Low Voltage wiring.

[TGMcCallie]

I am trying to wire a light fixture that has 4 separate low voltage 7 watt lights on it.

I have a question: Does it matter to have all the white wires on the silver screws and the black wires on he
brass one. I have tried to do this and think that I have it wired correctly. I have wired it to a t0 watt low voltage landscape transformer. I have not exceeded the wattage. I have 10 watts of lights also connected to it which
burn when turned on. Problem is the light fixture that has 4 separate lights on it does not work.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be. The bulbs are good as I have tested them in the lights that work.

Thanks

 

[Snoonyb]

What is the transformer wattage rating. Hard wire the fixture directly to the transformer, eliminating the landscape fixtures.

 

[TGMcCallie]

The landscape low voltage transformer (Paradise) is 50 Watts. There are NO LANDSCAPE FIXTURES wired to the transformers. I have 2 low voltage 7 wattage each lights and the 4 fixture light wired on the transformer.
The 2 watt lights are on each side of a door to my shop and the fixture is over my bbq grill island which consists of 4 - 7 watt bulbs. Total of 42 watts.

 

[Snoonyb]

And you said that the conductors are connected to screws. I this a switch?

Disconnect them and wire them directly to the transformer.

 

[TGMcCallie]

Let me explain: I am attaching a picture of the 4 light fixture that I created using fruit jars and the old lamp sockets. The lamp socket is inside the fruit jars. They are the old fashioned type like people use to have hanging from a wire that you turned on by pulling a chain. Inside these sockets are 2 wire connecting screws one brass and one silver colored. These are the screws I was talking about. The landscape wire comes from the transformer through a regular wall off and on switch then goes to each fruit jar. The black wires are all connected together and the white ones are all connected together. They are not wired in series.

The landscape wire comes from the transformer connects to a wall toggle switch then goes to the 4 light
fixture. The switch is just to cut the 4 lights off when not needed letting the lights beside the door stay on until the transformer automatically cuts all off.

The 4 light fixture is over my bbq island and I wanted to not have them on unless I needed them. Don't see how the switch will cause any problem because it just opens and closes the circuit as needed.

 

[TGMcCallie]

I will draw a diagram of how I have it wired up. will post soon

 

[TGMcCallie]

Here is the wiring diagram. Hope this explains how I have it wired.

 

[Snoonyb]

If the door lites work, eliminate the switch.

 

[slownsteady]

The best way to troubleshoot something like this is to disconnect all wires and then reconnect each one, one at a time. The homemade fixture could be a problem that only you can troubleshoot. You mentioned that "the transformer" cuts off the light. But I think that sounds like it's a timer. Stupid question: are you confusing the two?

 

[TGMcCallie]

The door lights work as they are suppose to. I will eliminate the switch but I do not see where that would
cause any problem just because when you turn off the switch it will just kill the juice going to the fruit jar lights and leave the door lights burning.

I will try this tomorrow by disconnecting the black wires from the switch and wiring them together like the white ones. This will auto remove the switch temporarily. But I do not see why that would matter.

Will post results tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[TGMcCallie]

The best way to troubleshoot something like this is to disconnect all wires and then reconnect each one, one at a time. The homemade fixture could be a problem that only you can troubleshoot. You mentioned that "the transformer" cuts off the light. But I think that sounds like it's a timer. Stupid question: are you confusing the two?

The low voltage transformer is a landscape auto timer that you can set to come on dusk to dawn or on and off at a scheduled time. It is just a low voltage transformer like everyone uses with outdoor landscape lighting. It is basically a timer that has a transformer inside it that cuts voltage down to 12 to 14 volts instead of 120.


The problem could be in my wire connections somewhere but I have undone it and wires are all connected properly.

 

[JoeD]

The door lights work as they are suppose to. I will eliminate the switch but I do not see where that would
cause any problem just because when you turn off the switch it will just kill the juice going to the fruit jar lights and leave the door lights burning.

I will try this tomorrow by disconnecting the black wires from the switch and wiring them together like the white ones. This will auto remove the switch temporarily. But I do not see why that would matter.

Will post results tomorrow.

Thanks

The switch could be defective.

 

[WyrTwister]

Are the fruit jars LED ? Is the " transformer " DC ?

If so , if you reverse the polarity , I do not think the fruit jars will work .

Wyr
God bless

 

[Snoonyb]

The timer in the transformer acts as a switch energizing the transformer, not the load. In other words it's supplying 120V to the transformer.

The cure is going to be another transformer with the 120V switched, not the low voltage or load side.

 

[TGMcCallie]

And you said that the conductors are connected to screws. I this a switch?

Disconnect them and wire them directly to the transformer.

Here is what I was talking about SCREWS. They are the two brass and silver colored screw connections inside the socket.

I am attaching a picture attachment of the socket I am using and I am sure you will recognize them. They just don't have the pull down chain or the twist switch on them.

 

[TGMcCallie]

I may have found the problem. I ordered 12 volt led bulbs and I think I was sent low wattage 120 volt bulbs.
I am going to take the low voltage 5 watt led bulbs out of the door lights and see if they work in the
non working light. I have also placed a call to super bright led lights.com to make sure they sent me the
right bulbs.

I hope this is the problem. The only thing is if they will not swap the bulbs I will be out another 42.00.
That's a bomber.

Will let you know because I am going to do this before I attempt any other changes.

Tom

Are the fruit jars LED ? Is the " transformer " DC ?

If so , if you reverse the polarity , I do not think the fruit jars will work .

Wyr
God bless

The fruit jars are regular glass fruit jars that I have installed regular light sockets in. The landsdape transformer is just a regular landscape low voltage 12 to 14 volt transformer.

If you will google how to make led lights with fruit jars you will see how mine is made. Then everyone will know what I am talking about. Also google led landscape transformers and you will see the make up of my transformer/timer.

 

[Snoonyb]

On the threaded portion of the lamp or just above that should either be embossed or printed the voltage and wattage of the lamp.

 

[TGMcCallie]

Problem solved and project finished.

The shipper sent me 120 volt bulbs instead of low voltage that I asked for. I just took for granted that they sent the correct voltage. I rewired the light to operate on 120 volts instead of through the landscape low
voltage transformer. That is not what I wanted to do but too much trouble to send back and reorder.

I am happy with them because I can still manually cut them on and off instead of having them on and off
on a schedule.

Thanks for everyone's concerns and replies.

I will post a picture of them lit up when it gets dark.

 

[TGMcCallie]

As I promised, here is a picture of my lights at night. The only thing is you can't see what they really
look like because of the glare. This shows that it was a success.

Problem solved.

 

[TGMcCallie]

Here they are during daylight. Still got a little to do to them such as hide the wiring so it will be more
attractive.