Wireing Thermostat Question ( Update)

[jimnjay]

I am trying the Water Heater Thermostat for my hatcher. I don't have the lighting fixture as shown in the other posts. I have a cord regular cord with two little light sockets. It is used to light doll houses or stained glass villages but is rated for up to 40 watts. I use a 25 watt bulb. My question is this: When I cut the cord to attach to the thermostat, do I cut both pieces of wire ( imagine a regular extension cord)and attach the end of each one to the screws on the thermostat. I would then have a loose end of wire for each strand. how do I get the loose ends attached back to the main cord? The only way I can see is to attach both ends of the wire to the screws on the thermostat.

My neighbor tried to help me and he said to cut only one strand of wire and attach each wire to a screw. I did that and when it got up to temperature, it shut down one of the lights and not the other. The first light never came back on and the second light stayed on.

I am going to try it with a single light socket today but the wireing is the same.

 

[MissPrissy]

One side of the cord is to be wired to the light. The other is wired to the thermostat.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19643

Look in the post above to see how I wired mine.

 

[arlee453]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19643

Miss Prissy has a good picture here on the first page of how to wire it. The 'hot' wire from your 'in' cord goes to the thermostat, the other neutral wire goes directly to the light fixture. Then another wire from the thermostat to the light fixture.

Edit...I see the wonder woman herself already posted the same thread...great minds think alike, you know.

 

[jimnjay]

I studied your diagram yesterday Miss Prissy but I am not sure it is the same thing with my light because the wires do not go directly into the light socket. The socket has two sharp prongs that just stick into the cord and make a connection.
I had the thermostat wired to the each of the cut wires.
Here is a picture, How do I tell which is the hot wire?

 

[arlee453]

On a LOT (but not all) cords like the one in your picture, there is an extra ridge of plastic on the hot wire.

Also, you'll need to attach the thermostat between the switch that is in the line already (or just cut out the part with the switch) and the FIRST light socket.

That way both lights will go on and off with the thermostat.

 

[jimnjay]

Ok after looking closely I see that one of the lines is ribbed, I think Miss Prissy mentioned that. So I will have to cut the wire just behind in front of the switch, Right? I am going to re-do the thing with a new cord, basically the same but with only one light socket. The low wattage bulbs took to long to get to temp.

 

[jimnjay]

Thank you, Thank You Both Arlee and Miss Prissy. It works now. I switched to a single light and I am using a 25 watt bulb. I have not gotten it stablized yet but it turned off and on so I am on the right track. I will take picutures tomorrow. I have 6 days till I need to move my eggs to the hatcher so I feel like I have enough time to work out the kinks.

 

[jimnjay]

I have fiddled with this thing all day long the temp swings were way to large.

I plugged it into the dimmer plug I have and it works like a charm . If anyone else trys to do this with the water heater thermostat, I recommend using a lower wattace bulb 15 watts. I will do that too just as soon as I can find one.

 

[MissPrissy]

I was just looking for this post to see how things where going.

Every wiring set up is different and you have to play around with the combo to find what works perfect for you.