regular socket and timer???

[xke4]

Can I convert this type of light socket to one with a timer? If so, how?

 

[greginshasta]

well, there's a "real electrician" running around here who will probably smack me down, but here's a hack you can do.

There are screw-in adaptors that have the same thread as a light bulb, male and female on either end, that have a receptacle on the side into which you can plug an extension cord. Screw that into the porcelain fixture, then install the bulb in the other side. Then connect an extension cord and run that to your timer. From that, the timer would run a light fixture - perhaps with a clamp? Would this work for you?

I'm looking online for a photo of the product. Will post when I find it.


ok, here is an adaptor that just allows you to convert the light socket to a power receptacle: http://www.acehardware.com/product/...454.2632219.2632235.2632237&parentPage=family

OK, here's what I had in mind:
http://www.doityourself.com/invt/u244509

Plug that in, re-insert your bulb, then connect to a timer. The timer will run a seperate light fixture - whatever you can find that can be mounted in the coop.

 

[unionwirewoman]

ok so i'm not sure if that was a jab by greginshasta or not but all i can say is that i guess being a union wireman has taught me that a job worth doing is a job worth doing right . what he has recommended to you will work although the picture he showed does'nt seem to be adapted to fit for a cord with a ground , they do make those however . i guess the question is , is there another existing fixture ? if there isn't then it would be just as easy to come out of your fixture box and tie in another receplacle (or hard wire in the timer) . you'd then have to come out of the timer for your loadside(light) to tie it in . i guess if it were me i'd just wire the timer in , that way you don't have to worry about the extension cord falling out or the chickens flying up and knocking it out .

 

[greginshasta]

Quote:
I knew I could get myself in trouble with that one! LOL

My brother is an electrician and I leave all my sparky stuff to him so I don't manage to hurt myself or anyone nearby!

 

[greginshasta]

Quote:
All kidding aside, if one was to come out of that with a timer, then to a gooseneck lamp, a drop light or a clamp-fixture, is it really all that necessary to do a ground? I'd really like to know because it's just like me to kludge something like that, then find out that was a really bad plan dewd...

Fill me (us) in please.

 

[MissPrissy]

I guess you haven't seen my post about the timer I put in.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18717

Look at my light socket. LOL

The porcelain is cast with the socket on the side, all one piece. I chose it to keep everything compact and in one place in the hen house. I have 2 of those in each room aligned at equal distances. The upside is they cost me $1.99 at lowes and I didn't have to do extra wiring to have an outlet and a light.

I used this one because the only hardwired timer I could find was priced at over $59 and really not worth it to me to run a light for less than 2 hours a day in the winter. I was actually surprised that timers for hardwiring were hard to find unless you want the huge box mount that look to be about the same size as the eletric meter itself.

This very small light timer works well in my hen house.

I am not an electrician. BUt I did manage with some help to wore my barn properly and put in a new breaker for it. I don't know if I want to do it again though. It all makes me very nervous.

 

[unionwirewoman]

that is definetly an inexpensive way to do it , although your mc on the left hand side does'nt seem to be doing any good seeing as how the wire is exposed . those lights also produce quite a bit of heat so i would'nt be suprised if down the road the timer housing starts to melt and could potentially cause a fire . as far as a ground goes ANY conduit or opening (box) is required to have a ground per the NEC (national electrical code) .

 

[MissPrissy]

The conduit is fixed that was photo was taken when I was just making sure it was all wired correctly before tightening everything down. The light bulb works on a pull chain. The electric plug always has current. The light can be either on or off. I keep that bulb off. The timer does not get hot. I don't need it except if I am out there at night. My wiring is 100% to code with a ground. I had it checked back in the spring when it was done.

 

[unionwirewoman]

sorry miss prissy i should have said i was mantioning the ground to greginshasta .

 

[greginshasta]

Quote:
Thanks. Hope you know I was making fun of myself, and my tendency to take shortcuts, and not poking fun at you. As technical as I am, electrical stuff makes me crazy and I avoid working on it unless there isn't a choice., and I really respect you sparky folks who know what you are doing.

So if a lamp has no ground wire (2-prong plug only), and a timer has no grounded receptacl (again, 2-prong only), if one uses my approach to use that adaptor and connect a timer to control that non-grounded lamp, is this a hazard? Assuming you say yes, how please? what can happen and how, hypothetically. I'm making the assumption that there is now water source in the coop, an no other reason for a short circuit. What, in such a case, can cause a problem?