- Sep 3, 2011
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Yes - exactly right. The hot wire (typically black) and the neutral (white) go to the power screws on the light fixture. Sometimes you'll have screws of different colors. The "golden" or brass colored screw is for the hot wire, the silver colored is for the neutral. This is important because you don't want to connect the hot lead to the threaded part of the socket because you can accidentally touch that when changing a bulb. For the ground (green) wire, you must drill a hole in the can, unless you have a fixture with a dedicated green screw for this purpose. The fixture shown in the original article did not have such a screw and so you'd have to drill the hole if using that style. I recommend that you use solderless crimp-connectors to attach electrical lines to fixture screws because wires wrapped directly under screws come loose easily. You need a special tool (a crimper) but it can be used indefinitely and they're not expensive. Use an "eye" type connector so it can't come off and after you crimp it, give it a "tug test" to make sure it's securely fastened. The wire should not move in the connector at all when you pull on it. If it does, crimp it again next to the first. If it's still loose, cut it off and start over. Turn the screws all the way out, as in remove them, feed them through the eye of the connector and fasten them securely. Drill the hole for the ground lead in the can just big enough for the machine screw to fit through. Fasten it in place with a machine screw, a "star" washer (because it bites into the metal, making a better connection) and a Nyloc nut or equivalent lock nut. This will prevent it from coming loose over time which could compromise its effectiveness. As other writers have suggested, the power should always come from a GFI outlet. This measures the current going out and coming back and compares them. If more goes out than comes back, it trips and shuts off the power very quickly - the assumption being that the extra current is going through YOU. After a time, the GFI outlet may wear out and start "nuisance tripping" meaning that it trips all the time when there isn't a significant current difference. This requires that it be replaced. If you replace it yourself, or if you replace older non-GFI outlets, make sure you know what your doing because it can be hooked up wrong and circumvent the safety function. Either hire an electrician each time or hire him/her once and have them show you the right way to do it. The instructions tell you how, but if you're the least bit confused, make the call. I would recommend light bulbs on the small side to start with. Make sure they don't touch the sides of the can and that there's nothing in the can but the light. You should use the smallest size bulb that will thaw the waterer to minimize fire danger. In fact, if you put the can in another metal container, such as a cake tin and put that on a spacer to get it up off the floor, it will keep bedding from being thrown onto the light can and will dissipate heat. My chickens routinely drink out of a 5 gallon bucket so they can reach pretty high. As for extension cords, most likely, it is not recommended that you use one with the dog waterer because it may draw enough current to heat up a small cord. Error on the side of large wires when buying an extension cord for the coop. Get one that's rated for outdoor use and it should be a 3 conductor cord. Somewhere on the package it should say 12/3 meaning the wire is 12 gauge and it has the 3 conductors we talked about above. I used two of those for several years but last summer I buried a 10/3 "direct bury" line to the coop and installed a weather proof outlet which makes lights, fans and heaters so much easier. Have fun with it!
