Round wire fun

[Roy the Fixer]

The house I am currently working on is a Willow, by Corona Concepts. After watching hours of videos and reading numerous tips and techniques, I decided to go “old school” and install round wiring. 

The technique I am using could be called “grooving.”  I have seen a video on this before, where a builder used a knife to cut a groove across the floor, then glued the wires in it before installing the carpet. Thus, the wires were hidden completely.  I decided to use a similar concept, but the plywood floors in this particular kit were so nice that I did not want to use paint or carpet on them. Since I am pretty much still a beginner, I do not want to try installing a second layer of flooring. 

So, I sanded the floors and coated them with clear polyurethane. But now for the ceiling lights: 

On the ceiling side, I cut a groove about 3/16” wide and about half the depth of the board from the locations to hang the lights straight over to the wall where the chimney will be installed. Then I glued the wires in, but left just enough at the light fixture end to wrap around about 1/4 turn of the fixture base. This allows the fixture to be lifted for careful painting of the ceiling.  Next, I filled the groove with wood filler. A product such as Redi-Patch would work just as well.  when dry and smooth, (2 coats), I sanded the groove area and painted the ceiling with 2 coats of flat white house paint with primer in it. Then, glued the fixture and voila. The best part is that the ceiling looked perfect; no sign of the groove or filler. 

I forgot to mention that I did this technique on both the first and second floor ceilings before assembly. On this project, I am ignoring the order of assembly according to the instructions, choosing instead to perform everything I can on the individual pieces and units while each wall  piece is out in the open. So, I drilled holes in the side walls to line up with the wires coming through the edges of the ceilings behind the chimney. When everything is assembled, the wires are totally obscured. 

Carrying the grooving one step further, I cut grooves on the exterior walls from the locations of living room outlets, side lights, etc. The wires are run to the bottom of the house, and are glued in place, then covered with siding.  All connections are made under the house and behind the chimneys before final installation. I also used a voltage regulator from Cir-Kit to help extend the life of the light bulbs.  I know it sounds tedious, but to me, it was easier than working with the tape and eyelets after assembly and then having to cover them up afterward. It just requires planning ahead to make the grooves and holes in advance after trial fitting but before actual assembly. The Dremel Tool will set you free!

[Beulah]

wow, your braver than I am 

[Guest]

I'm old school too Ray... I find tape wire confusing and I know I would have eyelets and brads flinging all over the room.. Round wire just seems simpler, to me at least. I also run grooves but in the traditional way under the flooring of the next level. I have thought about a wood filler to cover grooves I've had to cut in walls for sconces but haven't got to it yet. Glad to hear you had good results.

 

[KathieB]

Thank you for your detailed explanation, Roy. Electrification is one topic that every builder faces -- even if the question is should I or shouldn't I? I'm sure having this clear explanation will help with the decision making. 

[havanaholly]

Roy, once you have made five posts you can make albums for your pictures in the Gallery.  I think linking us to pictures of your process would make a dandy tutorial, right up there with Darrel's tapewire tutorial.  I also do most of my prep work after the dry fit and before final assembly, often decorating as I go; I definitely work out of the order in the instructions sheets because I wait until last to install windows and doors; and since I often make new doors and windows part of the prep work is altering window & door openings if needed and tracing them for patterns.

I have asked a mod to relocate this topic to the General Mini Talk forum, where more people will see & read it.

[jbnmini]

oh yes! I would def like to see step-by-step pics of your process Roy!  I do tapewire at this point, but would like to expand my skills and attempt round wire because I have a project waiting in the wings that I had decided to do round wire.   I like the idea of running the wires to the outside and underneath the siding.

[stickyfingers]

Awesome!

 

[Thimble Hall]

Good to know because everything I was planning is round wire. The Uk houses  I have came with the ceiling grooves already in place

[mininecessities]

Welcome !  I prefer round wire also Roy. I did the groove system but just taped over the grooves and added either carpet or skinny sticks and painted the skinny sticks. My passion is for painted wood floors so this was ideal for me. 

I used the kits of wiring with the power bar that has the plug ins and you just run the wires with their plugs to the power bar, but these systems are ridiculous because the plugs keep coming out all the time.  Even if I spread the prongs out, it is hard. It usually makes them impossible to plug in then as they are too far apart.  anyway it should be hard wired, but I do't know how. So all my wires go to the bottom of the house. for temporary hiding, I made a patio out of foam core board to hide the mess.  For the bottom of the wall plug ins, I ran the wire behind the baseboard.  Everything worked well except for the mess of wires I have going down the edges but was able to put the wooden trim over it and honestly all lights still work, as long I replug some of them in lol I have an album here of my construction photos.  Just click on my profile , then albums and it is the Garfield house.  253 photos.  

Sounds like you were able to neatly get the system underneath the house.  My brain just is too tired to figure it out though lol.  Can't wait though to see photos of what you did and also of your house!                                                                                                                                                                             Cheryl

[thriftymini]

Welcome to the forum.  Looking forward to seeing pictures of your build.  My husband is working on the electrical of our big rehab house.  At this time, I prefer to listen and watch as he works instead of doing the electrical myself.

Since the house is already built, he cut grooves into the walls and floors and covered the 28 gauge wire (cat5e) with solder connections with electrical tape.  I am covering all the walls (and wires) with wallpaper and some wiring will be under flooring. 

[stickyfingers]

I need to try the round wire. Too many bad stories about tape wire. It seems like a great theory, but I've seen where people install everything, it works, then install of the finishing (wallpaper, flooring, trim) and then it doesn't work.

That, and I'm buying more LED battery lights. I'm hoping the battery lights are more popular and there are more choices in the future.

[Beesy]

I know the topic is Round wire fun, but since my problem is related to round wire lighting I will add this here and sorry if wrong area.

I have 4 beautiful wall sconces each with 2 candles. They are gold plated and from the Georgian era which I am using with this my first house.

The problem is they won't work, none of them. I contacted where I brought them from but they won't answer but one person from another shop did and said these light are discontinued but she sells these last ones and she has totally rewired them but I don't know how to do it. The globes are minute, really very tiny and I think are possibly the GOW type not the GOR type and are bi-pin so the top of the candle holder has a bi-pin connection. If I take off the outside candle holder and try and rewire the light where do the wires and the ends of the globes connect? Do I just leave the wires loose up inside the candle holder frame so the wires from the globe will hopefully hit them?? It doesn't sound right.

[havanaholly]

Hi, Berenice.  One of our wiring gurus will be along to give you answers to your wiring dilemma.  I'm here to request that while you're waiting, to please post an introduction in the Newcomers' Forum so all of us can welcome you.  Which house are you building?  When you have made five posts you can make an album in the Gallery of your build and show pictures of those pesky light fixtures.  GOW bulbs are nearly twice as big as GOR bulbs!

[Beesy]

Thanks holly for the welcome. I just tried to post in the New Members Forum but it didn't seem to go on but instead is on a blog so have asked for some help with that. That is interesting about the GOW so maybe I have the GOR type as they are mighty small and so are the candle holders too. Glad if I can get some help.

 

[Sable]

If the bulbs can’t be pulled out gently from their base then they can’t be replaced, unfortunately. No you can’t place loose bulbs on bare wire, you can short out your system this way. See if you can return the fixtures and find something else that states “replaceable bulbs”.

[Beesy]

Thanks Sable. The problem is not that I cannot pull out the globes (I can) , it is after I do that I need to then pull off the candle holder (where the bi-pin bulbs plug into) so I can rewire the whole light and I don't know how to rewire a light with a bi-pin slot from behind where the two holes the globe goes into. How is this done?

[Sable]

I really need to see a photo to understand better. Do you know how to post a photo yet?

if you are asking if you can attach a round wire to a new base (candleholder) then the only way to do that is to solder the wire to the base. I’ve tried pretty much everything related to building a house and soldering is one thing I’ll never master. 

[Beesy]

Thanks again Sable, yes I am asking that,  but to solder  round wires into the candle base up near and behind the 2 pin plug the part (where the bi-pin globe plugs into) you would need some wires there already wouldn't you? I wonder if these candles with bi-pin slots are already somehow wired so that would then give you something to solder onto. I have never seen inside the thin candle with a bi-pin plug in it though.

Edited August 3, 2018 by Beesy

[Sable]

Again, without a photo I’m a little lost. Maybe buy a new assembly, they come in different colors:

https://cir-kitconcepts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_42&products_id=181

[Beesy]

That is the way I am thinking, to buy new ones totally. I think what you said about them being wired up inside the candle on other side of where the bi-pin bulb goes in,  the wires would need to be soldered onto the inside of the candle holder somehow and I am not able to do that so must give up on them I am afraid. Thanks so much though for your good advice Sable.