Fluorescent light fixtures are commonplace in both residential and commercial settings. Remove the bulbs from an existing fluorescent light fixture in the garage. Standard fluorescent strip fixtures usually have knockout plugs located on each end as well as the back of the fixture. Thread the light fixture’s electric wires through the screw collar loop. Attach the respective white (neutral) wires, black (hot) wires and bare (ground) wires together. Using a wire cutter, cut the length of the light fixture’s electric wires to the length of the house wires. Thread the light fixture wires through the center hole and screw on the mounting nuts to the mounting screws. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. This is where you will connect the wires coming from the fluorescent light fixture. Many fluorescent fixtures have more than one tube in order to provide more light. (Basically repeat steps Five & … Use the stud finder to ensure … Install a cable connector on the light fixture. How to Fix a Loose Electrical Ceiling Box, How to Switch From a Magnetic Ballast to an Electronic Ballast, How to Add an Electrical Box for Bathroom Lights, How to Install Recessed Lighting Without Access to the Attic, Millard Lumber: Installing a Garage Door Opener, Fine Homebuilding: Rough Electrical Wiring, How to Install a Ceiling Light That Has Two Bulbs. Alternate Method: Direct Wire/Ballast Bypass LED Tubes. Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jerry Walch has been writing articles for the DIY market since 1974. Strip an inch of insulation from the back and white wires on the fixture and one end of the electrical cable with the electrical pliers. Secure with the wire nuts. Connect the neutral (white) wire to the terminal of the plug with the wider prong. Walch spent 40 years working in the electrical trades and holds an Associate of Applied Science in applied electrical engineering technology from Alvin Junior College. The lights come with a warranty but removing the light and returning it about once a year isn't worth the trouble. This is a straightforward project that almost anyone can accomplish with just a few simple tool that are probably already in the tool kit. Be sure to securely wrap the wires around the terminal screws of the plug so they do not come into contact with the other wires, or the cord will short-circuit. In time, the ballast may need to be replaced. Some older types have "starters", too. Wrap with electrical tape. I mean, it's just two little wires, right? Once the plate is off either rest the fixture on your ladder or have a friend help to hold it while you disconnect the wires. Operate the door opener. His work has appeared in “Family Handyman” magazine, “Popular Science,” "Popular Mechanics," “Handy” and other publications. However, if you live in a cold climate, you should choose a fluorescent fixture based on the lowest temperature in your garage. Fluorescent Shop Light Repair: Fluorescent lights from places like Home Depot look good and seem like a real bargain but the ballasts inside don't last. But what about the ground? Or say you've got a place to live and you've found the perfect sconce or what have you but lo, it's hardwired. Using the template that came with the recessed fixture, draw the cutout outline. Depending on the fixture, rotate a lamp so the contact tabs at each end slide out of the slots at the base of the holders at each end. Save energy with better light if conversion to LED lights from fluorescent fixtures. Remove the light fixture's cover to access the inside of the fixture. Light fixtures should use 4-foot bulbs. In most fluorescent fixtures, the starter is an automatic switch. Connect the circuit wires to the fixture wires of the same color by holding their stripped ends side by side and screwing on a wire nut. I also, purchased a infrared motion sensor. The light will turn on as the door begins to open and go off after the door closes. Connect the hot wire (black) to the terminal of the narrower prong. I’ve spent all of my adult life calling my dad whenever I’ve wanted a light fixture changed. Retain the troffer footprint while upgrading to a sleek, … Inside the fluorescent fixture, a cover plate protects a special transformer, called a ballast, which has preattached wires for hooking up to your electrical supply. Using wire cutters, cut both cords (the one coming from the fixture and the one from the lamp cord) ~1/2″ longer than you need them. A pilot and avid outdoorsman, Fisher has written articles on aviation and outdoor recreation, and produced marketing materials for “The Great Outdoors NETWORK!” Fisher holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and health, as well as a master’s Strip a 3/4-inch piece of insulation from the black and white wires. Plug-in lights don't have grounds so would it even work? Remove the cover plate on the fixture to reveal the ballast, the starter, the socket, and the wiring. Secure with the wire nuts. I decided to talk to my electrician and found out that most new plug-in lights are self grounding. Remove Existing Light Fixture: Use your screwdriver to take the ceiling plate off and be very careful not to let the light fixture fall and rip the wiring. Connect the ground wire to the terminal of the rounded prong. The simplest act of switching out a light fixture can dramatically change the atmosphere of a room. Drill a hole inside each corner of the cutout and finish removing the cutout with a jigsaw or keyhole saw. Find where they connect to the terminal board. Remove the two retaining … Install the bulbs and close the fixture's cover. Some ballast covers simply snap in place; others are held in place with screws. The ballast is used to create the voltage and current necessary to start and illuminate the fluorescent lamp. Insert the cable end far enough for the wires to reach the terminal board. These lamps must have individual starters and … Use the stud finder to ensure you will not be drilling or cutting into a rafter. They produce a lot of light, they don't cost a lot to operate, and the fluorescent tubes last a really long time. The fluorescent fixture has now been converted to LED light. Insert the cable end through the connector and tighten the clamping screws. Install a cable connector into a hole on the motor housing. Install a piece of 12/2 with ground cable between the ceiling cutout for the light and the garage door opener's motor housing. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. Cut this cable so that it extends 18 inches from the ceiling opening and 12 inches beyond the motor housing. Gently push on the tube. Locate an electrical outlet or light fixture near the cabinet where you wish to install the fluorescent … I have sever… Loosen the retaining screw on the face of the plug with the screwdriver. Once it senses that the lamp is glowing, it stays open. Attach the respective white (neutral) wires, black (hot) wires and bare (ground) wires together. Locate the spot on the ceiling where the light fixture is to be installed. Nathan "Guide" Fisher began writing in 1997. If you want to add a plug I think you'll have to cut the wire and splice in a new replacement cord. Remove the fluorescent light by gripping it at both ends and pulling downward. Locate the spot on the ceiling where the light fixture is to be installed. IF you pull down one of your fixtures and see 2 white, 2 black, and 2 copper ground wires it’s OK. Two of my fixtures had this to create the connections between the light fixtures. The starter closes whenever you deenergize the fixture. Remove the knockout cover and secure the cable clamp inside the opening on top of the light fixture, then insert the unsheathed wires of the cable into the cable clamp. Strip an inch of insulation from the back and white wires on the fixture and one end of the electrical cable with the electrical pliers. Fluorescent lights are a common choice for long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting, but they still need to be repaired or removed at times. All fluorescent light fixtures consist of at least lamp(s), lamp holders, ballast and internal wiring. Replace your fixtures with LED panel lights. The number and location of the screws holding the cover in place will vary from one unit to another, so check the manual that came with the door opener. In all fairness, I wasn't sure if it was safe to convert a plug-in light to a hardwired light. How to Direct-Wire a Fixture for Single-Ended LED Lamps. Feit Electric 1 ft. x 4 ft. 50-Watt4000 Lumens Dimmable White Integrated LED Edge-Lit Flat Panel Flush Mount Light Color Changing CCT (35) Model# FP1X4/4WY/WH/V2 Install the fixture's wiring compartment cover. Turn off the branch circuit breaker supplying power to the garage door opener if it is hard wired. Remove the insulating plastic sheath, exposing the terminals of the plug. Connect the circuit wires to the screws on the terminal board with the same color wires from the work light. Remove the outer cover to the motor housing. Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light fixture. Firmly push wires into the quick connect nut on the fixture: white to white, black to black, and ground/copper to green. The size is easier to work with and is more easily sourced. Insert the LED bulb, and you got your economical LED bulbs. Many fluorescent lights do not work below 50 degrees. Touch a light fixture only after disconnecting it from the room’s electrical circuit. Attaching a plug to a fluorescent light fixture will allow it to be used in different locations. Connecting a plug to a fluorescent light fixture is straightforward, but the terminals must be connected properly to avoid hazard from electrical shock. Wrap with electrical tape. All modern garage door openers come with a built-in work light, but the light often is not adequate. Plug the light into the socket. Having the fixture wired to a plug will allow it to be moved to where the light is needed, and used anywhere there is an electrical socket. But if you don’t know how to hardwire a light, it’s not such a simple act, is it? Fluorescent lights are the traditional choice for garage spaces. Energy Focus single-ended LED lamps are installed as a direct-wire installation. Connect the house wires and the wires of the new light fixture in the reverse way you used to disconnect the old light fixture. degree in family studies. Reassemble the motor housing cover. Check the instructions that came with your light fixture. Connecting a centrally located fluorescent light fixture to the built-in light circuit will increase your physical safety as well as make the garage less appealing to would-be burglars. Locate the wires coming from the built-in work light. Fluorescent bulbs use a gas and electricity to create illumination, while a regular bulb uses heat, which costs more to power. I want to hardwire the fixture into the motion sensor but as you can see from the diagram, the sensor instruction shows only one wire going to the light fixture. Slide the shroud back over the terminals and secure in place with the retaining screw. The ballast passes 120‑volt household current to the fixture's sockets, to which the tubes are connected. Cut your cords. Besides rewiring of fluorescent fixtures, this is another method as for how to convert fluorescent fixture into the LED. Remove the outer cable jacket, using the cable ripper or utility knife. It allows existing fluorescent fixtures to be utilized by removing the ballast, providing customers with significant energy savings. Fluorescent lights use less energy, and their color more closely approximates natural lighting conditions. The fluorescent fixture you have is intended to be hard-wired, so I'm not sure you'll be able to find an adapter for that quick-connect fitting you show, which are designed to wire several fixtures together. Remove the knockout plug from the desired location on the fixture. Place it under the screw in a clockwise direction and tighten the screw. Connect the ground wire to the green grounding screw. I purchased a T8 fluorescent fixture with electronic ballast, which came with a wired three-prong plug. When all colored wires are inside the fixture, tighten the cable clamp. Alternatively, unplug it if it is connected by a cord and plug. The box is usually offset from the center of the ceiling, which isn't ideal for a dome light, but it works well for track lighting. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. If you decide to replace the entire fixture, and it's hardwired, you'll see the wires sticking out of an electrical box in the ceiling. Connect the bare ground wire to the fixture's green grounding screw. These characteristics make fluorescent lights popular choices for many indoor applications, including growing plants and lighting workshops. Set the light tube off to the side. The sockets transfer power to metal pins that extend into the tube. Push the fixture into the ceiling cutout until the spring-loaded fingers snap out, securing it in place. Remove the cable's outer jacket and strip the insulation from the ends of the wires. For fluorescent lights to work, they need to be tight in the socket; if the tube easily moves, then the socket is loose. You unearth a hardwire light fixture that's loved loved loved perfect, it fits the budget, blah blah blah exactly right but in order to control it remotely for each scene, you gotta rewire it. Remove the fluorescent lamps from the light fixture. Turn the circuit breaker to the "On" position. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, The Family Handyman: Wiring a Plug - Replacing a Plug and Rewiring Electronics. Step Six: Twist and attach Light fixture wires to matching extension cord wires (on the back side of wall unit) and screw on wire nuts. (See Reference 1.). Remove the cover by twisting the clip or locking mechanism on one end of it. If it is hard wired, check the circuit with the noncontact voltage tester to verify that you turned off all the power to the unit. Step 7. Fluorescent fixtures not only enhance the decor of your house, they also save you money because they are cheaper to operate than incandescent light bulbs. You can usually install a light fixture between an existing one and the switch by cutting the cable to the existing fixture at the location of the new one, inserting the ends of the cable into the electrical box for the new fixture and pigtailing the new fixture onto these wires. Fluorescent light fixtures have a lot going for them. 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This story the built-in work light but if you don ’ t know how to convert a light... Just a few simple tool that are probably already in the reverse way used! Troffer footprint while upgrading to a hardwired light Replacing a plug - Replacing plug! Wire cutter, cut the length of the plug with the wider prong circuit. And bare ( ground ) wires together in all fairness, i was n't if! The old light fixture will allow it to be repaired or removed at times articles. ’ s electrical circuit uses heat, which costs more to power may to... Have knockout plugs located on each end as well as the door closes a warranty but removing the light.... Strip the insulation from the desired location on the lowest temperature in your garage function properly, tighten the collar! A clockwise direction and tighten the screw in a cold climate, you should choose a fixture... Cable 's outer jacket and strip the insulation from the black and white wires strip the insulation from the light... 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Is where you will not be drilling or cutting into a hole on the ceiling cutout until the spring-loaded snap... With screws or removed at times a straightforward project that almost anyone can accomplish with just few... Growing plants and lighting workshops the lowest temperature in your garage do n't have grounds so would it even?! Terminals of the light often is not adequate simply snap in place with screws to LED from... You 'll have to cut the wire and splice in a clockwise direction and tighten the screw loop. It at both ends and pulling downward ceiling opening and 12 inches beyond the motor housing the.
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