Turning a hose faucet into electrical on/off?

[Kevin54]

Belly....... Check out these two lamps. It might give you an idea on a few more to make.

 

[Big-Foot]

Some might think he cheated a bit with his switch.
But it is pretty much out of sight but easy to click with your finger as you turn the handle.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Faucet-Night-Light/

Now that is cooler than heck!!!!!

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

first thing I pictured in my head was a switch that worked along the same lines as 4 wheel drive hubs. throw some springs in there with some type of ratcheting mech. Seperate with some plastick. When you turn the valve, it ramps up or ramps down to close or open the contacts.

 

[Kevin54]

In the pic I posted above, I've looked at it a number of times trying to figure out what the body is made of. I didn't think it had anything to do with water other than the faucet handle. Is the body of that made from a wheel brake cylinder? and where th eneck come out, is that where the bleeder would be?

 

[BellyUpFish]

That's some neat stuff!

I need to get back on mine, I've just had a few projects ahead if it. Finally got some lights in my garage last night. Now it's time for some outlets!

 

[kbs2244]

I am pretty sure those valves are for a steam heat system.
The little "Y" is for draining any condensation.

 

[BostonianBrewer]

Hey BellyUpFish any luck with that switch how did you pull it off im in the middle of a very similar project and stuck on turning that water bib into a light switch or what ever the name is

 

[03protege]

I'm making a light or three..

The momentary switch was the first thought..

Maybe some sort of rheostat with a built in "off" so when you turn the handle the light gets progressively brighter.

 

[Brad54]

Maybe some sort of rheostat with a built in "off" so when you turn the handle the light gets progressively brighter.

Beat me to it. This is how I'd do it--Literally "Turn the light on."

-Brad

 

[pixelhugger]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm building a lamp very similar to yours (assuming that pic is your lamp and not a reference..)

Just curious to know what kind of fitting you used to attach the bottle and how the glass is secured within it...

Very cool work.

 

[BellyUpFish]

I never got around to finishing mine up, or at least not sorting out the switch part. Mine's just running a standard light switch..

 

[69supercj]

I like the rheostat idea myself.

 

[Bobcat1911]

Why not a ball valve with an electrical or air/electric actuator?

 

[Spectates]

Did you end up using a beer bottle to enclose the bulb? If so, which fitting exactly did you use to secure it to the pipe?

 

[johno]

I'm curious as to what kind of light socket is used, and how it's fitted.
Any ideas?

If anyone is making one make sure to deburr any pipe ends as they can be very sharp and will easily cut any wires..

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I think this is getting over complicated. Why not extend the shaft through the existing valve, put a yoke or fork on the end to operate a standard light switch. You could add a plate or some other stop so you don't force the switch too far.

Even simpler... If you can use a dimmer, just connect that directly to the valve shaft.

Just noticed writing on the note pad - kind of funny.

 

[laser3kw]

" I'm not an Engineer - but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night"

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I'm not an engineer, I can't even drive a train.

 

[Kracin]

put the guts inside the faucet, take the faucet guts out, attach a piece so that turning the faucet turns the switch and you have a quick throw switch via faucet.

 

[Harhir]

I have been looking for a while to build some of these "steam punk" lamps for my bar using steel pipes. The switch seems to be a tricky part but I think I found what some companies are using.
Morris has one of these compact rotary switches.
http://www.morrisproducts.com/wiring-devices/rotary-switch.asp

If I look at some pics of pipe lamps this seems to be the switch they are using:
http://img1.etsystatic.com/013/0/7199081/il_570xN.428421081_p203.jpg

Ok it is not a faucet but I wonder if these knobs can be removed and replaced by some of these faucet wheels.
I think I will order a few and check if they can be modified in a way to look like a faucet.

 

[malibulvr]

My buddy just asked me to find him a switch and above is the only one I can find. I can't seem to figure out what switch this guy is using? Any thoughts fellas? Not trying to take over the thread, lol.

 

[Strouty]

These are pretty damn cool ideas. I really like the one with the old power line insulator as the lamp shade. Now I have another project.

 

[DenisG]

Google "rotary canopy switch"

 

[Harhir]

Here are my lamps now. It is copper piping soldered together. I used the switch from my previous post. It is screwed into a brass pipe reducer which screws into a copper pipe fitting. The top of the switch is covered with a 3/4 copper end cap which sits on the plastic switch knob. I had to use some silicon tubing to in between to have a tight fit of the copper cap on the switch knob. The faucet handle is bolted to the copper cap which I had to drill a hole in.
The beer bottles are open at the bottom. I found them at Tuesday Morning. They were originally to be used with candle lights. A six pack for around $20. The lamp socket is the rubber out door socket from Home Depot and the bulbs are 25 watt bulbs which just fit inside the bottle.
To hold the bottle a found a conduit adapter at home depot. 1/2 copper pipe on one end and beer bottle at the other end:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Halex-1-...MT-to-Flex-Set-Screw-Coupling-91531/100201445
Each of these dual lamps cost me about $45 dollars on material.

One thing which went wrong on my first built: When I cut the copper pipe with with a pipe cutter I did not realize that a sharp edge had built up INSIDE the pipe. After I had soldered everything together I could not pull the cables through the pipes. They just stuck on the sharp edges. Plus the insulation would have been damaged.
So for the second and final built I smoothed out the edges of the cooper pipe with my Dremel before I soldered the pieces together. Then pulling through the cables was no problem. Plus no danger of shortage because of damaged insulation.

 

[Harhir]

And here is how they look at night... My outdoor man cave since my indoor man cave is the garage... A Homebrewers paradise... ;-)

 

[Harhir]

These are pretty damn cool ideas. I really like the one with the old power line insulator as the lamp shade. Now I have another project.

I was at a small antique store on Sunday who had some of these insulators for sale. But they wanted $5 a pop which I thought too expensive. And they are not open at the top. You have to find a safe way to drill a hole through the glass. But being a home brewer I prefer the beer bottle lamps anyhow.
I also build me some of these beer bottle tiki torches:

 

[mushmouth]

I never read the whole thread yet, so maybe somebody asked this already. Instead of making the valve a switch, could you make the valve work like a rheostat? Or would that be an even harder task for your lamp?

 

[mushmouth]

Oops. Somebody already beat me to the rheostat switch idea. It seams like a cool idea the light gets brighter as you crank the valve.

 

[InPrimer]

You can drill into any glass with a dremel tool and small diamond drills They are easy and cheap, the biggest hurdle is patience.. I lubricate the glass with a few drops of water and again be patient

 

[js289]

interesting!

 

[Mr.Miele]

Hi guys, any idea what kind of bottle holder here?