Quick fix for a makeshift circuit breaker?

Question

Me and some friends are building a lighting rig where you can turn the lights on then off with a push of a button. [I guess you could think of it as a manual strobe light, but slower.] My idea was rigging a push light [ http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Produ… ] by removing the battery slots, and directly connecting the wires. I would connect one end to a plug and another to another cord, connecting to the main lights. [Flood lights possibly?] We would remove the locking system in the lights, so when it's pushed down, as soon as we let go it goes back to the starting position. This way, the light would turn on quickly, and off quickly, with one push instead of two.

Issues:
- Flood lights use A LOT more watts than the push light. Could that be a major problem? [We don't necessarily need the push light to actually work, just work as a button. [like a doorbell]]
- If light can't take the watt-age, will the button still work? [as in, will the electricity still flow through the light, even if the bulb is dead?]
- Is this even possible?
- We might possible use a dimmer switch, with a push on/off ability. Opinions?


Before you suggest!
- No doorbells! They're not recommended for over about 30 volts. We're planning on using a bit more than that, and don't want it to fail. It's also not 100% reliable.
- No switches! Too cumbersome. We'd be flicking it on and off for half and hour. We don't want callases.

Ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1zKx4eyq… [Beware, it's a bit heavy]

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

NO, the "push light will not work. The components are rated for even less voltage than the door bell hardware!! Even worse, they are for DC, not AC so you'd get a dead short.

Christmas light flashers may also be rated to low for the output of several high watt floods. You are also unlikely to get the light intensity that video shows from conventional floodlights. Stage lighting bulbs are much more intense than those and have different reflectors.

You could go to an electrical supply house (the kind that contractors buy their wiring supplies at) and aks them for a "line voltage momentary contact switch" preferably a pushbutton. This is a switch, usually used in industrial applications, that makes a quick contact but doesn't hold (in other words, with each "click" it will just flash the lights on, then off. Also buy an enclosure for it (a metal box) with a cord grip and cover. You'll need a length of flexible SO type cord (the round rubber covered stuff) to connect to your light fixture and the switch.

But you know, it would be easier (and more visually effective) to go to a fire alarm or automotive parts shop and get a signal strobe light, the type that go on top of a police car or ambulance or for roadway warning lights. They can be set to flash intermittently at various speeds and you wouldn't have to sit and push the button for half an hour.

Source(s):

28 years as an electrician

Answer 2

a dimmer is your best bet,

Source(s):

i'm a renovater

Answer 3

if you want the lights to flash on and off why don't you just use a flasher in the line with a timmer like the ones that are in christmas lights blinking on and off or the flashing lights that you see at dances or stage shows these should be available at radio shack or may a lighting supply house that sells lighting fixtures ,,,,,just a thought

Answer 4

There is a push button that will do this but it will have to be rated at a sufficient current rating for the proposed voltage to handle the open and closing of the contacts continuously, cheap low current rating push buttons will simply burnout as the contacts open and close, a dimmer can be installed after the push button in series with the lights but this also needs to have a sufficient current/wattage rating or as already mentioned it also will burn out with over current, the lights should be connected in parallel to one another so that if one globe is faulty the rest will continue to work regardless (if a globe is blown the filament is broken therefore no current will get through the faulty globe) hope this helps!

Source(s):

Electrician