How can I test to see if my bulb limiter is working? Help

[amplifiednation]

Hey guys,
So I'm ready to power up my first build. I put together a bulb limiter and I think I have it right. I used a kill switch as well just so i had better control in case there is a problem.

How can I confirm it is actually limiting current? I think I wired it up right, I plugged a small radio in and got it to work, and the switch works to kill the current to the outlet.

BUT! I did some tests with my MMV and I am getting the same voltage from the wall outlets and also what I think was a current measurement. I got 125 and 9.5 from both the outlet on the limiter and the wall outlet.

Any suggestions? I have a 40 watt bulb in the socket.

[Firestorm]

Double outlets come prewired with the hot side on both connected together and the common side on both connected together. To wire them in series, this connection has to be broken. On most outlets, there is a metal tab on both sides you can break off to separate the two. That said, I don't understand what I am seeing in the picture. What is that wire sticking out through the switch cutout in the box? All the wiring should be just between the two sockets.

[amplifiednation]

Double outlets come prewired with the hot side on both connected together and the common side on both connected together. To wire them in series, this connection has to be broken. On most outlets, there is a metal tab on both sides you can break off to separate the two. That said, I don't understand what I am seeing in the picture. What is that wire sticking out through the switch cutout in the box? All the wiring should be just between the two sockets.

Oh, that makes sense. i need to find that connection and break it then. thanks, I did not know that. the guy at the hardware store said they were independent of each other.

Those two wires (black and white) are leading out through the switch hole to the light socket.

[amplifiednation]

also there is a weird strain relief bolt thing that i put in there. some random part i had laying around. it looks like a wire too i think

[Firestorm]

Did the hardware guy mean they were independent of each because ther were wired in series? Or because they weren't? Hardware stores assume we're using things the way they were designed to be used. Not for crazy amp stuff.

Lose the wire out to the lamp. Just use the sockets. With the connecting tabs broken, bring the white mains wire to one side of one socket; put the black wire on the other side of the other socket; connect a wire diagonally between the other two screws. Connect the ground normally.

The sockets will be in series. No current will flow in either unless something is plugged into both. Take your lamp (depending on how much juice the amp pulls, it probably should be a 100W bulb) and plug it into one socket and plug the amp into the other.

[amplifiednation]

Did the hardware guy mean they were independent of each because ther were wired in series? Or because they weren't? Hardware stores assume we're using things the way they were designed to be used. Not for crazy amp stuff.

Lose the wire out to the lamp. Just use the sockets. With the connecting tabs broken, bring the white mains wire to one side of one socket; put the black wire on the other side of the other socket; connect a wire diagonally between the other two screws. Connect the ground normally.

The sockets will be in series. No current will flow in either unless something is plugged into both. Take your lamp (depending on how much juice the amp pulls, it probably should be a 100W bulb) and plug it into one socket and plug the amp into the other.

Yeah he had no idea what i was doing.

I thought the point was to put the bulb as PART of the HOT path? So it would interupt the current? The front of the outlet is half switch, half outlet. so i won't be able to use two sockets in a series.

I'm about as clueless as the hardware store guy on this one...although I think I'm close.

If i have hot going to the one side of the switch, then out from the other side, through the bulb and into the outlet, that will do it right? (this assumes keeping the neutral white and earth ground wired into the outlet).

THat is how I have it wired now, but i think whatever this tab is is screwing things up. Good thing I tried to test it

Should i get different readings from the limiter outlet vs the wall outlet when a bulb is plugged in?

[ToneMerc]

http://www.io.com/~beckerdo/guitars/201 ... index.html

[Firestorm]

I didn't realize it was half switch. Assuming it was designed so the switch controls the outlet, the tab will probably connect from the cold side of the switch to the hot side of the outlet so that the hot connection is made when the switch is closed. For your purposes, ignore the switch for the moment (it's just switching hot) and connect the socket and lamp in series. The final connection of the lamp's neutral wire to the mains neutral wire will have to be made with a wire nut.

[rp]

http://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/curren ... ester.html

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/SPO_Test.htm

http://www.antiqueradio.org/dimbulb.htm

http://www.antiqueradio.org/ChristyTester.htm

I remember there being some stuff on youtube too.

Unfortunately my handle makes it impossible to search me, but I had a post where the DBL threw me off first time I used it. The bulb I was using was pretty bright even though all was well. As simple as it is it's still got a learning curve. Try searching DBL.

Your real worry should be what are you gonna do in 2 years when they outlaw incandescents. You're gonna be bidding on vintage NOS & ANOS GE 'monodes' on ebay.

[angelodp]

Doveman put together this excellent guide for the Dlite which includes the build limiter.

http://www.brownnote.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800

[IMG1757]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... G_0226.jpg[/img]

[Structo]

This is how I built mine, works great.

I just plug it into a terminal strip.

[Masco]

Do yourself a favor and install a bypass switch across the bulb as well as an on/off switch in series w/ the whole unit.

[amplifiednation]

thanks guys. OK...so here's where I'm at.

I think I've got the wiring covered.

On the switch/outlet that I am using there was a common hot that was connected. I've broken that connection completely.

I have the hot coming in from the wall to the switch, then out to the bulb, then from the bulb to the outlet's hot. Neutral and ground I have going just to the outlet.

The switch and outlet work, I have tested with a cheapo old radio that I have. Using my multimeter I am still getting 125 volts out of the outlet, the same as the wall...is this correct?

Shouldn't the bulb limit some voltage or is it only "current"? Is there a test I can to do to assure myself I have built this correcty? I have a 40 watt bulb in. I thought by plugging the radio in with it switched OFF I would get the bulb to glow, thinking that it would "see" a short circuit, but that's not happening.

Tests???

[amplifiednation]

Here's a picture of my limiter and the wiring inside.

I had to jumper the wire from the bulb because I cut off the original wire before I had a good idea of this wiring scheme.

I think the wiring is right but the behavior doesn't seem to be different from the wall.

Thanks in advance for your help...I seem to be the one missing something.

[Firestorm]

Plug another lamp (with a switch) into the outlet. With second lamp off, both lamps should be off. With the second lamp on, both lamps should be on, but not at full brightness, because you have them in series.