Adallae Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Armed with a cup of tea and all the necessary tools, I was just settling in to finish the wiring job I started oh so many weeks ago. I started by retesting all of the connections I'd already made, and everything was working just fine. After completing a short tape run, I plugged everything to test the new connection, but it wasn't working. Just to double check that I had power (I often forget to flip the switch on the lead-in wire), I tested the first tape run, the one plugged into the juntion splice. Much to my surprise, it wasn't working anymore. :whistle: After playing with the switch, unplugging the connection, and switching outlets twice, I plugged in the transformer and touched the test probe light directly to the prongs on the end of the lead in wire (a test I found on earthandtree.com). The light came on for a moment :queen: , and then went out . I've been playing with it for an hour, without so much as a flicker! What's gone wrong?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Cross your fingers and hope that it's a problem with your test probe. Depending on the kind of transformer you have, it could be a blown fuse. Good luck finding the problem. I hope it's not a totally blown transformer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Cross your fingers and hope that it's a problem with your test probe. Depending on the kind of transformer you have, it could be a blown fuse. Good luck finding the problem. I hope it's not a totally blown transformer. I agree, may be your test probe--DH blew one once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adallae Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 Thanks for the replies - I hope you guys are right! Unfortunately, there are no dollhouse shops within driving distance, so I'll have to put the house back on the backburner while I order a new probe. Might as well get a transformer too, just in case. :thumb: Sigh. Guess its back to shingling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellandmelissa Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Try these things.... First, unplug the transformer and leave it unplugged for a few minutes. Plug it back in and try it again with your test probe NOT connected to the house. If it's connected to the house and you have a short in the NEW stuff you just added, it still won't work. Do you have a lamp or fixture with a plug on it? That can be used as a test probe too on the transformer. If another lamp is available just touch the plug (or wires) to the output terminals of the transformer. Most transformers have either a fuse which must be replaced, OR an internal circuit breaker that resets automatically once they are unplugged and removed from the problem for a few minutes. Carefully reexamine the newest work you added to see if you can find a short. A short is about the only thing that can cause a transformer to blow it's fuse or circuit breaker. The other type of problem is an open and that only makes the light not work where the problem is. Try this and let me know what you find out. Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adallae Posted October 15, 2006 Author Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thank you SO much, Darrell! I do have a lamp with a plug on it, and I'm relieved to report that my transformer is working just fine! I can't believe I didn't think of doing that before! Looks like I just need to get a new test probe. Thank you again! This is my first wiring attempt, and it can be very frustrating at times. If this forum wasn't here, I might have tossed the poor house out the window yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maresiedotes Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 If you live in NYC, there is a dollhouse shop right there. I've never been there, so I can't really say what their prices are like, but it seems like an upscale shop. However, I imagine they would order lighting supplies for you if they don't carry them Here's their URL: http://www.tinydollhousenyc.com Hope that helps! Good luck with getting your problem solved!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellandmelissa Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thank you SO much, Darrell! I do have a lamp with a plug on it, and I'm relieved to report that my transformer is working just fine! Glad I could help. Electrification isn't hard, we just have to remember to take things one step at a time and keep rechecking everything as we go so we don't suddenly find it's not working and have too many things that it "could be". GRIN! Check out my wiring pictorial here on the forum if you haven't already. Lots of pictures. And what they say is true. A picture is worth a thousand words. (But it takes up many thousands of times the memory. :teehee: LOL!) Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 See there.... Our Hero of Electricity is Called "Darrell The Electric Man"!! Thanks Darrell for helping her out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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