Wiring Two of Three fluorescent Lights?

[Edward]

this is the third time I'm posting this, for some reason the first two didn't show up. Google news is being a pain apparently, if you know of a better free service let me know.

I have a basement/workbench area. Its about 30 to 40 feet long by about 20 feet wide withshelves at the sides. There are two edison sockets for normal bulbs there. I would like the replace those two edison sockets with three or four fluorescent T5 (T8?), thereby improving the light for the whole area including the workbench. Putting them where the sockets currently are should be trivial. I have hard wired stuff before in my kitchen with breautiful results. What about the others? Could I just take a wire fromone fixture, twist it on the other wires, cap the connection, and run it to the next; in parallel? Or is that bad practice? I'm guessing it would be trivial. Twist/cap white to white, black to black and green to green.

[Doug Miller]

That's not quite all there is to it, but pretty close. You also need to make sure that you're using the proper size of wire (14AWG copper for a 15A circuit, 12AWG if 20A), and that you secure it to the fixtures with the proper connector and locknut. Other than that, yeah, you're good.

[Mark Lloyd]

apparently, almost anything would be better than Google (other than for searching text groups).

You can use any newsreader (such as the free Thunderbird at

and set it to use the server at aioe.org.

[Mitch]

I did that in my basement, but all I did was install those screw-in sockets with outlets in them, and plugged the fluorescents into those.

[bud--]

But that doesn't include a ground. You really want fluorescent fixtures to be grounded both for safety and proper operation of the tubes.

-- bud--

[TakenEvent]

And make sure that the pigtailed or spliced connections are inside the fixtures or a junction box.

A (possibly cheaper) suggestion would be to replace the existing fixtures with fixtures that have a grounded outlet built in to them. They're about $3 at Home Depot. This way you can plug in your fluorescent fixtures instead of running new wire all over the place.

[Jeff Wisnia]

And I don't think most electrical inspectors would be happy seeing permenantly connected unguarded wires strung over to the "added" fixture.

I think you should either run a piece of rigid conduit between the fixtures or perhaps use BX cable.

Jeff

[Edward]

I posted somethign similar in another thread - I didn't mean to do it, Google News is slow and my posts are sometimes going into nothingness. But yes, it is a 15 amp circuit.

The reason I asked, it because in the kitchen, the overhead lights are in parallel and we have had trouble with them since day one. They don't start, and one electrician said it was because they are are in parallel and there isn't enough current. There are four 4' fixtures, when the house was built. The kitchen was remodeled, and one was eliminated - taking it down to three and a half - there's a two fitter in there to even it out.

[Edward]

I was thinking about that. This is what I have, in desperation I strung one light to the center of the room.

But I think a proper solution would be to put permenant fixtures.

[Edward]

It looks like 14 is my lucky number.

[aemeijers]

What am I missing here? SOP in every home shop I know is to add a grounded outlet hung off ceiling fixture string, and plug the grounded-cord prefab shop lite into that. Never seen the chain-mounted lights hardwired.

aem sends...

[Rusty]

aioe.org you will need a newsreader client though

Go with T8, less glare on the eyes, and more common.

Vic mentioned that you should have a professional do this if you aren't certain of the electrical code.

Unless the fixtures are end-to-end, and sit on top of the existing junction box, you should run a new junction box for each fixture.

Using pre-fab shoplites is an exeption, but you should still run a new j-box whereever the built-in cord can't reach. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with the pre-fab shop-lites, otherwise they wouldn't be on the market. Just make sure to replace that edison screw base with a grounded outlet.

yes, it's fairly trivial, but I think Murphy's Law of Combat applies here:

Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of amateurs.

[Rusty]

Replying to myself here, did I use the term "junction box" incorrectly? I think I was supposed to use outlet box instead.

[Edward]

I wasn't going to use chain mounted.

[TimR]

I notice you were going to twist wires, which I think means wire nuts.

I've done it that way when I lived in the US. I'm temporarily working in Germany now. The local hardware stores don't have wire nuts, instead they have kind of a weird long plastic piece with multiple holes and what looks like a very secure set screw to hold the wires in.

I haven't used one myself, I'm renting, but it looks like you cut off as many holes as you need and stick the wires in. So in your case you'd probably cut off a strip of three for hot, neutral, and ground.

Maybe somebody who's used these can comment. To me they look like a great improvement over wire nuts and would take less space in the box. I'm not sure about proper use (how much insulation, how many wires per hole, etc.)

[Mark Lloyd]

There is also a website at this address, where you can find out more about this.

[snip]

[Bob F]

Try grounding the metal of the fixtures for this problem.

Bob

[TKM]

Unfortunately, you got bad advice, Edward.

Check the following:

1. Are the fixtures grounded? (They must be for reliable starting)
2. Are the tubes clean? (Dirty tubes, especially in humid weather, reduce lamp starting voltage)
3. Are the ballasts connected correctly? (The ballast primary black wire must be connected to the "high" or black wire of the 120 volt circuit and you might want an electrician -- not the one you had before!! --to check this out).

You can resolve all of your kitchen lamp starting problems and save energy too by converting your old T12 fixtures to electronic ballasts and T8 lamps. The new 4-foot T8 lamps will fit into your existing fixtures and the new ballasts are fairly easy to install as well; but if you're not comfortable with wiring, have an electrician do it.

Terry McGowan

[Chris Lewis]

Standard 4' fluorescent fixtures don't need J boxes. You splice the cables inside the fixture, and use proper box clamps where the cables leave the fixture. The fixture itself acts as the J box.

Where the cable is inside the fixture, it's supposed to be rated for 90C, but most romex is rated for that these days anyway. As long as you doublecheck that the wire you use is 90C, no fussing around with boxes (to splice in "special" 90C wire for entry into the fixture) is necessary.

If the wire is called "NMD-90", it's 90C rated, otherwise, check the labeling on the spool or the cable itself.

You want a receptacle. (Outlet box, receptacle and cover plate)

[Rusty]

I stand corrected, I guess I have been spending a little too much time around commercial grade stuff.

It would still be a good idea to at least have a j-box somewhere in the room for distribution to the fixtures instead of home runs or chaining together.

I corrected myself in a later post, but thanks anyway.