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Calling all electricians! Homebuild hatcher help....

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by Poulets De Cajun, Mar 25, 2009.

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  1. Mar 25, 2009 #1
    Poulets De Cajun

    Poulets De Cajun Overrun With Chickens

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    I'm fairly good with hooking things up as long as their isn't more than two wires... LOL But I'm starting my new hatcher and need some wiring help.

    First of all, the fan that I am using only runs when I hook it up directly to a normal plug. I tried it with the 12v adapter and it didn't work. The fan says its a 115v I believe and when I connected it to a normal plug and plugged it directly to the outlet, it ran fine. Is this proper, or should there be a fuse somewhere between the outlet and fan. I want to make sure I dont burn anything up.

    And secondly, I am using the heating element from my LG, and hopefully a wafer thermostat, along with an indicator lamp I picked up at Radio Shack. Since the heating element, and the fan both plug directly into the wall, I want to wire everything together so that I only have one plug as opposed to two or three. Although I understand circuitry to a degree, my problem is that I dont know in what sequence and where to wire which item.

    There are two black wires on the plug itself, two white wires on the fan, a black and white wire on the heating element, and two wires on the indicator lamp. I'm having trouble diagraming exactly how/where to connect each so that everything works properly. Anyone have any advice?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2009
  3. Mar 25, 2009 #2
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    Since the fan is meant to be plugged into the wall, it wouldn't have had enough "juice" if you tried to put it on a 12V adapter. I'd assume that if it was meant to plug into the wall, it should be just fine.

    If you want the fan to be on all the time, I'd use that for the main plug, then from that, put in parallel the thermostat, in which you want in series with the indicator light and heat element, so the indicator light and heater is only on when the thermostat says to be on.

    I have no idea if I made any sense there. It's spring break :p.
     
  5. Mar 25, 2009 #3
    krusti

    krusti Chillin' With My Peeps

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    [​IMG] Based on what you have written it sounds like everything is 120 VAC. Most 120 VAC circuits/components will have 2 (black/white) or 3 (black/white/green). Black is the hot wire/white is neutral/green is ground (3 prong plugs).

    For 120 VAC circuits connect all the black wires together with a wire nut (twist on connector) and all the white wires together with a wire nut. For the indicator light if no color is delineated one wire to black and the other to white. On most (not all) lights the flow of current does not matter in the light.

    Make sure that no copper is exposed which could cause an electrical shock or create a fire hazard.

    Hope this helps.
     
  7. Mar 25, 2009 #4
    Poulets De Cajun

    Poulets De Cajun Overrun With Chickens

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    Yes everything is 120. The fan has two white wires, the indicator light doesn't have any colored wires, and the heating element has a white and a black. Also the plug itself doesn't have any color, so how do I figure out which one is the hot wire, is it the side with the writing on it?

    Here is a very crude, and quick drawing of what I understand. (I'm a very visual learner.)

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Mar 25, 2009 #5
    jvls1942

    jvls1942 Overrun With Chickens

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    this message deleted by author
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2009
  11. Mar 25, 2009 #6
    chookmadhubby

    chookmadhubby Out Of The Brooder

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    Hi There,
    Althought I am in Australia where we use 240volt mains, the concepts are the same.

    AC equipment doesnt have positive and negative connections so your parts dont have to be hooked up in a particular way.

    You will need to go to the hardware store and get a terminal block or screw type wire joiners.

    Basically you need to connect similar to my very rough paint sketch below.
    [​IMG]
    The switch looking thing is the microswitch on the wafer.
    note that the fan is wired to run constantly, and the lamp is in parallel to the element (if the lamp blows if it is in series it will stop the element working)

    MOST IMPORTANT, I do not know the laws regarding electricals in the USA, in AUS a qualified electrician must do this type of work.
    Take care while doing it and dont touch anything when its plugged in!!!!!!!!

    Regards
    Trev
    NOTE if you are in Australia and read this pretend that you didnt see it!!!!!!
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2009
  13. Mar 25, 2009 #7
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    Quote:That's the pic you want, just have to figure out which are the grounds and which are the power.

    You can do your own project wiring here in the US, like installing fluorescent light strips to the ceiling, but on home in wall stuff, a certified tech has to write off on it if you want to be able to sell the house with ok'ed electrical. But I could be wrong and it may depend state to state.
     
  15. Mar 25, 2009 #8
    Poulets De Cajun

    Poulets De Cajun Overrun With Chickens

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    Quote:We can wire small projects, as SilkieChicken has already states. Large stuff like outlets and household wiring has to be done by a licensed electrician. I have put up two our our ceiling fans though...

    And I see the difference in your sketch and mine. But my question is, how can I hook up the lamp so that it doesn't shut down the heating element if it blows? There are no color markes on the lamp, and the wires are miniscule. Its not a lamp like you are probably thinking, its only about the size of my fingertip.
     
  17. Mar 25, 2009 #9
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    So the lamp is a project lamp? Is it rated for putting in series with the wall outlet? What are it's specs? If the wire's are tiny... it might be meant to be on little stuff like project boards or at the ends of a 1.5 V battery.
     
  19. Mar 25, 2009 #10
    jvls1942

    jvls1942 Overrun With Chickens

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    I am just going to go ahead and write this down..

    (edit) assuming that all your components are
    rated for 110V


    pick anywire from the plug,white
    the other is,black

    pick any wire from the fan, white
    the other is,black

    pick any wire from the light,white
    the other is black
    (edit): the 12 dc light will not work here.. get a 110V indicator light.....

    pick the white wire from heat element. white
    the other is black

    wire all four of these white wires together...


    now start at the heating element.

    take the black wire from the element,,,,,,the black wire from the light,,,,,,and either one of the wires from the thermostat...tie them all together

    now take the remaining wire from the thermostat, the black wire from the fan, and the black wire from the plug.. tie these three together..

    you are wired..............

    ......jiminwisc............
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2009
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