Dim Lights: Check the output voltage and amperage of the transformer (ie 9.0v-DC/265mA) and try to match the lights to this. Remember, if you are using a series (all lights in a string) the more lights on a circuit, the dimmer they will be and if one blows, they may all blow and will certainly not work until the blown bulb is replaced. If using a parallel circuit (each light on a separate path) brightness is determined by the rating of the individual bulbs and if one goes, others are not affected.

Dani

Dim Lights: First, Don't tap the lights with anything. When you do that, you are basically shorting out the filament in the light. Depending on the type, it may be a coil like a spring, or it may be a couple of big loops which are barely supported. When the filament is hot (emitting light), it is very fragile and by tapping, you cause adjacent coils to touch each other, thereby making the filament shorter than designed. The filament length is designed to drop (use) the 12 volts without overheating. When the 12 volts must be used by less wire, the wire becomes hotter (brighter) and it shortens it life drastically.

Count the number of light bulbs you have in your house (bulbs, not the number of fixtures or lamps). Double that number, and then divide that result by three. The answer is the approximate number of watts (output, not input) needed from your transformer. If the need is greater than the size of your transformer, the bulbs will be less bright and the transformer will overheat, causing the thermal overload to open up, turning of the power. When it cools down, it will reset and turn back on. You solve this by getting a larger transformer. There could be a couple of other things, but check this first.

Tom Berkner

Two-Light Transformer: Cir-Kit makes a 5 bulb transformer, which is what you would need as that is the smallest that I know of. For two lights, you could also use a battery pack, but you would have to hardwire it onto the tape wire on the outside and the lights will not be as bright! Cir-Kit does have a web page and it is http://www.cir-kitconcepts.com.

Isabel Allen

Two-Light Transformer: Depending on the bulb(s) voltage I think one of those little transformer/converters that plug into the wall and then to the radio or the answer machine will take 110-120Vac and give you a lower voltage DC I have used them for 6.0Vdc; 9Vdc and 12 Vdc. With a single bulb as you say there is no need to worry about the Ma. (milliamps) that the transformer can handle. If you have one and the output Vdc is to high for your bulb, you can use a "dropping" resister.

Bob

Voltage Droppers: Voltage droppers tend to generate heat and some times quite allot, especially if you don't have the right rating , and for a light bulb there is no need of a DC. output, I think that it would be easier and safer to get the bulb of the same Voltage output, say if the transformer has a 6V output get a 6V bulb, etc., moreover the problems with transformers is the over loading, using to many bulbs not less, to cut it short, a transformer that takes 30, 12V bulbs can still be used for 1 or 2 12V bulbs and if they are to bright use a higher voltage bulb, say 13V or 14V and they light dimmer, or only one box room with 2 bulbs, apart from that a large transformer one can connect more then one box room to the same transformer, then the bulbs have to be the ratting recommended on the transformer, say 12V and not exceeding 30 bulbs.

Joseph

One-Light Transformer: I use a railway transformer for room boxes even with only one light. The beauty of the little one I have is it is plastic and therefore light and has the option of turning the power down and thereby dimming the light if it is too bright.

Roberta

Lighting Problem: Have you tested the transformer to be sure it isn't defective? Touch the ends of the bulb wires to the terminals to see if it lights up. Do the same with the test probe-you may have to attach wires to the prong ends in order to reach the two transformer terminals -- the small bulb in the probe may be burnt out. Until you know that you have current at the beginning of the tape run, I wouldn't advise going any further.

Rose

Lighting Problems: Now to get to your electrical using the probe, is it possible when you hammered your junction in you might have not put the two prongs into the tape, or when you put the screw to hold the junction on you might have caught part of the tape it can happen. I do alot of electrical but this sometime can happen. Check it out because your probe should work that tells you all tape wire is okay along with the junction.

Patti

Brads & Tools: A brad is the same as a nail only much smaller and a brad awl is a tool to make a very small hole for the brad to go into. When I'm doing electrical I take a very small piece of bond paper about the a l" x 1/2" and I put a tiny hole in the center or near the end then I make a slit from the hole out. I place my brad into the little hole in the paper then I put it in the hole where my electrical is going to be then after tapping it in with the hammer very lightly I then pull the paper where I made the slit and then bang my brad the rest of the way down.

Patti

Lamp Parts: You can get lamp parts from a company called Tec Innovations. She also sells to retail stores so you can check to see if your local store carries the parts. Tecs e-mail address and web site is: http://misc.home.mindspring.com/ E-Mail teclamps@mindspring.com

Deb Laue

Lighting Web Site: He is in England but does do shows in America. His lights are fabulous - all brass and hand blown glass. Ray Storey Lighting http://www.storey-lighting.freeserve.co.uk/

Barbara B

Wiring through Hinges: I've done lots of wiring with all kinds of copper tape and can't think of any way to wire through a single (piano) hinge. Usually it takes two hinges, running each tape through one hinge. But you might stop the tape on one side of the hinge, start it again on the other, and connect the two with a short piece of wire or a plug/outlet assembly. Email me if you want more information.

Sue

Lighting; Wiring and lighting a dollshouse is not that hard to do. The voltage used is very safe. First, look at light fixtures. Decide what fixtures you want in your house and count the BULBS. The bulb count determines the size transformer you will need. You don't have to get all the fixtures at once time, though it's easier in the long run if you can get at least all the ceiling fixtures at once.

I recommend Cir-Kit wiring kits. Knowing your bulb count, look at the wiring kits (or ask your retailer for help) to determine which size transformer will meet your needs. These kits contain about everything you need to install wiring in your house except for the light fixtures themselves. They even have instructions! A very helpful booklet by Barbara Warner on basic wiring is also highly recommend. She makes it easy.

Once you have your wiring kit (and hopefully the book) you study your house to determine how to run the tape wire. Ceiling lights do best when the wires are poked through the ceiling and wired on the floor above. The instructions books will tell you how to make any joins needed and how to attach the fixtures.

Beth

When I teach the electrical class, I always stress making a plan and keep it somewhere you can find it later ( like in the base of the dh). Another thing is to test each room after you make any changes like adding wire. Then also I say when you have a problem, backwards one room at a time and isolate your problem. Sometimes it's the source, did you plug the transformer in? I've forgotten that when I'm in a hurry.

One other thing is that when I can I wire in the lights on the floor above the ceiling where the light is. You are going to cover it with wood or carpet and won't see it. Just make sure you don't glue the wiring in so you can never get to it again.

Deanna

Tape wire and floors: When I tape wire, I run the tape on the wall about 1/2" from the floor. That way it will be just above the baseboard. (I change that if I'm using baseboard that is a different height.) And to get from floor to floor above, I run the tape up the wall through the stairwell. The only problem you have is if there is no stairwell wall. That happens most often from a second floor to an attic floor. Then I look for a room, such as a bath, that might be getting a tile floor. I run the tape from the ceiling below to the floor above and head to the nearest wall. If that isn't possible, consider drilling a tiny hole and attach runs of tape on the floors with round wire. Just be careful of the size of wire in relation to the number of lights and tape that are above the wire.

Sue

Room boxes - You might be able to get the light at Radio Shack or a hardware store, I got mine from a miniature dealer. It is called "Auralite" (dramatic, under shelf accent lighting). It turns wall units, curios, stereo cabinets and bookcases into decorator showcases. Mine is 10": brass, energy efficient with 7.5 watts. You can glue or screw it into your roombox.

Mary

Baking Electrical Wires in Fimo: I don't think the insulation on the wiring would stand up to the heat of baking Fimo. Suggestion: put brass tubing inside the Fimo and then bake it. Then you can run the wire in the tubing. If you need the tubing softer so it can be bent easier, then anneal it. That is to heat it until it is slightly turning red or a very faint glow. Don't heat it any more or it will melt. You can lay it on an electric burner and watch it very carefully. As soon as it starts to show a little color take it off (with pliers or tweezers) and put it into water. If you drop the hot tubing on the vinyl floor the floor is a goner.

Bill Hudson

Baking Electrical Wires in Fimo: I do not imagine that the temperature that Fimo is baked at will affect the wire. I would suggest that if the wire is insulated you place just a piece of the wire as it would be when it is imbedded in the Fimo and bake that alone in the oven. If it survives that test then you can bake it in the Fimo.

Bob

Baking Wires in Fimo: Why not bake your Fimo and then run the wire through it. I have made several lighted fixtures in this way. You can leave a place for the wire to exit and then thread it through.

Mary Kaliski

Baking Lighting Wires in Fimo: Don't put wiring in the oven. The insulation will melt off the wires and they might touch causing a short circuit. Instead, form your candlestick around something like a hollow piece of tubing, one with a hole large enough for the wire to go through, and bake it, then wire it.

June Simpson