Login Status
Dolls House Lighting & Wiring Guide
Dollshouse Lighting Made Easy - Dolls House Light Fittings - Transformers
Dolls House Wiring |
Dollshouse Lights |
Dollshouse Lighting Kits |
12V Dolls house Transformers, wiring & connectors. |
12th scale dolls house light fittings - lamps, wall lights, chandeliers. |
Value dolls house lighting kits / sets. |
Click Here for Complete Range of Dolls House Lighting Products |
||
Dollshouse Lighting Instructions - Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction to Dollshouse Lighting
If you've never fitted dolls house lighting before it can seem
like a daunting task, but it's probably easier than you think and
most hobbyists can do it relatively easily and safely without any
specialist knowledge. Dolls house lights will really bring your
dolls house to life so it's well worth doing, the main exception
being a childrens dolls house where the delicate lighting components
would not be suitable. It's a good idea to plan your dolls house
lighting and do the necessary preparation early, before you start to
build and decorate the dolls house, so you can ensure the dollshouse wiring is
completely hidden from view when the it is finished.
Dolls House Wiring Methods
There are two main wiring methods to choose from when planning your dolls
house electrics - twin wire or copper tape. People have differing
opinions as to which method is best for dollhouse lighting and there are advantages and
disadvantages to either method. We sell dollhouse wiring components
for both methods, but for the purpose of this guide we will
concentrate on the twin wire method as this is the most popular
method for dollhouse wiring.
Dolls House Electrics Using the Twin Wire Method
You will need a 12v transformer, a fused socket strip and the individual
dollshouse light fittings. These can be purchased individually or as a
dollshouse lighting kit. Connector strips are now available with
individual switches so each dolls house light switches on and off
intependantly. The number of light bulbs used (not fittings) will determine the
dolls house lighting transformer capacity required).
The first step is to decide on the position of the lights in the dolls house. Lights for dolls houses come in many types from miniature chandeliers to wall lamps to table lamps to glowing fires. Dolls house light fittings are usually supplied complete with a wire measuring about 450mm and two pin plug attached. When fitting the dollhouse lights the plug can be removed from the wire by removing the pins with pliers, this will allow the wires to be passed through holes as necessary and the plug can then easily be reattached. Dolls house chandeliers and other ceiling lights are usually fitted in the centre of each room. To do this you should first mark the exact position of the light and drill a small hole through the ceiling to the floor above so the wire from the light can be passed through. You then need to cut a small 'V' groove along the floor from the hole to the back of the house using a chisel, router or a file. Finally drill another hole so the wire can be passed through the back of the dolls house. Wall lights, table lamps etc can be installed similarly, finding the most suitable path to route the wires to the back of the dolls house. It is often easier to cut the necessary channels for the dolls house wiring before the dolls house is assembled.
The socket strip is usually located on the back of the house. When all the dolls house lights are fitted and the wires routed and hidden the two pin plugs can be reattached and plugged into the socket strip. Finally the transformer should be connected and the lights tested. You should do the preparation work for the dolls house lighting before building and decorating the house if possible, but it's probably best not to install the actual dollhouse lights until later on in the building and decorating process as they are quite delicate. It is worth bearing in mind that you may need to access the dolls house lighting wires in future after building and decorating so if possible wires should be accessible with the minimum or disruption to the dolls house.
Troubleshooting
What to look for if your dollshouse lights don't
work:
Everything connected and switched on -
It may sound a obvious, but it's worth checking that the
dolls house lighting transformer is plugged in and switched on, the
transformer is connected to the socket strip and the socket strip is
switched on and that the dollshouse light fittings are plugged into
the socket strip.
Dolls house lighting fuse - Check the fuse on the dolls
house lighting socket connector strip. There is an indicator light
on the socket connector strip which is designed to illuminate only
when the fuse has blown.
Bulbs securely fitted - Check that the dolls house
light bulbs are screwed in or pushed in firmly. The dollshouse
light bulbs often work loose during transit and installation so this
is a common problem resulting in the dolls house lights not working.
With many dolls house light fittings it may appear difficult to
access the bulbs, but in most cases the lampshades can be removed by
carefully unscrewing or unclipping to gain easy access.
2 Pin plug securely connected - Check that the twin
wire is connected properly to the 2 pin plug and that the plug is
connected to the socket strip properly.
Other Faults - Other dolls house wiring faults will
need to be resolved by testing each component and connection in turn
until the problem is located. Loose connections can
usually be located by gently moving the wires, connections and light
fittings until the fault occurs. If one particular dolls house
light doesn't work you can usually swap the bulb with another light
to establish whether the bulb or the dolls house light fitting is
faulty. Dolls house light fittings and wires are very delicate
so it is important to handle them carefully. If the dolls
house light fitting becomes damaged it may not be possible to
repair, in which
case a replacement may be the only option.
 All of our dolls house lights are supplied with wire and two pin plug attached. |
 When the lights have been installed they can simply be plugged into the socket strip as shown. The socket strip has a fuse and switch. We also have individually switched socket strips which allow each light to be switched on and off independently. |
 The wire from the socket strip should be connected to a suitable 12v transformer. |
 Here all of the dolls house lighting components are shown connected as they would be after installation in a dolls house. |
||
Click Here for Complete Range of Dolls House Lighting Products
|
||