KatieM Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I haven't got a clue when it comes to wiring, in fact I don't even know how to rewire a plug. I was discussing this with a shop owner last weekend and he said I could just buy battery operated lights for my dolls house, but the down side is they are not as bright and a tad more expensive. I don't mind the price but I don't want to invest in them if they are going to cast a dim light over something I am working really hard on. Anyone else had this issue? or does anyone use just battery operated lights, if so how do you find them? Are they ok? I am sorry If this post is not in the right place, if so please move it x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapchap73 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I have not wired a house yet; electricity terrifies me for some reason. My big house has battery lights, and they are definitely not as bright as I would like them to be. I am working up the courage to try round wire, mostly because it will be easier to retrofit my big house with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I've used battery operated lights and they were plenty bright enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Battery powered light fixtures are too dim. However there are battery LED lights that are very bright but I've never seen them in a DH light fixture. I use tape wire to electrify my houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I would go for 12v wired lights every time. 1) The lights are all connected to a switchable block so are easier to control. 2) They are not as 'cold' in tone as the battery lights. 3) You have a far greater choice when it comes to wired lights. 4) There are some really good 'concealed' lights for the 12v system. It is so easy to wire with a little planning and 100% safe too plus you also won't need to go delving into the house each time you want to switch on a light. I have two of my houses on remote control so am able to switch each room on or off independently...........................Always happy to draw you a wiring plan with some tips and post it on here if you get stuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieM Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I would go for 12v wired lights every time. 1) The lights are all connected to a switchable block so are easier to control. 2) They are not as 'cold' in tone as the battery lights. 3) You have a far greater choice when it comes to wired lights. 4) There are some really good 'concealed' lights for the 12v system. It is so easy to wire with a little planning and 100% safe too plus you also won't need to go delving into the house each time you want to switch on a light. I have two of my houses on remote control so am able to switch each room on or off independently...........................Always happy to draw you a wiring plan with some tips and post it on here if you get stuck A wiring plan would be very useful, I am guessing it would all have to be done before any inside decorating could take place? I have a family member who would be willing to help me if I asked so I wouldn't going at it alone. I am still in the very early stages of this hosue of mine but as I go on I realise there is so much to think about and to keep me occupied its fantastic! x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniCrazy Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Mike I'm currently installing a remote system on Anna's house. I'm using tape wire for the rooms with round wire soldered to it at the point where it runs through the floor to the circuit board underneath. So far I have about four circuits working and I love it. Any tips or tricks you can pass on to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 A wiring plan would be very useful, I am guessing it would all have to be done before any inside decorating could take place? I have a family member who would be willing to help me if I asked so I wouldn't going at it alone. I am still in the very early stages of this hosue of mine but as I go on I realise there is so much to think about and to keep me occupied its fantastic! x It is good to wire before / during decoration and where possible I always try to conceal wires beneath / behind something that's removable that way if you get a future problem it's easier to solve it. As you plan your rooms think where you would like lighting........you don't need to over-do it for it to be effective, just one or two nice lights in the right place. Concealed lights work well too and they can be nothing more than a simple bulb........I use them under kitchen units.......behind half open doors......create magic with them! It's fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Mike I'm currently installing a remote system on Anna's house. I'm using tape wire for the rooms with round wire soldered to it at the point where it runs through the floor to the circuit board underneath. So far I have about four circuits working and I love it. Any tips or tricks you can pass on to me? Good fun isn't it Cheryl.......are you using dimmer control yet?...........I use some really cheap but good spotlights......great for illuminating in the day but too bright at night but on the dimmer........they work a treat. I'm trying out some fibre optics right now for a decadent starlit ceiling!..............oh well, it keeps me off the streets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniCrazy Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Thanks for the tips Mike it sounds like I'm on the right track then. Sorry Katie for high jacking your post. I'm afraid I don't have any experience with battery lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniCrazy Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Wow Mike that ceiling will be amazing! Can't wait to see pics. I love the dimmer! I have installed under cabinet LED strip lighting in the kitchen. Pictures soon. I'm so scared every time I install a new light that I will short out my wonderful but expensive remote system. I'm taking it very slow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra from Olde Cape Cod Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 You could try buying one battery operated or LED battery operated light and see how it looks to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I have some battery operated and have had mixed results. The warm whites are not all the same. You can take a tiny amount of gallery glass paint and touch up the light bulb to get the shade you want. Go opposite on the color wheel from what you are getting to neutralize the color. You can use battery hookups with regular 12V dollhouse lights though. Just get an adapter that uses a coin battery or AA's or a 9V battery. They come in various configurations similar to these. These are LED bulbs attached to the coin battery. They come in different sizes and brightness and colors. These are string lights on the AA pack. LED Strips like these come in different lengths from 3 lights on up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I have the coin LED lights for a fireplace. Is there anyway you can make the wires longer on the LEDs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Just buy the red and black wire on a spool and some shrink tubes and you can get the length you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llilith Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Ah, I'm so relieved to learn of battery operated lights. I am starting my first house soon and don't want to tackle wiring just yet, but I do want some light. Yay for batteries - I'm going to try them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smjsome Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I've mixed the battery with round wire in my houses, like, in places I didn't plan well, I ended up using a battery light. And I've used the battery lights for room boxes Joannes fabrics have some that I like, it's about $5 and I use a coupon. A battery powered fairy light, using a quarter sized battery, I can cut the wire and no,shipping, etc. I also discovered if I scrape the silver off the fairy lights I can wire them together with other battery packs. I'm not sure I'm explaining well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillybean Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I used a battery pack for my under counter Lundby kitchen lighting once I found out the Lundby cabinets were already drilled for lighting I got courageous. It's so easy I couldn't believe it. My little system has 6 LEDs operated on a coin battery, and they are bright enough - even the light in the oven looks great. The only thing is - it's hard to take a good pic of the lighting. Well, but I am camera impaired. Still I love it the battery powered, especially for small scenes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denkyem Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 As a total mini novice with zero experience with anything electrical (seriously, I think the last time I even made a circuit was grade 5) I've found roundwire systems really very easy to work with. That said, I will probably resort to batteries for a couple of tricky spots -- thinking of the fireplace or christmas lights . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyole Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I attended a wiring workshop at Earth and Tree (NH) and it was very helpful. I have yet to finish the house, though, so I don't know if the fixtures that I bought will even work by the time I get them in. I have bought some battery-operated lights and some are very cute, there' just not a lot of selection like someone already mentioned. Some of them now are held to the ceiling/wall by a magnet, so you just take fixture from the magnet and turn it on/off, then put it back. I've noticed, also, that some lights have a thicker casing to hold the battery, which I don't like - the whole fixture protrudes too much from the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BriJohn Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Disclaimer: I have never lit a dollhouse but I'm about to try. I'm going to try tape wire. The only thing I'd have against battery operated lights is having to reach in and turn each one on. I want to flip and switch and it all lights up. Now it would be nice to have each room on it's own switch but that's over my head for now. I'm worried maybe I should have chosen round wire instead of tape wire. It is overwhelming for the newbie, I feel the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mininecessities Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Briana, I think they both have their pros n cons. I used round wire but hope to try tape wire soon. You can get lots of tips on here! I think my round wiring is sort of backwoods but it works! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaredollhouse Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 El 4/4/2015 13:09:43, KatieM dijo: Un plan de cableado sería muy útil, supongo que todo lo que tendrá que hacerse antes de que pueda llevar a cabo cualquier decoración interior. Tengo un familiar que podría ayudarme si lo pidiera para que no lo hiciera solo. Todavía estoy en las primeras etapas de este albergue mío, pero a medida que avanza mi cuenta de que tengo mucho en qué pensar y mantenerme ocupado es fantástico. X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaredollhouse Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Hola!! Soy Yarela de Punta Arenas, Chile. Estoy construyendo mi primera dollhouse “La Casa Pichintun”. Necesito mucho consejo porque no conozco a nadie que haya construido una. Una de mis actuales dudas es del tema eléctrico, leyendo el foro quisiera consultar a todo quienes quieran darse la molestia de contestarme pero en particular a Mike porque señala justo lo que intentaré hacer en la casa pichintun. Hay forma de conectar los cables de tres luces para conectar las tres en una sola toma de un panel eléctrico? Gracias desde ya por su atención. Saludos, Yarela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 From Google translate: Hello!! I'm Yarela from Punta Arenas, Chile. I am building my first dollhouse “La Casa Pichintun”. I need a lot of advice because I don't know anyone who has built one. One of my current doubts is the electric issue, reading the forum I would like to consult all those who want to bother to answer me but in particular to Mike because he points out just what I will try to do in the Pichintun house. Is there a way to connect the three-light cables to connect all three in a single socket of an electrical panel? Thank you in advance for your attention. Regards, Yarela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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