Talking about transformers

Different Lundby transformer models have been produced by different companies over the years. For whatever reason, I've always been partial to the stout black transformer made by Jester Toys in the 1970s for the Stockholm dollhouse.

Maybe it's that snazzy silver logo or maybe it's the nostalgia I feel for my childhood Lundby dollhouse. 😏

But I recently developed a new appreciation for the 1980s Lundby transformer produced by Brio.

 I was fortunate enough to come upon one still in its box with the original "use and care" instructions.

The "installation" instructions say the transformer is intended for use with "the following Lundby houses and extensions: 6001 - Original House, 6002 - Gothenburg House, 6050 - Gothenburg Extension, 6040 - Stockholm House, 6041 - Stockholm Extension, 6052 - Garage Extension." 

Interesting that the 6001 model is called the "Original House" and the 6002, also known as the Salame & Signor or "frog" house, is called the "Gothenburg House."

At the top right of the instructions is the BRIO logo with a Wisconsin address.

Currently at that same address is an Internet fulfillment, e-commerce support, and product distribution company. Long gone are the days when Lundby and its distributors had a strong presence in the U.S.! 😢

Fiddly fix for detached wiring

Oh no! One of your Lundby lights isn't working and you notice that the cord has come loose at the plug. Here's how to fix the wiring and get your light back on.

If bare wire is exposed, as you see here:

Remove the prong from the plug (unless it has already fallen out, as above). Use a small pliers if necessary.

Thread the exposed wire into the hole in the plug from the bottom.

Then insert the prong from the top.

Use a pliers to push the prong all the way in. Be sure the exposed wire stays inside the hole and is in contact with the prong.

If the cord has come loose and bare wire is NOT exposed, as you see here:

Strip off the white covering on the cord to reveal about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of bare wire. Do this by first making a slight nick in the covering with a craft knife, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Use your fingernails to pinch off the white covering. Follow the steps above to insert the wire and prong back into the plug.

ALERT: This process can be fiddly and frustrating! Take breaks and know that it may take a few tries--and a few choice words--to get it right. Good luck!

Hang it up!

If the lights (with plastic ceiling disks) and pictures in your Lundby dollhouse keep falling down, you're not alone! Instead of using glue or a permanent adhesive like double-sided foam tape, you may want to try a removable adhesive like Glue Dots. They come in a roll and can be found at most craft stores.

I simply unroll the backing paper and touch the back of the item I want to hang (in this case a Lundby clock) to one of the sticky dots.

The dot is transferred to the back of the clock, which is now ready to hang.

And voilà!

Removable Glue Dots are nice because they won't stain paint or paper, and you can generally peel items off (carefully!) without damage when you want to redecorate.

Another option is neodymium disc magnets. Glue a magnet to the back of the item you want to affix to the wall, then hold another magnet on the outside of the wall (exterior of the house) until they pull together. You can glue more (or bigger) magnets to hang heavier items.

Connecting older Lundby transformers

In another post I talk about the basics of lighting Lundby houses, how many bulbs one transformer can power, etc. Here I'll share some tips for using older Lundby transformers.

Older transformer like the one pictured above were designed to work with a multi-socket adapter (#6099, shown separately below).

#6099 multi-socket adapter, top

#6099 multi-socket adapter, bottom

If you have an older transformer like the one above, follow the steps in the June 2008 insert to the Lundby Letter: Plug one end of a bridging cord (#6097) into the adapter and the other into the house. Plug another bridging cord into the adapter for an extension.

If you have an older transformer without a multi-socket adapter, you can do as shown in the March 2008 insert to the Lundby Letter: Cut the plug of a Lundby extension cord in half and insert the separated prongs directly into the grommets on the transformer (anchor them using Sticky Tack or a similar product). Then plug one end of the bridging cord into the extension cord and the other into the house. Follow the same technique for an extension floor.

Many thanks to We Love Lundby Club member Patricia Harrington, author of the Lundby Letter inserts mentioned above, for her expert guidance and for the transformer instructions.

Mini electrics & lighting 101

Stockholm dollhouse from the 1977 Lundby catalog

A fully lit Lundby dollhouse is a sight to behold! lights will enhance the realism of your furnished rooms and give them a cozy glow. But mini electrics can be confusing. Have questions about lighting your Lundby dollhouse? Read on for help...

How may lights can one transformer power?
You can light your house and extensions using a single transformer. One transformer (#6060) is designed for one house with one or two extensions, or up to 30 individual bulbs. With too many lights, the bulbs might flicker or burn out, and the transformer could overheat or shut down.

#6060 Lundby transformer from Jester Toys

How do I connect my house and extensions?
Do you have a Stockholm or Gothenburg dollhouse with a niche in the back for an older-style transformer with "feet"? If so, you can set the transformer inside the niche and insert the tiny plug from the transformer into the nearby outlet. Plug one end of a bridging cord (#6097) into the other tiny outlet on the back of the dollhouse.

#6097 bridging cords

Plug the other end of the bridging cord into the extension. Use additional bridging cords to connect any additional extensions.

If you have a Gothenburg dollhouse with one outlet on the back, you can connect the house to an extension with a bridging cord, use another bridging cord to connect that extension to another extension, and run the transformer from the bottom extension to the wall.

If you have a lot of lights and want to be safe, you might want to power your house and each extension with a separate transformer (if you choose that option, do not connect the houses/extensions with bridging cords).

A note of caution
Enjoy your fully lit house in small doses! Never leave a Lundby transformer plugged in permanently. The transformer could overheat and become a fire hazard, and your bulbs will burn out.

See my other posts ("Lundby lighting" category) for tips on powering Lundby houses using older Lundby transformers and links to Lundby transformer leaflets.

Lundby transformer manuals

I had fun reading through this little manual that came in the box with one of my transformers. The first two pages are warnings--boring but important!

The next page talks about how to connect the transformer to the dollhouse. Hmmm... Wouldn't it be easier to connect cord 6095 to the transformer BEFORE plugging the other end into the house?

Now things get a bit complicated! I had never thought of connecting another cord 6095 to the transformer for an extension. Instead I generally insert the tiny plug from the transformer into the bottom-most extension, then use bridging cords (6097) to connect extension to extension and extension to house.

Again, the manual suggests inserting the plug end of 6095 into the extension BEFORE screwing the tiny metal forks into the transformer.

The manual goes on to explain how to connect the middle extension to the bottom garage extension using a bridging cord (6097). Then we learn how to hang lights and adjust their height.

Things get a little crazy again as we learn how to change bulbs! The manual claims that the "lamps shouldn't break" and should "burn for around 2,000 hours." Wow! In my experience those tiny bulbs can easily overheat--which is why it's not advisable to leave a transformer plugged in for an extended period of time.

Interesting that the manual has us cutting the cord of the burned-out bulb, rather than removing the plug pins so the wires can easily be pulled out. It also says to use a new plug (6192) rather than reusing the original one.

Next we learn how to power more than one lamp on the same plug and make lamps reach farther using single- and multi-socket extension cords (6512 and 6521).

The last page explains how to use extension cords in a piggy-back fashion to connect garden lamps. I love the tip about keeping things looking neat by hiding the cord under a hedge!

For more tips, take a look at these old leaflets:

Transformer instructions, English and French, page 1

Transformer instructions, English and French, page 2

Transformer instructions, German, page 1

Transformer instructions, German, page 2

Bath, kitchen, and bookcase lighting instructions