Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the easist way to intall a bulb to the top of a wooden cage? I have been told to get a "pancake conduit", but have no idea what that is.

Can you just purchase the socket and screw it to the top?

You will need

-electrical box
-porcelain fixture
-length of wire
-plug

Strip a half inch off each end of the wire. Stick one end through the "knockouts" (the small removeable hole in the electrical box). Braid the wire tightly and wrap it around each connection point on the back of the porcelain fixture and tighten. Next, wire whichever plug you use (some are set up differently than others). Plug in and there you go. Make sure to use a bulb guard.
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Pictures!

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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

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I found a surface mount porcelean fixture at Orchard Supply Hardware. Eliminates the need for the electrical box. drill a small hole near by for the wire. I ran the wire through the back and stapled it to the ceiling. Also to be safer I use crimp on connectors (done correctly) so ther were no loose wire strands.

You can see the fixture in the upper right cage section.

BTW, should use a bulb guard, this is an old picture.

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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Where would you get loose wire strands from? Think Lowes would have the fixture that eliminates the electrical box?

It's possible Lowes may have it, or any other hardware store or electrical supply house.

I used lamp cord to power the light, stranded wire.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I am going to use it to heat the cage on one side - just put a heating bulb in the socket as opposed to a normal light bulb.

all the lights you find in the pet store are the same bulbs that are in the hardware store just in different boxes. so a normal light bulb say 50watt is the same as a 50watt "reptile bulb". just trying to save some money for others although the bulbs in pet stores have dropped recently in price so they are fairly close to the ones in the hardware store.
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- Jason F.

If they don't have the flush mount they also make 1/2 inch deep low profile boxes as opposed to the 2" standard. Only thing is there are no side knockouts.

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0.0.1 Snow Corn
1.0 Ghosts
0.0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python

Lowes, etc, has outlet boxes made for outdoor lighting, like for those motion-sensing lights. They come painted already and have threaded knockouts and covers for those knockouts you're not using. Real nice looking and easy to use, plus they help conduct and dissipate heat from the bulb base.

If running the wires out the cage top, just drill the hole in the cage top and you're done, since these boxes have a knockout in the back too.

If running the wires along the cage ceiling and out the back, consider the available 6ft whip of 3/8" metal flexible conduit and wire complete with attachment that threads right in to the outlet box. You could run the other end right out the back of the cage and use pipe clamps to secure it. Brute force but safer if you have an animal that could potentially climb up to the wires.