How Do I Install Light Sockets For My CFL Setup?

I have a small grow box and I was wondering how I could put enough sockets for about 4 or 5 CFL's the box is about three feet tall and a foot deep and wide.
How do Y connectors work?
I have NO idea how to set up the light fixtures.
Help?

Ok, basically what you can do to wire one light socket is to take a cheap extension cord (the long 8' ones that allow you to plug 3 cords into it) and cut off the female end (not the plug-into-the-outlet end) strip the cord and you split the wiring inside evenly (if there are 14 total copper wires inside split them into (2) 7-wire bundles for example) and roll those around the two screws located under the light socket. screw down those two screws so that the wiring is secured to the underside of the light socket. plug in your light, or your Y splitter into the socket and put 2 lights on each of the Y splitter's sockets. then just take the whole thing and screw it into whatever you want, be it a wood plank, sides of your sterilite container, etc.

seriously man if ya dont know how get someone to do it for you

if you can't wire a live or grounded wires then you might want to reconsider your set up

I just needed to know how to wire it because Im not very good with electrical stuff.
The setup's pretty good.
Ill be able to post pictures when growth starts.

get a bathroom fixture that has 3 sockets, each one should be able to hold at least 60 watts... at the back there should be 3 main labeled wire

then go to a hardward store and look at there section for extension cords... you have 2 options getting a cheap cord and stripping it and making the connections... or the one i recommend is getting a 'replacement cord'... they come already stripped and have the 3 labeled wires

its as easy as just putting the 'live' wire on the bathroom set to the live wire on the cord... also if you get the replacement cord then there will be a ground wire included in it

then you can put in y adaptors to the sockets

just remember to tape everything down so non of the wires touch, and when you connect the two sets of wires from the fixture to the cord you put on a plastic electrical cap on them and tape it down to make sure they dont get loose (these should come in the fixture but if not they are like 49 cents for a bunch)

if you have any more questions i just did something like this a few days ago, pm me

but if you read it and were still confused, dont set it up yourself... its really unsafe to be messing around if ya dont know how... but if you do it, just make sure the wires are all taped down properly

hope that explains some of it

Could somebody draw a diagram, scan it to their computer and print it?
It would help A LOT.

Black live , white neutral, green ground. thats how it always works, then tie them together

u dont know how to add a picture or id just show ya cause i got pictures of mine i was going to put in a journal next month

how do you put up pics?

Go down to home depot or lowes. All of them in my area have something like this. Amazon.com: LEVITON MFG. 001-167 "LEVITON" KEYLESS OUTDOOR SOCKET: Home Improvement

Basically when you screw off the top there are two spikes, the kind I got at lowes has a top that turns and snaps on, I like the screw on ones better. But one of the spikes is copper, one is siler, most of the power cords you can buy in the lighting section have one copper and one silver wire, unscrew the top of the socket, lay the coper wire on the coper spike, siler on silver, screw it down and you are good to go.

I use these in my lighting fixture I made, I have like 12 sockets on one cord and 4 on another. That's what I like about these types of sockets is that it's easy to place it inline, and you can take it off and move it down without having to even tape up the line after.

Instead of messing around with the wiring I went looking through my storage room. I found and dissected a lamp and took the wires from it.
I'm going to be uploading pictures of my grow space as soon as I get batteries for my camera.
I don't have any sprouts yet, but it'll show you my basic set-up.

one warning, how long has that been there, and how many sockets does it have

i still think you should get a new fixture just to avoid any problems

get a 400 hps and a ballast.

donkeyballs said:

get a 400 hps and a ballast.

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not everyone has the proper set up for one of those, if he is considering a small space where temp is an issue... air flow... or fire hazards... or price...

i find so many people on these forums are fsat to jump at hps, but many peoples set ups dont work with those lights

donkeyballs said:

get a 400 hps and a ballast.

Click to expand...

Buy me one and I PROMISE you Ill use it

MonkeeMan said:

one warning, how long has that been there, and how many sockets does it have

i still think you should get a new fixture just to avoid any problems

Click to expand...

The lamp was working perfectly when I tested it etc. so I don't think it should be a problem.

It's been five days since I planted my first seed and there still isn't even a sign of a sprout.
I've been keeping the pot in the dark and watering it with 5-8 squirts on mist from a water bottle daily.

Have I been doing something wrong?
Or am I just being impatient?

~Cheers~

I usually use the whole soak the seed in a cup of water over night with a drop of superthrive in them. I plant the ones that sink, give the ones that don't an extra day. I have started seeds right in soil but it seems to take a lot longer. I may not have a vast amount of growing experience, but I have killed plenty of seedlings so I have gotten pretty good at starting seeds.

i learned this method in 4th grade in school and has a 99% chance of sprout as long as the seeds are good.



Take you seeds and fold them up in a warm damp wet paper towel

next place the WARM most paper towel into a zip lock bag and seal the bag so the mostiure will not evaporate

now place the zip lock bag in a dark place with no light or liitle lite will enter.

IN about 12 hours they should crack but if i was you i would what 48 hours becasue by that time the seedling will have left the seed casing and ull already have a set of leaves..