Adding a Light Socket to an Extension Cord - Things Even a Monkey Should Know

[@botflyguy7814]

QUICK AND STRAIGHT TO THE POINT THANK YOU THIS IS QUALITY KZbin

[@MonkeysKnow]

Absolutely! And thank YOU! 😊

[@donnagemignani7001]

Omg so worth my 8 mins of attention!!! I’m a DIYer and I learned so much from my Dad but have no confidence in my electrical abilities. Now I feel like I can do that! Thanks

[@MonkeysKnow]

Wonderful! I’m so glad to have helped!

[@fredminpin]

This is why I love KZbin and the people who take the time to make informative videos, in just a few minutes I've already found information on projects that I've had or wanted to do. And of course wish I had this or there were various videos available years ago, would have made life so much easier. So many things I've had to fix or create on my own with trial, error and expense... As a quick side note, there is something appealing, nice or terrific about a woman (as much or more than anybody) that has such knowledge and can explain in simple and straight forward terms or manner. I will be looking at your other videos as I found this one perfect for an immediate project. Thanks.

[@jimbobwinkpants1438]

As a Brit living in the US, this was super helpful for my first wiring task, and I'm pretty much doing exactly the same thing, so thanks! This is perfect :)

[@onlyyouone]

Yehy, I did it! I converted a ceiling light into a plug in light! Thanks so much for your instructions.

[@joshlivingstone2256]

How did work

[@Janet8925]

Glad I watched! Didn't know about the hot side. I saw another video said it didn't matter. Just connect them. I'd much rather have it right!! Thanks

[@Trouncy82]

Thank you. I am currently making a custom enclosure for my Bearded Dragon and couldn't find the lighting set up I needed.... now I can do it myself. Thanks for that!

[@andrewhampson8210]

Ive used youtube quite a bit over the years to learn. Youre videos are an excellent addition and resource for those of us who dont dare operate by faith in our skills. Haha. You do a hell of a job. Thank you.

[@marcyrao8990]

Fantastic video! I had a ceiling fixture but no way to wire it into the ceiling, so I used this video to give it a long cord that I can plug in. So detailed and easy to understand. Thanks!

[@GeriOtto-tj8ei]

12:36am thanks

[@karinarawlings-contreras7472]

You just saved me from buying a new chandelier! Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️

[@fannybautista4812]

Life saver! Wish i can add a pic! “I’m just a girl” ❤️🙋🏻‍♀️ Thank you!

[@showtime4956]

Agree, somethings We can do Ourselves, like Call an Electrician 😮😊

[@lass-inangeles7564]

Good video, nice explanations. To clarify a couple of points: The wire you buy is usually marked with ridges on #1 wire, and smooth with writing on #2 wire. Both are stuck together and can be separated. There is a convention of using one for black-hot, and one for white-neutral, however, they are both identical in build. There is no inherent difference between the two and they are interchangeable. What is very important though, is to understand the plug. The smaller prong on the plug is HOT. The larger prong on the plug is NEUTRAL. In a 3-way plug there will be a lower prong which is the GROUND. You have to connect the black wire from the lamp fixture (or end appliance/socket/ etc) to the small prong on the plug, using the extension wire you have. You have to connect the white wire from the lamp fixture to the large prong on the plug, using the extension wire you have. As long as the black wire in fixture goes to the small prong screw, and the white wire in fixture goes to large prong screw, you have done it right. When the plug goes into the socket, the large prong will only fit into the large socket hole, so this is resolved with no possibility of error. Second issue I had was you cut up a perfectly good extension cord. That was not fun to watch. This does not show correct material use. Third issue I had was you did this without the right tools. How can you do a teaching demo with the wrong tools? Do it another day when you find the right tools. How is anyone going to know which tools to get for the job if you don't show it?

[@belleamie4628]

Great Video, Tamara! I had some old low voltage outdoor lighting that I've been holding on to. They were very expensive and I haven't seen anything similar since, so I wanted to re-wire them with 7 watt lights so they would be a little brighter outside. I used some old 7 watt window candle light fixtures inside the housing (the extension cord was too thick to insert in through the housing tube) and an extension cord for length to re-wire them according to your directions and they work great! Thank You So Much for Teaching Me How to Do This! I am so appreciative!

[@KB3PHL]

Tamara, you can buy 2 wire extension cord that has just a plug on one end and stripped bare wires on the other end for those type of projects. That way you don't have to cut off the end of a perfectly good extension cord. Also manufacturers provide another way to identify the hot and neutral wires on those types of extension cords. The insulation on one side will most likely have a smooth surface and the other side will most likely have a ribbed surface. As always I enjoy your video's.

[@MonkeysKnow]

+KB3PHL Thank you for the tips! I used that cord because...well, it was handy (not a good reason). And I thought there ought to be a better way to tell the hot and neutral apart! :-)

[@fredminpin]

Now you tell me. Getting half way through the video and reading this comment, it appears that I bought a replacement extension cord for the same purpose.

[@Anonymised1]

@@fredminpin 😂

[@MrXdazzzlingdivax]

This video saved my life!!!!!!! I have been dying to diy a lamp and couldn't figure out how add a real bulb instead of battery powered ones!!

[@Bluegateway1]

Thank you, you made me feel more comfortable with this project even though I have extreme anxiety around electricitee

[@MonkeysKnow]

Absolutely!

[@belleamie4628]

Thank YOU! You made my day! I have been wanting to re-wire some very expensive low voltage outdoor lights (I've been hanging on to) with regular 7 watt bulbs. I initially wired these low voltage outdoor lights in with underground wiring and then a couple of years later my transformer burnt up! I didn't like that they were very dim on low voltage, so I didn't replace the transformer. They are gorgeous lantern lights, and I haven't seen anything like them since, so I held on to them for years. Now I can wire them individually and start using them again!

[@mary-anneswanson8445]

This came in quite handy just now as I am removing one socket on a cord to put in a different one :) Thank You :)

[@MonkeysKnow]

I’m glad it helped! 😊

[@mikekhoury6612]

Tamara you are great is everything you did. I look forward to see you again, Mike

[@vanntaylor5108]

Thanks for this; I too am working on an art project and needed special lighting and this is exactly what I was wondering. Thank you

[@syedarmaghanhassan4652]

Thanks for sharing. the lady knows stuff!

[@mr.toasty9740]

The moment my lightbulb turned on in my room I felt like a god!

[@Digitalhunny]

You _are_ capable of _so_ much more, then you give yourself credit for. From 1 commenter to another, never _ever_ stop learning. Have a great day!🤗

[@DavidPresasNYC]

Nice, elegant and well done and yes, even a monkey like moi got it ! Loved the art work behind you !!!

[@MonkeysKnow]

Glad it helped! And thank you! The art behind me is my own. :-)

[@capuyito10]

I really appreciate instructional videos. Thank you Tamara

[@MonkeysKnow]

You are so welcome!

[@gta9209]

Excellent video. Straight to the point.

[@MonkeysKnow]

Thank you!

[@scotolbe]

Good job Tamara. If you need a more permanent connection later on for around 14 bucks Radio Shack has a Soldering get that is pretty easy to use.

[@MonkeysKnow]

+scotolbe I will need one later, and I have wanted an excuse to solder. Ha! Thank you!

[@melissafayekey]

Thank you so much alot of hep but I guess I missed it but what do you do with the GND wire?

[@MonkeysKnow]

I used a cord that did not have a ground wire. If you have a cord that does but your socket does not, don't connect the ground to anything. A little dollop of hot glue will seal in the end of it.

[@madisonakagg9453]

I will be watching more of your videos. I love doing things myself. For a quick or temporary lighting situation, stores like Home Depot sell adapters that plug into any outlet or extension cord. then just screw in a bulb and let there be light.

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

There's a couple of ways to do this. You could also use a crimp connector with shrink tubing.

[@MonkeysKnow]

+Love2boat92 Oooh, I like that idea. That might be even easier! (Always going for the simplest method.) Thanks!

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

MonkeysKnow Yeah the hard part is crimping the connector though. Welcome.

[@artsavestheday6054]

Very helpful and to the point. Thanks!

[@MonkeysKnow]

Absolutely!

[@noahbones1221]

you can tell which wires which on the end on any cord because the Neutral side has grooves/lines on it on one side, the black is completely smooth

[@fahtfakcarl7695]

didnt know youtube existed back in the 80s, pretty cool!

[@Jay-gj6kn]

Wait Got confuse so the one with the printing goes to the live wire or neutral?

[@userqp888]

I want to flash a bulb out side my home but I don't know where to start . Could you show or share a video about how to do that

[@MonkeysKnow]

Hmm, can you be a little more specific? Do you want to install one with a night time motion sensor? Or have one on a switch so you turn it on and off yourself?

[@userqp888]

@@MonkeysKnow The second one. I want to glow a bulb on my fence without sensor. All I learnt in school doesn't help now because V=IR and other complex and Ideal concepts can't give ,even, hint . Only I know is there is breaker and controller inside my room . Please help me Please

[@treasureman1198]

Thank you so much I had forgotten the difference I will be saving this video for future reference ♥️

[@campbub]

what does it matter from the hot wire to ground wire if it’s alternating current??

[@michellevargas4058]

Where did you buy the light bulb attachment piece. That you added at the end of the extension cord. How do you know if the Extentions cord is stocky enough to support light socket you’re adding?

[@sentegrityoffset248]

Michelle Vargas the gage of the wire

[@ms.positive2918]

New sub here tyvm for this straight to the point vid any novice can understand and diy🙂

[@MonkeysKnow]

Yay! That’s my hope!

[@diananorton-bagwell2654]

Just what I needed. Thanks!

[@dobermandude2522]

Very beautiful and smart!

[@SuperDorothyofoz]

FANTASTIC great video with all info I needed to do the exact same thing!! :))

[@angiepl1]

Can this be done with a 3 prong extension cord? My pendant lamp has a 3 wires (one being ground).

[@hopejordan3929]

This is so empowering! Thank you 😊

[@MonkeysKnow]

You're so welcome! ☺️

[@christinaarchambault4527]

Make sure the voltage for the extension cord matches the voltage for the light fixture.

[@MonkeysKnow]

True!

[@DrPotassium]

I'm genuinely surprised that one can just attach a socket to the end of an extension cable and plug that directly into mains without blowing the bulb and starting a fire! Very easy and informative, thank you :)

[@DivaBClub]

I need to do a 3 socket (small LED bulbs like yours, for paper star lanterns. Could I do this in sections of a longer extension cord, perhaps a bit of a heavier extension cord?

[@MonkeysKnow]

Hmmm, I've been thinking about this and I'm not sure I would. It is definitely possible to connect everything with wire nuts, but I would be a little worried about potential fire hazard unless everything connected was extremely low wattage. If it helps, however, I have seen cords with several sockets on them at some of the home improvement stores!

[@250rapid]

I will recommend to purchase and use a wire stripper with the correct wire gauge to cut off the insulation and to avoid damaging or cutting the rest of strings with HUGE wire cutters 3:28....By the way, you remind me of Caitlin Turner in her younger years 😉

[@thomastevis8655]

My light fixture is like a car bulb does that change anything?

[@ladykenja2700]

- The ribbed side of an extension cord is NEUTRAL; smooth side is HOT.

[@elizabethcard6945]

Good info, thanks

[@jamespolucha6911]

What if my light only has 2 black wires coming off the light assembly? How do I tell which is hot ?

[@MonkeysKnow]

Hopefully one of those wires is ribbed, or connected to a silver screw on the socket? If so, this is the neutral.

[@bruteforce6570]

I learned something new today 😀😀😀😀thanks 😀😀🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴🖐🏻🖐🏻

[@samarittan9308]

Thank you so much for this video. It's exactly what I needed and is perfectly clear. Saved me $$$

[@markrodriguez5936]

Excellent Job!

[@sonicking12]

Great video. But I have a stupid question. How do you know which side is neutral and which side is hot?

[@MonkeysKnow]

Not a stupid question! It is hard to tell on some of them. The neutral side is a white wire, the hot side is black. If there aren't color differences, I have noticed on the little two wire (ungrounded) extension cords, the hot side has printed info about the cord, the neutral side does not. Also, the smaller prong on a cord is going to be the hot side. The large prong is neutral. Hope this helped!

[@ckr19]

It's a stupid question though because she said it in the video.

[@belleamie4628]

Exactly!

[@philyamascunt7518]

sonicking12 Some cords have no markings on them but one wire of the cord will be smooth and one side of the cord will have ribs on it. The ribbed side is the neutral side (Big blade) and the smooth side is the hot side (Small Blade). Not too sound crass but a good way to remember is "Big and ribbed for her pleasure" Before anyone gets pissed off at me I had a lady tell me that little saying. It not only made me remember and smile but it also made me blush a little as I was a young one when the lady ingrained that saying into my brain; of course I taught this little quip to my three offspring

[@stevenrecine3418]

OH MY GOSH NO, the ribbed side is neutral This does not matter for lightbulbs, but some appliances will damage if the cables are reversed Really enjoyed the video btw. I'm showing it to my girlfriend.

[@warewolf2304]

Hey everyone here’s a tip for you when insulating your connection you just made(either by twisting wires together in a pigtail fashion or if you solder them together, don’t pigtail wires together that you solder instead hold a wire in each hand now cross the bare ends to make a “X” then wrap what is remaining of the bare wire around the wire you crossed)

[@MonkeysKnow]

Wow! I never considered using hot glue for this. Great information!

[@charliecharlie6387]

Well, sad to say I'm not smarter than a monkey. THANK YOU! I would have only figured out which extension cord wire was hot and which was neutral the "hard way!" Your video & you are much appreciated. :) :) :)

[@MonkeysKnow]

I’m glad this monkey was helpful! 😊 🙊

[@Dexplay]

omg you saved me from a lifetime of "I told you so" from the wife..I had this backwards 😂😂😂

[@MonkeysKnow]

Glad to be able to help! 😀

[@jimmyjamautrey]

You could have also purchased a two prong plug and attached it to your light and then just plugged it into the extension cord

[@billieswaney8996]

Thank you. Now I can tell which wire is hot.

[@floyd2386]

You could just screw the LED bulb into an old incandescent night light socket with a flip switch (check the wattage of the bulb and max rating of the night light) and plug that into an extension cord.

[@Matt01pt]

Look at those Mac tool cutters 🤩 , got that same exact set , but I have wire shaver

[@shanessiacofield7374]

Which wire is the hot wire, the black or white

[@illhavealatte1162]

The red wall art looks very familiar...is that an IKEA rug mounted on a box frame? Looks very cool!

[@julesbruchez-outperformtra2020]

My light has ground, should I use cord with a ground? I need to add a led light to my shop and I want to use an old fixture instead buying a new one

[@angiepl1]

Did you resolved it? I have the same issue.

[@bubblebeebartend]

thank you so much all I needed was how to add a cord to a light fixture. I accidentally bought a shop light with no cord and there is no video on youtube for that!! Or I might not be using the correct keywords. Thanks for putting me on the right track

[@brianmiller9365]

LED nice. Only way to go now that cost has come down and there are more choices.

[@beauxtx1959]

Well done, Tamara!

[@MonkeysKnow]

+beauxtx1959 Thank you! :-)

[@jamierae4123]

Thank you so much for this video! You got me headed in the right direction. I needed a ground wire too and I found that the three pronged extention cord has that. ❤😊

[@historianswag8517]

Jesus NO! please please please do not do what she did in this video if you have a ground wire necessary for your build. The wire colors will not always match up and she used a process to strip her wire that will destroy the "tinned" component on your wire. You could have a massive house fire if you are using something with a high enough voltage that it requires some type of grounding! She is not correct in how she explained this. It might work for a few months, but you are going to have heat issues and this is EXACTLY how house fires happen. I've been an electrician for over a decade. If you dont believe me then please please please go to Lowes or Home Depot and just ask someone in their electrical department to make sure.

[@philh1245]

AC current does not require polarity so you could just connect anyway and the current loop will be formed 🔁

[@MonkeysKnow]

Too true! I was going for overcaution.

[@katherinenewcomb6343]

Great video Tamara 👍

[@Anonymous74153]

Can this work with halogen bulbs?

[@StraightThread]

Very entertaining, as always. Would have liked to have seen the art project. ;) BTW, that type of electrical wire is called zip-cord.

[@MonkeysKnow]

If you check out this sculpture on my Facebook art page (m.facebook.com/TRobertsonArt/photos/a.10150693149117091.393138.126474107090/10153132395352091/?type=3&source=48) you can find the finished piece! (Hopefully this leads you to the right place.)

[@MindDezign]

You helped....BUT your so, interesting to my senses . I subscribed...in a non creepy way...

[@skinnydee1886]

Thank you; very good job!

[@aaalela]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@maryannepatana6246]

i don't have a ceiling light box.. been looking for a video for how to wire a ceiling light using a extension cord..

[@MonkeysKnow]

+Mary Anne Blanchette Hope this helped!

[@noahbones1221]

Mary Anne Blanchette I would suggest a swag kit. look it up online. you can use ceiling fans on it as well.

[@sethhartman32]

A good habit to get into is wiring your neutral first!

[@bluefrog85]

Why does it matter which side you wire first if it's not plugged in??

[@bluefrog85]

Seems to me it's about the same as telling someone they should put their right pant leg on before the left... Seriously- what's it matter?

[@timstacy6017]

Neat :) Please add ⚡️WARNING ⚠️ before 3 minutes mark: Remember to UNPLUG BEFORE CUTTING

[@noahbones1221]

Tim Stacy thats something someone with a negative iq should know

[@belleamie4628]

Yes, I would tend to agree with you! But then again, "Ya just can't fix STUPID!"

[@wyattbarnes4894]

I found these available a few years ago, I have bought a number of them because I keep giving them to friends. goo.gl/images/g46Jmc

[@SusanALennon]

At 5:26 you say to make sure the cord is the right weight for the job. How do you know what you need?

[@MonkeysKnow]

+Susan A. Lennon In my case, I knew the bulb I was using was going to be low wattage and use very little electricity, so a lightweight cord would do. If I was going to be using a higher wattage bulb (probably anything over 150 or multiple light sockets added), I would have gone with a heavier cord that had a grounding wire. Also, if in doubt, often someone in the electrical department at your local home improvement should know. :-)

[@SusanALennon]

Thanks!

[@historianswag8517]

@@MonkeysKnow That is not how you know what size wire to use. It has less to do with wattage and WAY more to do with voltage drop. If your light is super effecient (like lets say an LED bulb) then you are going to have less than 3% voltage drop over 50 ft. You also have a much smaller Amperage so you are safe from heat. If you have a bulb that pulls more power (less efficient) even at a lower wattage it could create heat and eventually a burned wire or grounding arc. That is why a wire for grounding would be added. Most lamps are efficient enough these days that one is not necessary, but that is not always true of extension cords (especially cheap ones that someone might use for this project). Please do not strip or crimp wires the way you are doing it anymore. You are ruining the shielding on the wire and creating a safety hazard.

[@modemicalyousungsam4063]

if you would have left an ambilical length of cord on the "head" of the extention cord that you snapped off...perhaps it could have regenerated itself into a useful receptacle for a future project or repair. like enough to work with...a foot max. right? tails 4 heads

[@LazyHubbStudios]

Don’t cut so close to the plugs. Leave a little bit in between the plug and where you cut, so if needed in the future; you can strip the wires and attach it to something else. Also, why not solder? It’s a more solid connection.

[@MonkeysKnow]

You are quite correct!

[@Taylor-xh8uh]

just look at the cord insulation, the wire with ribbing along it is the neutral

[@670-u3q]

Thats a good looking monkey

[@mmo4754]

This is great but I know very little about electricity. Is this safe?

[@historianswag8517]

No nothing about what she just did is safe. She obviously does not know what she is doing. I've been an electrician for decades. Please just go to Lowes or Home Depot and ask them for the right tools and proper way to splice

[@silentvoiceinthedark5665]

I think you meant to say low wattage not low voltage. It is still 120 v ac and the power in the wire is just as dangerous as it would be in the wire leading to a microwave oven.

[@MonkeysKnow]

You are correct!

[@silentvoiceinthedark5665]

@@MonkeysKnow I wish they made more women like you. I am sure you could hold a nice conversation about fixing things around the house and the garage. Going to subscribe to you

[@MonkeysKnow]

@@silentvoiceinthedark5665 Thank you for subscribing! I really enjoy talking with other people about how to fix stuff around the house. There is always more to learn! 😊

[@supermankelly]

I'm no sparky but isn't the volts out of a wall socket way to high for lighting so a transformer or something is usually used...

[@Janet8925]

I Really WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ANYONE GAVE THIS A THUMBS DOWN???? WHY? JUST MEAN! It was a good video. Showed a lot. Now I know I can do it right! Some people are just azzez! Oh Well guess that's what makes their day. Probably going around just giving peoples videos thumbs down! I would hate to think thats what I had to do to make myself feel better! So Stupid! This is a good video!! Thanks for all the info!

[@syedarmaghanhassan4652]

Why microphone are you using. It sounds great!

[@MonkeysKnow]

Thanks! I am using the Sony ECMCS3 clip microphone.

[@syedarmaghanhassan4652]

@@MonkeysKnow thanks for sharing Tamara. You are great!

[@MonkeysKnow]

💜

[@TheMrskydog]

hey Tamara where did you go n get that Bigfoot grunting sound at the beginning of your video? were you out in the woods?

[@MonkeysKnow]

Ha! I would like to say yes.

[@TheMrskydog]

Kool

[@norman3605]

Wide (plug)=white (wire)

[@scotttemple5571]

I'm in love

[@MonkeysKnow]

😍

[@scotttemple5571]

@@MonkeysKnow I'm sorry but my god you're beautiful!!!

[@aquiconlayuli]

is this applicable for 3 prong extension cords ?

[@noahbones1221]

Julie Cruz yes. just dont use the green.

[@historianswag8517]

@@noahbones1221 NO NO NO NO NO!

[@noahbones1221]

historianswag what? It’s just ground. It didnt exist 50 years ago anyway.

[@ddlelectric]

Yall know it dont really matter which way you wire it, since the electricity is switching polarity 120 times a second.

[@2065Dragonslayer]

Thanks, perfect

[@uoohoo99]

You can use electrical tape OR wire caps but you don't need both. That's overkill for no reason.

[@MonkeysKnow]

Belt AND suspenders! 😄

[@superrobotfanbuilds]

What if the wires don't have any printing or labeling on them? Asking for a monkey

[@MonkeysKnow]

On most of the cords I have seen, the hot side will have a slight texture if there is no color difference or printing.

[@demonprincess5634]

i love your ear that so bad ass

[@2g0ldens]

Tamara, the LED base may be hot but cannot match you.

[@Bipolarvideos]

in Australia technically the lay-person isn't allowed to do this but eh, fuckit btw howcome it didn't need a transformer or anything like that

[@MonkeysKnow]

They’re probably trying to keep you safer there! 😉 About the transformer, as long as the voltage on the light is lower than the breaker on the box, a transformer should not be necessary.