After diligent searching, I finally settled on using a plastic socket with a modified extension cord. I wanted to make sure it worked before purchasing additional supplies and good cfl daylight bulbs. The total cost was only $3.25 (in canada no less). Once I get a good bulb it will only come to less than $8 per light. If I feel I need more like I can add a second bulb and still be less than the cost of a standard fluorescent fixture. (nearly $18 including junk bulb with lumen output)
Its very simple there are only 2 components. A socket and a cheap lamp
extension cord.
I just cut the female end of the cord off and and split the wires. Then stripped back a bit of the insulation. You need only find which is the hot wire and which is the black wire and the screw the leads down.
I used the pliers to chip two small grooves in the plastic socket flange so it would sit flush to the cabinet wall and screw the plate down.
Then just screw in a blub and plug in, and presto we have light.
The photo to the left was taken through the 1/8th inch crack between the doors, so it is quite bright when the doors are closed. I think with a daylight bulb the color will be more natural.
Photo to the right is the flasks with media that is just waiting for seed.
In most places, if they sell a fitting with only 2 wires, then it's up to code to wire it that way. Lighting circuits are often only 2 wires (and in code like that). Good luck with the plants :) So long as there is no exposed copper outside of the terminals on the back of the fitting, you're good to go. If you're worries about condensation etc, use a GFCI/RCD on that circuit.
ReplyDeleteI suspect one or two more bulbs will help, and you can always line the top and sides of the cabinet with aluminium foil or similar to get a little more out of the lights.
Thanks for the response, and thats good to know, I have a friend in US that is an electrician and usually I have him help with anything electrical. I'm not too concerned with condensation as it's only being used with flasks and ideally if I have moisture then I have bigger problems.
DeleteOf course I didn't use a junction box, so the wires are just sandwiched between the casing and the cabinet.
I probably will put 2 bulbs (one on each side) on another shelf to grow out the replates. I don't think for the mother flask that much light should be needed, as some species are more light sensitive than others.