On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:33:27 -0600, wrote:

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:42:00 -0800, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My multimeter arrived today. I cannot get to the wiring underneath the
dollhouse because there is paint and glue drying. ;-)

I tried to get a voltage reading at the light sockets inside the doll
house. I could not get a consistent reading. The space is very cramped
and the sockets very small (3/8"). I seemed to get a better reading on
DC than AC. The DC readings jumped all over the place, but it looked
like between 0.9 and 1.1 v. The AC readings jumped around even more. The
most consistent reading was 6v at one socket.

Is there a way using this meter to tell if the current is AC or DC?

Next, I did a continuity test of the bulbs themselves. Of the 12 bulbs I
removed from the house, only one passed the continuity test.

I then tried a resistance test on the bulbs. The one that passed the
continuity test showed 11 ohms of resistence. The rest showed infinite
resistance.

I then took the good bulb and tried it in several sockets. After
fiddling with the button switches, I was able to get it to light in
several sockets. It was very dim.

When everything dries, I will try to get under the house and see if I
can get better readings.

Any comments or suggestions?

You have one good bulb and 11 dead ones. There has to be a
transformer somewhere in there. They are not running 120volts to
those bulbs. If you can find replacement bulbs, you are in good
shape, the transformer may be weak, causing dim lights.

I know you want to make the house authentic, but I still say that for
cost and safety reasons, get a string of LED christmas lights (which
do come in sets of 12), and fit them in so you dont see the actual
bulb. Make a little shade around them out of a paper or plastic (LEDs
do not get hot). This will save lots of cash, time, and be much
safer.

Now dangerous are 6 or 12 volts light bulbs, or the wires supplying
them? You can't even feel the current with your hands, only if you
put the leads on your tongue. (OTOH, 110 volts on your tongue are
very very bad.)

How much cash can she possibly save?

OP, go to a toy store or doll house forum and ask about replacement
bulbs.
Also look he
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronic...ders/_/N-5g6p/ and the
links there.
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronic...amps/_/N-5g6r/
has a way to search by base, size, etc.

I don't think any of these are small enough
http://www.radioshack.com/search/ind...ture+lamp&sr=1

You could even use the existing wires, use a 6volt DC wall wart
transformer and solder in LEDs (with resistor) to each socket, and
never have to replace bulbs or worry about safety.