -0600, j...@myplace.com wrote:

>You have one good bulb and 11 dead ones. There has to be a
>transformer somewhere in there. They are not running 120volts to
>those bulbs. If you can find replacement bulbs, you are in good
>shape, the transformer may be weak, causing dim lights.

Yes, I'm quite sure that it's nowhere near 110 at the sockets. My guess
is that (a) it was once 2.5 vdc and is now somewhat weaker or (b) it was
originally 1.0-1.5 vdc for a softer light.

>I know you want to make the house authentic, but I still say that for
>cost and safety reasons, get a string of LED christmas lights (which
>do come in sets of 12), and fit them in so you dont see the actual
>bulb. Make a little shade around them out of a paper or plastic (LEDs
>do not get hot). This will save lots of cash, time, and be much
>safer.
>

>You could even use the existing wires, use a 6volt DC wall wart
>transformer and solder in LEDs (with resistor) to each socket, and
>never have to replace bulbs or worry about safety.

For now, I'll probably replace the bulbs and see how much works. Later,
I may consider replacing the transformer with a battery pack and use
LEDs with an E10 base.

[JIMMIE]

On Dec 20, 3:42 pm, Jennifer Murphy <JenMur...@jm.invalid> wrote:

Start by finding out the voltage requirements of the bulbs, then see
if your power supply is working properly putting out the right voltage
for the bulbs. Replace all the bulbs while you at it, sounds like more
are bad than good. This will make further troubleshooting easier and
may solve all your problems to start with.

Jimmie

[JIMMIE]

Continuing on, I bought an old doll house several years ago and it had
problems with lighting too. After replacing the bulbs I found that
several of the switches were bad. The one house is the limit of my
experience and my local hobby store owner was the source of all my
info. Oh yeah a little contact cleaner in the light sockets helps
too. I use DeOXit. I recommend using this on all the bulbs and
switches.

Jimmie

[Dave M.]

Jennifer,

Get a lightbulb that fits into the socket. Wrap it in cloth and whack it
gently with a hammer. You want to break the glass. Once you've done that cut
the filament. Now you can measure the voltage on each filament wire.

Dave M.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've had those size bulbs in my hands, years ago. Your suggestion is
sincere, but I really doubt that it's practical. The inside wires are too
small, too close together. And the bulb inside the doll house is going to be
in an odd direction.

That ranks up there like breaking a popsickle stick or tongue depressor with
enough wood left connecting the two halves. We did that (unsucsessfully) for
a cub scout project.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Dave M." <mart...@frontier.com> wrote in message
news:jcsq8f$651$1...@dont-email.me...

[Ralph Mowery]

"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message

news:klb3f7h5f0hembrlp...@4ax.com...

> I don't recall anyone saying not to buy an autoranging meter. One or two
> said not to buy any meter at all, but it seemed like they were just
> jerking me around.
>
>>TURN OFF THE AUTORANGING.
>
> If the autoranging can be turned off, then why is it such a big deal not
> to buy an autoranging meter?
>
>>Dig around in the manual and look for range hold or range lock or
>>something similar. Set it to the 20V range (maybe 40V depending on the
>>meter) and leave it there while measuring voltage. You'll have to lock
>>it again if you change modes.
>
> I don't see any way to turn it off. It does have a battery test mode
> with settings for 1.5, 6, 9, and 12 volts. Can I use that?
>
> This is the meter:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_2
>

There is nothing wrong with an auto ranging meter for general testing. It
is often the perferred type of meter. I use them almost every day.
Everything from low voltage stuff to 480 volt 3 phase. I have used meters
every where from the least expensive kind to $ 300 and up meters, even test
equipment costing $ 5000 or more. For general around the house testing what
you have is fine.

I would not use the battery ranges for anything but the batteries. It
should slightly load down the batteries so you get a beter check of them.

For the bulbs, all you need to know is if the resistance is very low ( say
less than 100 ohms) or very high (really an open). You seem to have some
new bulbs on the way. YOu may want to check them before putting them in.
Not likely, but there could be some bad ones in the package. I was trouble
shooting some equipment at work and thought I had it repaired. Still blew a
new fuse. To make the long story short, a new box had half the fuses bad as
I started checking them before I installed them. This is not the only time
this as hapened. I had repaired the equipment the first time, but the new ,
bad, fuses caused me to spend a lot of wasted time.

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

>
> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
>bulbs.

Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
building and refurbishing doll houses. At least some of them.

[micky]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:30:41 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>

>>Are we having fun yet?
> First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
>of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
>the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
>there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
>bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
>voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is
>only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness)

Dim light is okay if they are dancing or watching tv, but if they are
doing homework or reading, a brighter light is much better.

[Norminn]

On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
>> bulbs.
>
> Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
> building and refurbishing doll houses. At least some of them.
>

Michaels probably carried some basic miniature lighting gear, but there
are loads of online sources with all manner of transformers, wiring,
sockets, fixtures, etc. Don't need to be an electrician to install it.

If it was doable, refurbishing an old dollhouse, I would update it with
more modern trans. and wiring...for safety as well as aethetic.

[Ray]

This is an old radio pilot light bulb

#50 is a 6 volt... May have been run from a battery or a transformer
Look here for a chart

http://oldradios.co.nz/data/index7.htm



"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:JzmIq.28753$lU5....@news.usenetserver.com...

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:17:03 -0500, Norminn <nor...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:
>> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
>>> bulbs.
>>
>> Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
>> building and refurbishing doll houses. At least some of them.
>>
>Michaels probably carried some basic miniature lighting gear, but there
>are loads of online sources with all manner of transformers, wiring,
>sockets, fixtures, etc. Don't need to be an electrician to install it.
>
>If it was doable, refurbishing an old dollhouse, I would update it with
>more modern trans. and wiring...for safety as well as aethetic.

What is the safety issue? The little bulbs don't get very hot.

I have radios going back to the 1930's and their transformers, cords,
and internal wiring are in excellent shape. The only thing that
wears out is the capacitors, which a doll house won't have.

Aesthetic is a matter of taste, of coures, but I would like to keep it
original, and also no one I know uses LEDs for lighting.

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:08:18 -0600, j...@myplace.com wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>wrote:
>

>>Now dangerous are 6 or 12 volts light bulbs, or the wires supplying
>>them? You can't even feel the current with your hands, only if you
>>put the leads on your tongue. (OTOH, 110 volts on your tongue are
>>very very bad.)
>>

>It aint the 6 or 12 volts that's dangerous, it's the 120v line coming
>into the doll house,

Absolutely. That's why it will be no safer with LEDs, which will
still require a transformer.

>which is probably an old frayed cord

"Probably", you say. Yes, it may or may not be deteriorated.
That'swhy I suggested she look at it. We don't even know how old
this is, maybe decades younger than the radios and appliances I have
from the 30's that still have good cords.

> without
>ground.

A ground!!! Do you use a ground for your other lamps? Tensor
lamps and those made just last year with a transformer in the base
don't have grounds, and they are still UL approved. Or you think a
ground is needed for a transformer that is encased in wood and she
can't even reach without taking apart some of the house?

> But you probably wont understand any of this..... you likely
>sufferred brain damage as a child when you stuck better knives into
>all the outlets in your home.

Everyone is being nice here but you can't manage that. What's wrong
with you? Have you been diagnosed yet?

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

> LEDs with an E10 base.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Jennifer - The output of a transformer is AC, not DC. Considering the
age of the dollhouse as evidenced by the cloth power cord, it is very
unlikely that the output of whatever transformer was used is converted
to DC using a rectifier. So, work on the assumption that everything is
AC. IF you can find someone who is reasonably knowledgeable, there
are ways to test if the voltage is AC or DC, but with your situation,
I'd just go with the AC.

[The Daring Dufas]

Hey, The Keebler Elves aren't that small, it would have to be CFL
fairies. Oh darn! I think we have a number of those working for
our government. o_O

TDD

[bob haller]

On Dec 21, 12:29 pm, micky <NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:17:03 -0500, Norminn <norm...@earthlink.net>

> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:

> >> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com>

> >> wrote:
>
> >>> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
> >>> bulbs.
>
> >> Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
> >> building and refurbishing doll houses.   At least some of them.
>
> >Michaels probably carried some basic miniature lighting gear, but there
> >are loads of online sources with all manner of transformers, wiring,
> >sockets, fixtures, etc.  Don't need to be an electrician to install it.
>
> >If it was doable, refurbishing an old dollhouse, I would update it with
> >more modern trans. and wiring...for safety as well as aethetic.
>
> What is the safety issue?   The little bulbs don't get very hot.
>
> I have radios going back to the 1930's and their transformers, cords,
> and internal wiring are in excellent shape.   The only thing that
> wears out is the capacitors, which a doll house won't have.
>
> Aesthetic is a matter of taste, of coures, but I would like to keep it
> original, and also no one I know uses LEDs for lighting.
>
>
>
> >>> Also look here:
> >>>http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/Lamps-Holders/_/N-5g6p/ and the
> >>> links there.
> >>>http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/Lamps-Holders/Lamps/_/N-5g6r/
> >>> has a way to search by base, size, etc.
>
> >>> I don't think any of these are small enough

> >>>http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=miniature%20la...- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

most older radios have NON POLARIZED PLUGS and hot chassis. along with
no ground

a real hazard......

these sort of issues are why a wiring upgrade may be a good idea

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:29:02 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

E10 bulbs (10mm) Pencil eraser is 7mm. No problem. Or better yet, go
to a drafting supply store and buy one rubber refill for a power
eraser. I think they are 1/4" ( very close to 7mm) and are a couple of
inches long. You want the pink or white, not the gum.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

Definitely would not have been my first choice, as it is ONLY an
auto-ranging meter - but the flip side is you cannot inadvertently
connect it to a high voltage with it set to low and damage something.

You COULD always smash one of the dead bulbs, and connect the leads to
both filament supports to measure the voltage. You DO need to be
carefull installing and removing the "bulb" though - - - .

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:08:18 -0600, j...@myplace.com wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>wrote:

>
>>Now dangerous are 6 or 12 volts light bulbs, or the wires supplying
>>them? You can't even feel the current with your hands, only if you
>>put the leads on your tongue. (OTOH, 110 volts on your tongue are
>>very very bad.)
>>

>It aint the 6 or 12 volts that's dangerous, it's the 120v line coming

>into the doll house, which is probably an old frayed cord without
>ground. But you probably wont understand any of this..... you likely

>sufferred brain damage as a child when you stuck better knives into
>all the outlets in your home.

The OP said it was a closth wrapped cord - so it will be rubber
insulated under the cloth - and it appeared to be in good shape.

You need to flex those old ords and listen for "rusling" ir sounds
like moving something in sand. If you hear that, DON"T PLUG IT IN. If
it is quiet and flexible it SHOULD be OK. It LIKELY has a knot tied in
it inside the base of the house as a strain relief (was common
practice in the fifties / sixties)

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:06:59 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

>On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:30:41 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>
>>
>>>Are we having fun yet?
>> First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
>>of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
>>the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
>>there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
>>bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
>>voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is
>>only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness)
>
>Dim light is okay if they are dancing or watching tv, but if they are
>doing homework or reading, a brighter light is much better.
>

The dolls????

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:29:45 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>

wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:17:03 -0500, Norminn <nor...@earthlink.net>
>wrote:
>
>>On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:
>>> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
>>>> bulbs.
>>>
>>> Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
>>> building and refurbishing doll houses. At least some of them.
>>>
>>Michaels probably carried some basic miniature lighting gear, but there
>>are loads of online sources with all manner of transformers, wiring,
>>sockets, fixtures, etc. Don't need to be an electrician to install it.
>>
>>If it was doable, refurbishing an old dollhouse, I would update it with
>>more modern trans. and wiring...for safety as well as aethetic.
>
>What is the safety issue? The little bulbs don't get very hot.
>
>I have radios going back to the 1930's and their transformers, cords,
>and internal wiring are in excellent shape. The only thing that
>wears out is the capacitors, which a doll house won't have.
>
>Aesthetic is a matter of taste, of coures, but I would like to keep it
>original, and also no one I know uses LEDs for lighting.

Well, you don't know me, but I just installed 7 9 watt CREE LED
replacement lamps in my office track-lights - 110 volt GU10 base
"reflector floods" The 9 watt units are brighter than the 50 watt
Halogens they replaced.

I'm looking at replacing ALL of the crappy CFL bulbs with LEDs in the
house in the near future

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:44:32 -0800 (PST), bob haller <hal...@aol.com>
wrote:

MOST older radios with cloth cords were NOT hot chassis units. They
had power transformers. Series string fillament radios (All American
Five) had hot chassis, but virtually none of them had cloth covered
cords, and the later ones DID have polarized plugs.

What we are dealing with here is NOT a metal chassis, and it is NOT a
unit that requires polarization or a ground.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've broken those bulbs when I was a kid. I'd much rather just read the
socket. The sockets are inside the doll house, and not easy to get at the
sockets. Your idea needs more thought.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:41u4f75g0hfchsvrv...@4ax.com...

[Stormin Mormon]

Well, you KNOW, the DOLL house might be a HOT CHASSIS, and might be
UNPOLARIZED plug. Never KNOW. We could ask the OP, though SHE might NOT be
sure how TO check.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message

news:1uu4f7thnrfd2mkl3...@4ax.com...

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:23:32 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
<cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Well, you KNOW, the DOLL house might be a HOT CHASSIS,

I'll bet 10,000 dollars that thks doll house has no chassis at all,
let alone a hot one. Shake?

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:35:48 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:29:45 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:17:03 -0500, Norminn <nor...@earthlink.net>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
>>>>> bulbs.
>>>>
>>>> Craft stores might be even better than toy stores learning about
>>>> building and refurbishing doll houses. At least some of them.
>>>>
>>>Michaels probably carried some basic miniature lighting gear, but there
>>>are loads of online sources with all manner of transformers, wiring,
>>>sockets, fixtures, etc. Don't need to be an electrician to install it.
>>>
>>>If it was doable, refurbishing an old dollhouse, I would update it with
>>>more modern trans. and wiring...for safety as well as aethetic.
>>
>>What is the safety issue? The little bulbs don't get very hot.
>>
>>I have radios going back to the 1930's and their transformers, cords,
>>and internal wiring are in excellent shape. The only thing that
>>wears out is the capacitors, which a doll house won't have.
>>
>>Aesthetic is a matter of taste, of coures, but I would like to keep it
>>original, and also no one I know uses LEDs for lighting.
>
>
>Well, you don't know me,

Not very well, but you still count. So I know one person who does.

>but I just installed 7 9 watt CREE LED
>replacement lamps in my office track-lights - 110 volt GU10 base
>"reflector floods" The 9 watt units are brighter than the 50 watt
>Halogens they replaced.
>
>I'm looking at replacing ALL of the crappy CFL bulbs with LEDs in the
>house in the near future

Aren't they still expensive?

[micky]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:32:08 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:06:59 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:30:41 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>>Are we having fun yet?
>>> First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
>>>of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
>>>the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
>>>there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
>>>bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
>>>voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is
>>>only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness)
>>
>>Dim light is okay if they are dancing or watching tv, but if they are
>>doing homework or reading, a brighter light is much better.
>>
>
> The dolls????

Yes. After little girls go to bed, the dolls have lives of their own.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

remember I said "You COULD" and "You DO need to be carefull " - - -
-

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:23:32 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
<cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Well, you KNOW, the DOLL house might be a HOT CHASSIS, and might be
>UNPOLARIZED plug. Never KNOW. We could ask the OP, though SHE might NOT be
>sure how TO check.

Its wooden, so it is NOT a "hot chassis"

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:55:09 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>

Depends what you call expensive and where you buy them. The loacal
HomeDespot wants $23 each for them. I imported mine directly from Hong
Kong for $11.80 each, delivered to the door, Quantity 10. And that is
the "dimmable" 85-240 volt model, The straight 110 volt non-dimmables
can be had for about $9.00 each. Priced 50 watt GU10s lately??

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Dec 21, 9:11 pm, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:55:09 -0500, micky <NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com>

> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:35:48 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>

> >>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:29:45 -0500, micky <NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com>
> >>wrote:
>
> >>>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:17:03 -0500, Norminn <norm...@earthlink.net>

> >>>wrote:
>
> >>>>On 12/21/2011 12:04 PM, micky wrote:

> >>>>> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:47 -0500, micky<NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com>

> >>>>>>http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=miniature%20la...- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I'm looking for 100 W equivalent LED A19 style bulbs with decent color
rendition that are dimmable for a dining room chandelier. Oh, yes, I
shouldn't have to cash in my 401 to pay for them.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

You need 12-14 watt LED
60 watt equivalen(7 watt)t is about $20 at american Home Depot stores.
About 50% more in Canada.
Wholesaled.com has 9watt for $32
Or check EBAY and order direct from China.

[Robert Green]

"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message
> <robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:
> >"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message

> >> My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
> >> dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)
> >

> >Welcome to the wonderful world of electrical troubleshooting. I have
about
> >20 meters (maybe 30) because they are indispensable for electronics work.
> >Some hook to PC's for recording work, some are small and lighted that I
keep
> >in my car. I keep one in my camera bag, one connected to the battery
> >powered sump pump and even have a AA-A battery charger that reads the
> >voltage of each cell as it charges. My wife says it's a sickness but I
> >believe you can never have enough multimeters, flashlights or
rechargeable
> >batteries. (-:

> >
> >> I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
> >> house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
> >> and the sockets very small (3/8").
> >

> >For testing like that I might make up a test prod from a dowel about the
> >size of the bulb with a screw in the center to simulate a bulb, but
that's
> >probably a bit much for you just starting out.
>
> I don't have the tools for that ;-(

That's too bad, but understandable. After thinking about, I would break one
of the dead bulbs, cut a small jumper wire in half and solder the bare wire
ends to the bulb's contacts. Jumper wires have alligator clips on each.
Cutting one in half leaves a bare end and an end with a metal clip that you
can clip to your meter probes. I could fabricate such a "tester" in less
time than it took to type this message but I have the tools. I'm aware that
you don't. I'd be happy to make up a socket tester for you gratis but it
wouldn't happen until well after Christmas. I can't imagine testing the
sockets any other way. It's hard to hold the probes correctly even with the
socket on the benchtop. But when mounted upside in a the tiny rooms of a
dollhouse? Sounds like torture from the Spanish Inquistion! And nobody
expects the Spanish Inquistion (if I didn't say it, at least 5 Monty Python
fans would have).

> >It takes a delicate hand to
> >read a micro-socket when it's on a test bench. Mounted in a doll house
> >might be much harder and close to impossible without the right probes.
One
> >the backside of the socket there are often screw terminals. That would
be a
> >good place to check the socket voltage.
>
> I can't get to the back side. The sockets are mounted in the ceiling. On
> the first floor, it's about 1/2" thick and completely finished. On the
> second floor, there is an attic, but it's sealed. I don't want to start
> taking it apart.

I don't blame you. Once upon a time when I first started rebuilding Brit
sportscars, I came across this humorous comment in a "how to" book:
"Carburetor" is a French word that means "leave it alone." The same could
be said of your antique dollhouse's electrical wiring.

> >> I seemed to get a better reading on
> >> DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
> >> like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more.
The
> >> most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.
> >
> >> Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?
> >

> >That's a good question. Measuring an AC voltage using a high quality,
> >accurate voltmeter, that set to measure DC volts, should, by definition
> >result in a reading of zero volts. The reason you read a small residual
DC
> >voltage when measuring an AC voltage might be because of small
inaccuracies
> >in your meter. Any true AC voltage has absolutely no DC component. I
would
> >test it using a diode - even an LED would work - that will pass current
in
> >only one direction. But that's little advanced. I suppose you could test
> >the circuit by reversing the probes. If it's DC, the + and - signs
should
> >reverse themselves when you switch the probes. With AC, it shouldn't
have
> >any effect.
>
> I thought I got a +/- change one time, but it's so difficult to get at
> the sockets, that I can;t be sure I'm getting good contact and not
> shorting the probes.

I totally understand. It's a job for a specially made test probe.

> >> Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs
I
> >> removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.
> >

> >Excellent work! With an old dollhouse and the possibility that the bulbs
> >are getting more voltage than designed for, it's very likely the only
> >problem is burned out lightbulbs.
>
> I ordered a bunch of 2.5v #14 bulbs. They should be here tomorrow.

That's where the rubber meets the road. I suspect you'll get more than a
few working. Who knows? If you clean the sockets and cycle the switches,
they might all work.

> >> I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
> >> continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
> >> resistance.
> >

> >That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and
the
> >bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying
glass.
> >If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be
very
> >obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.
>
> The filaments all look OK. A couple are somewhat blackened.
>

> >> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
> >> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
> >> several sockets. It was very dim.
> >

> >You may also be experiencing problems with dirty switch contacts and
dirty
> >or corroded bulb sockets. The center button connector of the socket
should
> >be nice and shiny in each socket. I bet they're not.
>
> The switches are definitely at least a little suspect. They are the
> push-button type. They are a little loose in the housing and if I jiggle
> them, the lights flicker. I can't see into the sockets, but the house

> has been stored in garages on the east coast (humid) for many years. I
> might go get a mirror on a stick and see if I can see into the sockets.
> But if they are corroded, there ma not be much I ca do without taking
> the while thing apart, which is too much for this Christmas.

You can use the rubber eraser end of a small pencil inside the socket to
clean off the oxidation. Make sure to blow out the rubber particles with
canned air or a little makeup brush.

> >> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
> >> can get better readings.
> >

> >I don't think you have to do a complete rewire - if it were 110VAC
passing
> >through those wires you would have seen the bulb go supernova and
possibly
> >pop. There's got to be a transformer somewhere.
>
> Yes, I'm quite certain that it's not 110 and probably not AC.

I would guess that the AC line cord goes into a small transformer that
outputs from 2 to 5 VAC. Lightbulbs don't care whether they run on AC or DC
so I don't see any reason for the designer to have a rectifier in the house
that converts AC to DC. It would be an extra and unnecessary step for the
builder and I'm guessing if he omitted strain relief on the line cord, he
was on a real budget.

> >By getting the bulb to
> >light in several sockets you've conclusively proved they can not be wired
in
> >series (in a chain like old Christmas lights where if one bulb went dead,
> >they all died). That's important to know.
>
> Yep, I was glad to discover that.

That's what leads me to believe there's a small AC transformer at the end of
the line cord. It should be heavy enough to be detectable in some way. It
might even put out a hum that's detectable by a close-by AM radio.

> >Trace where the AC wires comes into the dollhouse and find the
transformer
> >(apologies if you've already done this - I just started reading this
> >thread.). If it's well wired to the cord and the cord's in good shape, I
> >wouldn't rewire the unit. Switches can often be "decrudded" by operating
> >them a few dozen times to scrape off the oxidation.

> The AC cord is one of those really old fabric-covered types. The place

> where it goes into the base of the house is just a hole in the wood with
> no fitting or stress relief. There is no obvious wear that I can see,
> but it all seems a little unsafe to me.

You're right. I would replace the cord with a more modern one and add
strain relief if it's not too hard to access the point of entry. If it is.
I would probably use some low-temp hot melt glue to create one. Not pretty,
but it's held when I've had to do it. You could cut the cord a few inches
from the hole and slide protective tubing of some sort to protect the wire's
insulation. Then either solder a newer line cord, the old line cord or an
in-line power switch to the bit left sticking out. You could also wrap the
cord that sticks out of the hole with a enough layers of black electrical
tape and then push that bulge into the hole to create strain relief of
sorts. Old cloth covered wire without a strain relief bothers me. I've
rebuilt items with similar cords that looked intact but that crumbled in
short order when they were flexed just a little bit. On the other hand,
most of the original wiring in the my house is cloth covered. I've since
added new circuits with 12/2 romex to take most of the load off the old
wires where I could. But I digress . . .

> >I think the next step is to clean the sockets, cycle the switches,
install
> >the replacement bulbs and take it from there.
>
> I managed to get under the house. The whole bottom is covered and glued
> shut. I'm starting to think that this wasn't that well made. I'm tempted

> to cut the cord and go without lights for now. If the little girl really

> gets into it (right now she's more into Buzz Lightyear), I'll consider

> taking it apart and installing LEDs and a battery pack.

That sounds like serious deconstruction of the house would be involved. I'd
wait and see how it goes over first. Rebuilding using LED's and batteries
or a small wall wart (the plug in transformer-rectifier that are used for
chargers and such) It might be a perfect teaching opportunity to involve the
youngster with. You could even buy some cheap solar garden lights and turn
it into a solar powered doll house. (-:

> Anyway, thanks for the thoughtful and patient help.

That's why we're here. Well most of us. A few seem to think it's open mike
night at their local comedy club, but that's Usenet.

--
Bobby G. - It's 58F degrees at night in December in DC. Maybe global
warming theorists are right!

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:nac3f7hfphlk31i73...@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:02:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
> <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:
>
> >
> >>That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and
the
> >>bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying
glass.
> >>If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be
very
> >>obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.
> >
> >The filaments all look OK. A couple are somewhat blackened.
>

> I like to flick the bulb with my finger. Often a filament is broken
> but the gap is so small, I can't tell until I do that, but after that,
> the filament vibrates for a couple seconds. If it vibrates, it's
> broken.

Gawd. It's late at night and my vision's blurry so I first read that as "I
like to lick the bulb" thinking to myself: "Is Micky CRAZY?!" (-: Anyway,
yes, that's a good way to find a broken filament. I think Jennifer's
continuity tests are probably accurate even if she can't see the filament
break.

Are you living in Balto now? We've got enough posters in the Baltowash area
that we should have a get-together. If we've got enough people, maybe we
can convince HD or Lowe's to cater a lunch where they can make a sales pitch
while we eat free food. (-: There's one of each in Laurel, which should be
accessible from DC and Baltimore.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"mike" <spa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:jcr3ps$46a$1...@dont-email.me...
> Jennifer Murphy wrote:

<stuff snipped>

> > Any comments or suggestions?
>
> First problem is that you ignored advice and bought an autoranging meter.

> TURN OFF THE AUTORANGING.

> Dig around in the manual and look for range hold or range lock or
> something similar. Set it to the 20V range (maybe 40V depending on the
> meter) and leave it there while measuring voltage. You'll have to lock
> it again if you change modes.

Considering future uses as well as the current one, I think she did fine
with an autoranger. I think it's far more useful to a novice than a
dedicated range meter and probably less expensive, too. The problem is
obviously getting the probes in place to read the voltage.

> You've given few details, but some assumptions can be made.
> There are always exceptions, but usually...
>
> Where does the power come from?
> If it's a battery, it's DC.
> If it's a transformer, it's AC.

What if it's a transformer with a rectifier? (-: (But I don't think so in
this old a device.)

> How are they connected?
> If you can get one light to work in a socket, it's parallel.

That's been established. They're parallel.

> 2.5 vac 0.3a #14 flashlight bulbs x 12 = 3.6 amps.
>
> 11 ohms cold seems about 5x too high for that bulb. You sure you've
> got #14 bulbs?

Damn you Micky, now I have to get up from my nice warm bed to grab some
bulbs and my ohm meter.

[time passes]

I got a reading of 1.1 ohms for my bulbs so you're right. I suspect an
autoranging decimal error of some sort or skin contact interfering with the
reading. Several of my bulbs in storage had substantial corrosion on the
button contact that affected the readings as well.

> Short the meter leads and measure resistance of the leads. It's never
> zero and sometimes a lot more if the probes are defective or just cheap
> or connections are corroded. Subtract that number from your bulb
> measurement.

I don't think it matters much as dead bulbs are an "either/or" proposition.
Dead or not. Some small resistance or none at all. If she has an audio
continuity function, a beep is good, none is dead.

> #14 MINIATURE BULB E10 BASE - 2.47 Volt 0.30 Amp Miniature Screw (E10)
> Base 0.50 MSCP, C-2R Filament Design, 15 Average Rated Hours, 0.94"
> Maximum Overall Length #14 Miniature Bulb
>
> NOTE that it's rated for 15 hours average life. Might wanna change
> to a different bulb. Then you'll need a different transformer, but
> 12V bulbs on a 12V surplus laptop power supply works well. Cheap
> non-regulated wall warts have small transformers and have serious
> regulation problems as noted below.

That is pretty rotten life expectancy but is completely in line with almost
all the bulbs being burned out. Have you come across many 12VDC laptop
supplies? Everything I've got runs from 15 to 18VDC. Maybe times have
changed. The key word in finding a power supply for this app, as you've
noted, is "Regulated." Unfortunately not all regulated power supplies are
marked thusly but a simple check with a voltmeter usually tell you. All the
unregulated power supplies I've tested run several volts above rated voltage
without load. .

> If it's a battery, it won't last long. If it's AC, the transformer
> should be as big as your fist. If it's much smaller, it's gonna have

> a lot of secondary impedance. What that means is that it's sized

> for max load. Designed properly, the lamps will work fine. Problem
> is that one burns out reducing the load and the voltage goes up increasing

> the stress on the others. Like dominoes, they start failing at

> an increasing rate. That's why you've got one left that works.

> There's another more subtle problem. About 70 years ago, the line
> voltage increased from 110 to 120V. The life of a bulb goes down
> MUCH faster than the voltage goes up. That can be a problem
> for a bulb with a design life (at proper voltage) of 15 hours.

I would have expected someone to know enough back then to use a lower than
rated voltage to increase the life expectancy of the bulbs. I agree with
your reasoning about why only one bulb is still lit. However, I think
instead of yanking the transformer out or rewiring that she look into
finding the same size bulb but with a much higher voltage. Won't be as
bright but won't burn out as often.

> Your problem is likely bad connections in the circuit.
> This can be corroded connections at the socket or corrosion
> inside the socket where the lamp contacts it or corrosion on the

> bulb itself. Sometimes, people just twist wires together to
> make connections.

GACK!!!!! I know it, I've seen it and just don't believe people do it. I
got an electric wheelchair for a steal for my Dad because someone had simply
twisted (WITHOUT TAPE!) the connections to the two 12V 60A batteries
together and the chair lurched as it moved. The seller made me sign a
receipt that said "runs smoothly" because it managed not to burp during my
test ride. I took the risk on a brand new $3,000 heavy-duty chair for $150.
Fixed it for 50 cents worth of heavy duty wirenuts. FWIW, the wires that
were twisted together were between the main fuse and the battery. Those big
60A SLA batteries could have made quite a mess of things if they touched.

> After 70 years, corrosion causes the connection
> to fail. You might measure unloaded voltage at the end of the lamp
> string, but a bulb won't light in that socket.
>
> You should have two wires leaving whatever powers it running together
> in parallel throughout the house with each bulb tapped into the pair.
> If you can tell where the wire runs, you should be able to tell, from
> which sockets work and which don't, where the break is.
>
> You can measure the resistance of the wiring, but it's
> sensitive to contact corrosion at the probe point and it's easy to infer
> a break where none exists.
> Remember to short the probes in ohms mode and lock the range
> so you won't see all the autoranging artifacts.

Dude, even I don't know what you're referring to here, I'm betting Jennifer
won't either! (-"

> If you put the lamp in the far end of the wire, you can
> measure the voltage at each socket. But if access is limited
> you risk shorting the connection and smoking something.
>
> From the symptoms, I'd guess that you have corroded connections AND the
> wrong bulb type.
>
> What's the voltage at the supply end of the circuit with the one-good
> bulb burning?
>

> Are we having fun yet?

I'm betting about now the intended recipient and the giver might get a
bigger kick out of throwing the house in a wood-chipper that rewiring it.
Testing all those sockets without some sort of socket adapter probably is
never going to happen, although it's what a thorough electrogeek would do.
I just found a couple of dead bulbs (in the good bulb drawer!) by testing
for resistance so I'm betting I could solder up a "socket probe" pretty
quickly. It's much easier to do on 110VAC sockets by using a screw in
socket adapter.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:22g2f71e3s97deqr0...@4ax.com...

> On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:55:07 -0800, mike <spa...@gmail.com> wrote:

<stuff snipped>

> First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
> of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
> the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
> there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
> bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
> voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is

> only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness) and the

> lifespan will be in the hundreds of hours.. This was commonly done in
> doll houses and scenery for train sets etc.

From what Jennifer has said, I don't expect we'll be seeing those readings
any time soon. It's really hard to get to those sockets without an adapter
of some sort. The best we can hope for (and it's a pretty good indicator)
is that we can assume the voltage is not too much above 3 volts because the
bulb would glow very dimly if underpowered and very brightly if overpowered.
From what Jen said, it looks about right, if not a little dim. I suspect
the original builder knew that the bulbs needed slight underpowering to last
a longer time.

> Generally speeking the operating resistance of a tungsten bulb is
> ABOUT10-12 times it's cold resistance - and measuring the cold
> resistance of a #14 bulb, other than to determine if it is open or
> not, is rather futile.

God, the perfect straight line! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! (-:

I'm surprised you guys even got her to buy a meter since it's probably not
going to be very helpful. I can imagine how hard it is to position the
probes for this application. That's OK, though. Everyone should own a
meter and know how to use it. I hope she got an audio continuity meter that
beeps when there's continuity. That's all that matters in this case -
knowing that the bulbs have broken filaments. No sense in glazing over a
neophyte's eyes with technotalk. I've done so much tech support I can
"hear" people's eyes glaze over when I am on the phone with them. (-: It's
an art.

> It is a nominal .75 watt bulb, with a HOT resistance of roughly 8
> ohms, so the cold resistance is closer to 1 ohm than 11 - which is
> why measuring the resistance is futile.

Yet another reason to not even try, especially if a consignment of
replacement bulbs is on the way. The wrong ones will burn out very quickly.
I'm betting that since the last bulb she has lights in a few sockets, she
knows all she needs to know about the transformer, especially if it's sealed
in tight (bad design without an access panel).

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:cf44f75v16sluqnth...@4ax.com...

> On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:30:41 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>
> >

> >>Are we having fun yet?

> > First thing we need to know is what the voltage is at the secondary
> >of the transformer (which WILL be AC) and if there is anything between
> >the transformer and the switches (like a rectifier). It is UNLIKELY
> >there is a rectifier because there is no advantage to using DC on the
> >bulbs. The #14 bulb is rated at 15 hours at 2.5 volts, and if the
> >voltage is only 1.5 volts the lights will be dimmer (but the light is
> >only for "realism" so it does not need to be full brightness)
>

> Dim light is okay if they are dancing or watching tv, but if they are
> doing homework or reading, a brighter light is much better.

Anyone ever see one of the few one hour TwiZone eps with Robert Duvall (with
hair!) called, IIRC, "The Dollhouse?"

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"Ralph Mowery" <rmower...@earthlink.net> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> To make the long story short, a new box had half the fuses bad as
> I started checking them before I installed them. This is not the only time
> this as hapened. I had repaired the equipment the first time, but the new
,
> bad, fuses caused me to spend a lot of wasted time.

Bulbs, batteries and fuses all get tested before installation. Especially
batteries. Must have been 10 times that I've been fooled by "dead in the
package" batteries. I discovered two bad bulbs tonight, allegedly new in
the package, when testing for resistance.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me 10 times, I'm getting out my meter!

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%DvIq.20902$tm3....@news.usenetserver.com...

> I've broken those bulbs when I was a kid. I'd much rather just read the
> socket. The sockets are inside the doll house, and not easy to get at the
> sockets. Your idea needs more thought.

Agreed. The best thing to do would be to take a short piece of dowel rod,
use a brass screw at the center of one end attached to insulated wire to act
as the bulb center contact, wrap some bare wire around the outside of the
dowel to server as the socket wall contact and hook those leads to the
meter's probes with alligator clips. That would take about 10 minutes in
the shop and has a big advantage over any screw-in method of not having the
wires twist as you screw it in. The dowel tested should be "push and read."

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> I don't throw away bad parts until I have everything working.

I don't throw away bad parts. Period. (-: Unless there's absolutely
nothing I can cannibalize or jury rig later.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> Now dangerous are 6 or 12 volts light bulbs, or the wires supplying
> them? You can't even feel the current with your hands, only if you
> put the leads on your tongue. (OTOH, 110 volts on your tongue are
> very very bad.)

Lethal. One of the very first stories I reported on when I became a police
reporter was one of a little 3 year old kid who was on the kitchen counter
and kissed his reflection in the toaster. DOA. It turned out that the
insides of the toaster had been mangled by repeated attempts to remove stuck
items with metal forks. He apparently made contact with the sink rim with
his foot.

I'm thinking there's probably an old model train transformer in that house -
they had multiple taps and short-circuit protection that made a funny
"tick-boom" sort of sound when activated.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:mdu4f7dbl5hcgo23c...@4ax.com...

<stuff snipped>

> You need to flex those old ords and listen for "rusling" ir sounds
> like moving something in sand. If you hear that, DON"T PLUG IT IN. If
> it is quiet and flexible it SHOULD be OK. It LIKELY has a knot tied in
> it inside the base of the house as a strain relief (was common
> practice in the fifties / sixties)

Good point. And not just any knot, but an Underwriter's knot:

http://electrical.about.com/od/wiringcircuitry/a/underwriterknot.htm

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"bob haller" <hal...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:28267e64-ef7f-4a02-8f25-

<stuff snipped>

> most older radios have NON POLARIZED PLUGS and hot chassis. along with
> no ground

> a real hazard......

> these sort of issues are why a wiring upgrade may be a good idea

Good advice, but for radios. I doubt there's very much metal in the unit
anywhere so there's nothing really to ground. As Micky pointed out, the
only potentially dangerous part is the line cord. I don't think polarized
plugs are much of an issue, either, because of the transformer and what
sounds to be all wood construction. The OP can tell us if there's metal
used that could become a shock hazard. The easiest solution to all of that
is to install a GFCI plug.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:3p65f71nhgv5gusai...@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:23:32 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
> <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Well, you KNOW, the DOLL house might be a HOT CHASSIS,
>
> I'll bet 10,000 dollars that thks doll house has no chassis at all,
> let alone a hot one. Shake?

I agree. Highly unlikely, but anything's possible. Install a GFCI plug
like the one that came with my air conditioner and polarization and
grounding aren't much of a issue anymore.

--
Bobby G.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sorry, Mitt, I am not one to gamble. You shouldn't either, being a Mormon
and all.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/rick-santorum-taken-aback-by-mitt-romneys-10000-bet/

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:3p65f71nhgv5gusai...@4ax.com...

[Stormin Mormon]

I say again: I think your idea needs more thought. Which is gentle for "I
don't think it is practical, or workable."

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message

news:mh75f7l7ddb6kude9...@4ax.com...

[Robert Green]

"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:qgGIq.15209$8w6...@news.usenetserver.com...

> I say again: I think your idea needs more thought. Which is gentle for "I
> don't think it is practical, or workable."

I agree. I think to do it right you'd at least need to clip or solder lead
out wires to the filament posts. I also think that's beyond the OP's skill
set (no offense - it might even be beyond mind because I don't solder small
things very well. I don't solder big things very well, either, come to
think of it. You might make something out of a Bic stick pen tube that
would work - the BIC tube has solved many a home engineering project.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:qgGIq.15208$8w6....@news.usenetserver.com...

> Sorry, Mitt, I am not one to gamble. You shouldn't either, being a Mormon
> and all.
>
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/rick-santorum-taken-aback-by-mitt-romneys-10000-bet/

I don't know whether these bets are really the kind of gambling that's
prohibited, but I guess it's gambling. Way back when Atlantic City first
opened its casinos, my magazine sent me to write an article and staked me
$200. It lasted five days doing nothing but playing very conservative
roulette and the poker machines late at night. I even got a royal flush (on
a 25 cent bet) which paid not very much. But in the end I lost every cent
of that $200 and all that's left are a couple of souvenir chips from the
Playboy Club. The bottom line is that they grind you down, inexorably.
I've not felt the urge to gamble or buy a lottery ticket (except for a dream
that had a six-digit number in it - I lost) since. Yes, you can count cards
and win at blackjack until they take your DNA, your picture, your
fingerprints and ban you for life in all the casinos that cooperate.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:5gg5f7l76occlm0c5...@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:34:53 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) hof...@att.net"

<stuff snipped>

> You need 12-14 watt LED
> 60 watt equivalen(7 watt)t is about $20 at american Home Depot stores.
> About 50% more in Canada.
> Wholesaled.com has 9watt for $32
> Or check EBAY and order direct from China.

My problem with these bulbs is that they were likely designed very recently
so lifespan estimates are just pie in the sky. No one will really know how
long ten year LED bulbs bought today will last until ten years from now. (-"

--
Bobby G.

[Stormin Mormon]

You missed my point, again. I'm done.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Robert Green" <robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote in message
news:jcvhjr$ens$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

[micky]

Maybe. I think I have a vague recollection.

I might have grown up there.

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:28:38 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
<cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I say again: I think your idea needs more thought. Which is gentle for "I
>don't think it is practical, or workable."
>
>--

With your annoying top posting, and your triply annoying >- in the
ilne above, people replying to you by just clicking reply delete
everything needed to know what "your idea" is. If you're not willing
to stop top-posting, get rid of the >- line.

The rest of my reply is where it should be.

>Christopher A. Young
>Learn more about Jesus
> www.lds.org
>.
>
><cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
>news:mh75f7l7ddb6kude9...@4ax.com...
>On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:21:02 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
><cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>I've broken those bulbs when I was a kid. I'd much rather just read the
>>socket. The sockets are inside the doll house, and not easy to get at the
>>sockets. Your idea needs more thought.
>>
>>Christopher A. Young
>>Learn more about Jesus
>> www.lds.org
>>.
>>
>><cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
>>news:41u4f75g0hfchsvrv...@4ax.com...
>>
>>
>>You COULD always smash one of the dead bulbs, and connect the leads to
>>both filament supports to measure the voltage. You DO need to be
>>carefull installing and removing the "bulb" though - - - .
>>
> remember I said "You COULD" and "You DO need to be carefull " - - -

What one could do is remove the bulb, break the glass gently with
pliers, and use the wires with alligator clips to connect to each
filament end support. The radio shack alligator clips are mostly
covered in vinyle and a piece of tape around one of them will help to
prevent shorting. Then put the bulb back in.

If that doesn't work solder a wire to each end support, bend the wires
away from each other , or put some tape or better yet glue of the
right sort in between them. and then put the bubl back in. .

[micky]

Do you save used pens? I have a hard time explaining to people why I
save so many things that don't work.

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:20:25 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>news:nac3f7hfphlk31i73...@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:02:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
>> <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >>That sounds right. Infinite resistance means the filament is broken and
>the
>> >>bulb is dead. You should be able to confirm that with a magnifying
>glass.
>> >>If they were run at double their rating, the filament damage should be
>very
>> >>obvious and might include blackening of the bulb's interior.
>> >
>> >The filaments all look OK. A couple are somewhat blackened.
>>
>> I like to flick the bulb with my finger. Often a filament is broken
>> but the gap is so small, I can't tell until I do that, but after that,
>> the filament vibrates for a couple seconds. If it vibrates, it's
>> broken.

P&M

>
>Gawd. It's late at night and my vision's blurry so I first read that as "I
>like to lick the bulb" thinking to myself: "Is Micky CRAZY?!" (-: Anyway,

LOL

>yes, that's a good way to find a broken filament. I think Jennifer's
>continuity tests are probably accurate even if she can't see the filament
>break.

Yes, you're right, and I might be wrong in that flicking and licking
probably doesn't work well for really small bulbs. I do that mostly
with 60 watt bulbs, or automobile turn signal bulbs (the big ones,
made for American cars and real men.) and maybe one size smaller.

>
>Are you living in Balto now? We've got enough posters in the Baltowash area
>that we should have a get-together.

Yes, I'm in Balltimore. A get-together would be great. I read
another group and we had one and it was a lot of fun.

> If we've got enough people, maybe we
>can convince HD or Lowe's to cater a lunch where they can make a sales pitch
>while we eat free food. (-: There's one of each in Laurel, which should be
>accessible from DC and Baltimore.

Laurel is fine.

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:11:18 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>
>Bobby G. - It's 58F degrees at night in December in DC. Maybe global
>warming theorists are right!
>

I heard on the radio that it was 55 at 6 in the morning, in Baltimore.
That struck me as strange.

[micky]

Hmmm. I''ll have to study this. I spent a lot of time in high school
trying to tie one of these things, with a model right in front of me.
They never came out symmetric.

[N8N]

On Dec 22, 11:20 am, micky <NONONOmis...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:11:18 -0500, "Robert Green"
>

> <robert_green1...@yah00.com> wrote:
>
> >Bobby G.  - It's 58F degrees at night in December in DC.  Maybe global
> >warming theorists are right!
>
> I heard on the radio that it was 55 at 6 in the morning, in Baltimore.
> That struck me as strange.

yabbut, it was legitimately cold last week (NoVA) so it all evens
out. Ish.

nate

[notbob]

On 2011-12-22, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote:

>>http://electrical.about.com/od/wiringcircuitry/a/underwriterknot.htm
>
> Hmmm. I''ll have to study this. I spent a lot of time in high school
> trying to tie one of these things, with a model right in front of me.

Lordy! You must be dumber'n a bag o' hammers. (kidding!)

Sounds like the cause may be a learning disorder. Are you perhaps
dyslexic? That might explain it.

nb

--
eschew obfuscation

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:57:10 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:qgGIq.15208$8w6....@news.usenetserver.com...
>> Sorry, Mitt, I am not one to gamble. You shouldn't either, being a Mormon
>> and all.
>>
>http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/rick-santorum-taken-aback-by-mitt-romneys-10000-bet/
>

It's true, IMO, that the bet offer tends to make Romney look rich, and
it's probably the result of being rich.

But the comparisons with what the average Iowan makes seem not too
relevant to me. He wasn't offerent to bet an average Iowan**. Romney
should have said, Well, Rick [Perry] has a lot more money than the
average Iowan.

**I don't know how Perry's statement that he lacked indoor plumbing
until he was 6 squares with wikip "His father, a Democrat, was a
long-time Haskell County commissioner and school board member."
Sounds like a guy with indoor plumbing to me.


And the last person to complain aobut this should have been Newt.
Remember in his first campaign, earlier this year, it turned out he
had a $500,000 line of credit at Tiffany's and his reply was "That's
just the way people do business." as if the reporter and the rest of
us were stupid for not knowing that. I woudl bet that as few
people can afford to be t10,000 dollars, about the same number could
get a 500G line of credit, but a lot fewer think that is "the way
people do business". If I were in that situation, I'd think, That's
the way *rich* people do business, but I woudln't say it.

>I don't know whether these bets are really the kind of gambling that's
>prohibited, but I guess it's gambling. Way back when Atlantic City first
>opened its casinos, my magazine sent me to write an article and staked me
>$200. It lasted five days doing nothing but playing very conservative
>roulette and the poker machines late at night. I even got a royal flush (on
>a 25 cent bet) which paid not very much. But in the end I lost every cent
>of that $200 and all that's left are a couple of souvenir chips from the
>Playboy Club. The bottom line is that they grind you down, inexorably.
>I've not felt the urge to gamble or buy a lottery ticket (except for a dream
>that had a six-digit number in it - I lost) since. Yes, you can count cards
>and win at blackjack until they take your DNA, your picture, your
>fingerprints and ban you for life in all the casinos that cooperate.

In college I knew a guy from San Diego, who said he made money by
using the sytsem in Beat the Dealer, and I still believe he did.
When he drove home in June, I went with him as far as Las Vegas and
tried the system too. I could remember the number of tens dealt, and
the number of non-10's, I could divide them in my head and get an
answer. I could remember the 10x10 array of numbers and look up the
number in the table, in my head, based on the two cards that the
dealer had showing, but I couldnt' do the last step: When I got that
number from the table, and my number from dividing, I couldn't keep
track of which one was higher or what to do based on which was higher,
whether I should draw another card or not.

I was there a week and lost 40 dollars.

This story has more very interesting twists, if anyone is interested.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:a5m6f7tgv2hjam070...@4ax.com...

It's been like that for a while. My heating bill is half of what it was for
the same period last year. I don't mind that. I just hope we don't see a
string of 100+ F degree days in the summer. I dislike the heat a lot more
than the cold.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"N8N" <njn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ccb3079c-d8df-4758...@n6g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...

You gotta admit it's been weirdly warm for the last couple of months. I can
remember some God-awful cold at this time of year. We've had major and
serious snowstorms happen on Nov. 11 and killer frosts in October. When I
first moved in the temp dropped to 6F and the furnace overloaded it cycled
so fast. It's almost Christmas and it's 61F here. That's not right! (-:

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:3nk6f7hvjm88hq3ln...@4ax.com...

Memory lapse! It's called "Minature" - searching on Dollhouse got me all
sorts of Russian girlie sites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_(The_Twilight_Zone)

<<Charley Parkes thinks he sees a figure in a museum dollhouse that comes
alive. Charley returns to the museum
numerous times and gazes into the dollhouse . . . sees the doll in the house
come alive.

Charley falls in love with the figure, a woman, but is institutionalized
because of his belief that the figure of the woman (as well as a housekeeper
and a man) is alive. He eventually is "rehabilitated" and is returned to the
care of his mother.>>

You'll have to go to the link to read how it ends. You're close.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:IaIIq.216

> You missed my point, again. I'm done.

Oh, poor you. Life is SO hard. You just try and try and no one understands
you. Did you give up this easily during your two year Mormon mission.
Seems you give up pretty easily. On the other hand, if someone doesn't get
what I am saying, I regroup and try again.

If you really had a point maybe a bigger hat will cover it up and no one
will notice. (-:

I'm glad that you're done - now you have to call somebody to wipe you. <g>

If you want to be a prick, I can accommodate you. (-: If you just want to
be a scold, I can help you there, too. If you want to be a very bad stand
up comedian, I'll gladly heckle you. Name your poison.

I've found, as someone who once made a living writing, if you readers don't
get your points, you probably didn't make them as well as you thought you
did. Should we start over and try to remember that we are supposed to be
helping someone with their dollhouse problem? Or do you want to continue
playing canis muy macho?

You obviously disapprove of the currently proposed solution and I agreed. I
suggested an alternative and even offered to fabricate such a tester for the
OP. Do you have better solution or a better offer? How is the OP supposed
to measure the voltage present in the very small bulb sockets stuck in a
teeny, cramped dollhouse?

--
Bobby G.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
Previous and interwined top and bottom posted message fragments below this
line:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

> On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:50:01 -0500, "Robert Green"

> >"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> >> I say again: I think your idea needs more thought. Which is gentle for
"I
> >> don't think it is practical, or workable."
> >
> >I agree. I think to do it right you'd at least need to clip or solder
lead
> >out wires to the filament posts. I also think that's beyond the OP's
skill
> >set (no offense - it might even be beyond mind because I don't solder
small
> >things very well. I don't solder big things very well, either, come to
> >think of it. You might make something out of a Bic stick pen tube that
> >would work - the BIC tube has solved many a home engineering project.
>
> Do you save used pens? I have a hard time explaining to people why I
> save so many things that don't work.

Is the Pope a woodsman? Does a bear shi+ in the Vatican? (-:

I neatly label boxes as "Misc. Fab. Material, Plastic" If you're neat about
it, it's not technically hoarding.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:8qn6f75lv3f6agpg0...@4ax.com...

I've tied no more than a few in my life because I've scrounged so many nice
cords with built in strain reliefs for anything I build.

--
Bobby G.

[dpb]

On 12/22/2011 11:32 AM, Robert Green wrote:
...

> You gotta admit it's been weirdly warm for the last couple of months. I can
> remember some God-awful cold at this time of year. We've had major and
> serious snowstorms happen on Nov. 11 and killer frosts in October. When I
> first moved in the temp dropped to 6F and the furnace overloaded it cycled
> so fast. It's almost Christmas and it's 61F here. That's not right! (-:

...

Well, we had a whole bunch of 70F Christmas days/weeks when I was a kid
some 45-55 year ago but I can't recall one out of the 40s at best the
last 10-14 years or so. Right now were 65 on Sat/Sun and snowing and
blizzard conditions Tues and snowing again today lightly.

Things change and there are and have always been short and longer term
cycles and folks remember only a _very_ short time...

--

[micky]

No. I'm isolexic, Or maybe they said photolexic. Or polyunlexic.

But I think maybe the real problem was that we didn't have any new
wire and the old stuff had curves already in it. I didnt' want to
cut off 6 inches to get to the part that was straight.

Also, it wasn't the knot at the top but just an overhand knot I was
doing, and one side always seemed to overpower the other.. I
eventually stopped making knots inside plugs on the theory I never
pull the plugs out by the cord anyhow.

>nb

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:28:23 -0500, "Robert Green"

<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>news:a5m6f7tgv2hjam070...@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:11:18 -0500, "Robert Green"
>> <robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >Bobby G. - It's 58F degrees at night in December in DC. Maybe global
>> >warming theorists are right!
>> >
>> I heard on the radio that it was 55 at 6 in the morning, in Baltimore.
>> That struck me as strange.
>
>It's been like that for a while. My heating bill is half of what it was for
>the same period last year. I don't mind that. I just hope we don't see a
>string of 100+ F degree days in the summer. I dislike the heat a lot more
>than the cold.

You can always put on more clothes, but there's a limit to how naked
you can get (fully naked is the limit and not even that in public.)

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:38:35 -0500, "Robert Green"

I'm pretty sure I saw it. All the episodes of that show were good.
Apparently Rod Serling practically worked himself to death to write
and (produce and direct?) so many episodes so quickly.

I thought there was something wrong with me that I didn't ike "The
Outer Limits", which I somehow thought was the sequel to the Twilight
Zone. But now they show Limits on tv every night, and it's not at
all like the Twilight Zone and I see why I didnt' like it.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:51:30 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"mike" <spa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:jcr3ps$46a$1...@dont-email.me...
>> Jennifer Murphy wrote:
>
><stuff snipped>
>
>> > Any comments or suggestions?
>>
>> First problem is that you ignored advice and bought an autoranging meter.
>> TURN OFF THE AUTORANGING.
>> Dig around in the manual and look for range hold or range lock or
>> something similar. Set it to the 20V range (maybe 40V depending on the
>> meter) and leave it there while measuring voltage. You'll have to lock
>> it again if you change modes.
>
>Considering future uses as well as the current one, I think she did fine
>with an autoranger. I think it's far more useful to a novice than a
>dedicated range meter and probably less expensive, too. The problem is
>obviously getting the probes in place to read the voltage.
>
>> You've given few details, but some assumptions can be made.
>> There are always exceptions, but usually...
>>
>> Where does the power come from?
>> If it's a battery, it's DC.
>> If it's a transformer, it's AC.
>
>What if it's a transformer with a rectifier? (-: (But I don't think so in
>this old a device.)
>
>> How are they connected?
>> If you can get one light to work in a socket, it's parallel.
>
>That's been established. They're parallel.
>
>> 2.5 vac 0.3a #14 flashlight bulbs x 12 = 3.6 amps.
>>
>> 11 ohms cold seems about 5x too high for that bulb. You sure you've
>> got #14 bulbs?
>
>Damn you Micky, now I have to get up from my nice warm bed to grab some
>bulbs and my ohm meter.
>
>[time passes]
>
>I got a reading of 1.1 ohms for my bulbs so you're right. I suspect an
>autoranging decimal error of some sort or skin contact interfering with the
>reading. Several of my bulbs in storage had substantial corrosion on the
>button contact that affected the readings as well.
>
>> Short the meter leads and measure resistance of the leads. It's never
>> zero and sometimes a lot more if the probes are defective or just cheap
>> or connections are corroded. Subtract that number from your bulb
>> measurement.
>
>I don't think it matters much as dead bulbs are an "either/or" proposition.
>Dead or not. Some small resistance or none at all. If she has an audio
>continuity function, a beep is good, none is dead.
>
>> #14 MINIATURE BULB E10 BASE - 2.47 Volt 0.30 Amp Miniature Screw (E10)
>> Base 0.50 MSCP, C-2R Filament Design, 15 Average Rated Hours, 0.94"
>> Maximum Overall Length #14 Miniature Bulb
>>
>> NOTE that it's rated for 15 hours average life. Might wanna change
>> to a different bulb. Then you'll need a different transformer, but
>> 12V bulbs on a 12V surplus laptop power supply works well. Cheap
>> non-regulated wall warts have small transformers and have serious
>> regulation problems as noted below.
>
>That is pretty rotten life expectancy but is completely in line with almost
>all the bulbs being burned out. Have you come across many 12VDC laptop
>supplies? Everything I've got runs from 15 to 18VDC. Maybe times have
>changed. The key word in finding a power supply for this app, as you've
>noted, is "Regulated." Unfortunately not all regulated power supplies are
>marked thusly but a simple check with a voltmeter usually tell you. All the
>unregulated power supplies I've tested run several volts above rated voltage
>without load. .

And with a bulb in the circuit, there IS a load - and the voltage
drops.
>

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

I just found the ideal tester adapter for testing that dollhouse
lighting system. E-Bay # 320766470225
$3.99 including shipping from Hong Kong. Thread it into the E10 socket
and you have an MR16 socket that is a piece of cake to connect to with
the meter probes.

[The Daring Dufas]

I liked the TV series "Dollhouse" staring cutie pie Eliza Dushku. ^_^

TDD

[micky]

Wow, that is good.

The top description says 1 pcs but the other one says 10. Either way
it's cheap enough. It's probably only one?

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:34:13 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

Considering it includes shipping from Hong Kong I'd say it's a safe
bet.

I ordered 10 9 watt MR16 lamps on friday and got them YESTERDAY - less
than a week from China.

[micky]

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:40:31 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:34:13 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:04:57 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>>
>>> I just found the ideal tester adapter for testing that dollhouse
>>>lighting system. E-Bay # 320766470225
>>>$3.99 including shipping from Hong Kong. Thread it into the E10 socket
>>>and you have an MR16 socket that is a piece of cake to connect to with
>>>the meter probes.
>>
>>Wow, that is good.
>>
>>The top description says 1 pcs but the other one says 10. Either way
>>it's cheap enough. It's probably only one?
> Considering it includes shipping from Hong Kong I'd say it's a safe
>bet.

Yeah, but there's some really cheap stuff online.

>
>I ordered 10 9 watt MR16 lamps on friday and got them YESTERDAY - less
>than a week from China.

Amazing, but no longer surprising.

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> >Are you living in Balto now? We've got enough posters in the Baltowash
area
> >that we should have a get-together.
>
> Yes, I'm in Balltimore. A get-together would be great. I read
> another group and we had one and it was a lot of fun.
>
> > If we've got enough people, maybe we
> >can convince HD or Lowe's to cater a lunch where they can make a sales
pitch
> >while we eat free food. (-: There's one of each in Laurel, which should
be
> >accessible from DC and Baltimore.

Well, that's two of us. (-: I'll try talking to one of the managers next
time I am in Laurel to see if they're interested in catering a show and
tell. I think one problem the big box stores have is getting eyeballs on
new products. I'll sit and look if they feed me . . . Reminds me of all the
"free" timeshare weekends where if they could, they would waterboard people
to get them to buy.

--
Bobby G.

[Joe]

On Dec 20, 2:42 pm, Jennifer Murphy <JenMur...@jm.invalid> wrote:
> My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
> dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)
>
> I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
> house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
> and the sockets very small (3/8"). I seemed to get a better reading on
> DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
> like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
> most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.
>
> Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?
>
> Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
> removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.
>
> I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
> continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
> resistance.
>
> I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
> fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
> several sockets. It was very dim.
>
> When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
> can get better readings.
>
> Any comments or suggestions?

For many years in automotive I used adapters made from burnt out bulbs
with test leads soldered to center post(s) and shell. Compact and easy
to insert and dead accurate. Saved time and made finding dead sockets
a snap.

Joe

[Robert Green]

"dpb" <no...@non.net> wrote in message news:jcvsrs$bm0$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

I've never experienced a winter like this in the DC area - don't get me
wrong - I like it! Agree about cycles. It's never been as cold as when I
first moved here in the early 80's. Looking over historical temperature
records for the area one thing's clear: the evenings never cool down as
much as they used to. That could just be development, loss of trees, "heat
island" effects and more, but it's still sort of spooky to be working
outside in short sleeves at night a few days before Christmas. Love the low
heating bill, though!

IIRC, you're in the midwest(?) so we'll probably be getting the cold soon.

--
Bobby G.

[dpb]

On 12/23/2011 3:10 PM, Robert Green wrote:
...

> IIRC, you're in the midwest(?) so we'll probably be getting the cold soon.
>

...

Far SW KS, yes. 3F this AM. Not sure whether this front is going E
that far or not at...

--

[Robert Green]

"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message

news:cno6f7t4gni1spc7o...@4ax.com...

> <robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:
>
> >"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:qgGIq.15208$8w6....@news.usenetserver.com...
> >> Sorry, Mitt, I am not one to gamble. You shouldn't either, being a
Mormon
> >> and all.
> >>
>
>http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/rick-santorum-taken-aback-by-m
itt-romneys-10000-bet/
> >
> It's true, IMO, that the bet offer tends to make Romney look rich, and
> it's probably the result of being rich.
>
> But the comparisons with what the average Iowan makes seem not too
> relevant to me. He wasn't offerent to bet an average Iowan**. Romney
> should have said, Well, Rick [Perry] has a lot more money than the
> average Iowan.
>
> **I don't know how Perry's statement that he lacked indoor plumbing
> until he was 6 squares with wikip "His father, a Democrat, was a
> long-time Haskell County commissioner and school board member."
> Sounds like a guy with indoor plumbing to me.

"A guy with indoor plumbing" is slang for a transsexual man who's had his
faucet removed and replaced with P-trap, if you know what I mean. (-:

> And the last person to complain aobut this should have been Newt.
> Remember in his first campaign, earlier this year, it turned out he
> had a $500,000 line of credit at Tiffany's and his reply was "That's
> just the way people do business." as if the reporter and the rest of
> us were stupid for not knowing that. I woudl bet that as few
> people can afford to be t10,000 dollars, about the same number could
> get a 500G line of credit, but a lot fewer think that is "the way
> people do business". If I were in that situation, I'd think, That's
> the way *rich* people do business, but I woudln't say it.

I think the Republican rank and file is so *not* in love with Mitt that
they'll overlook at lot of things in Newt. The Tiffany LOC, the
"consulting, not lobbying" for Fannie/Freddy totally 1.6M or thereabouts and
conservative family values that include dumping his cancer-ridden wife for a
newer model.

My roulette playing was a lot simpler, betting odd/even or red black and
keeping track of what numbers came up on graph paper pads (which made the
pit bosses nervous but not enough to eject me). My theory was that every
wheel had some sort of small bias to repeat certain numbers over others. I
saved the pad inside my stringbook (a reporter's collection of printed
stories) because I wanted to prove to my editors that I actually did what I
said, and didn't just walk in, lose my $200 stake with one spin and spent
the rest of the time on the beach. When I *really* thought I had a small
set of winning numbers isolated, they came and took the whole damn wheel
away and replaced it with another. It didn't make much sense because I was
never bet more that $10 a roll. They may have been afraid that if I did
find a flaw, I'd suddenly start betting big money. I had a friend come up
for the day who turned out to be a real gambling addict. Back then, casinos
had not yet made it easy to convert your mortage or your kid's college fund
into fast cash. The hallmark of a gambling addict is that they always say
that "just one more spin and I'll get even" and that they can never walk
away from a big win. They almost always give it all back and then some
because they think they're on a hot streak.

> I was there a week and lost 40 dollars.
>
> This story has more very interesting twists, if anyone is interested.

Sure. I think the OP has solved her problems and now we're in floating
along in the thread drift.

--
Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

<cl...@snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:nkl7f79o09al71o73...@4ax.com...

Break, break. Where's the message? (-:

--
Bobby G.