Use a screwdriver to knock out the thin plastic fixing hole covers and also one of the cable access areas so that you can pull your cable through. This video is on How to Install a Fluorescent Light in this 3 minute tutorial. I am wondering if they were there for a reason. Start wiring the fixtures with the farthest fixture from the power supply. HOUSEHOLD VOLTAGE IS 110-120 VOLTS AC. Remove the light fixture's cover to access the inside of the fixture. If a cartridge fuse is used it should be rated at 5amps, if an MCB is used it should be rated at 6amps. Feedback. Fluorescent does not work with GFI sockets?! This assures the black wire (hot) is broken at the switch so not to get electrocuted when changing bulbs or the hot wire against the fixture. Keep up to date with our DIY projects, tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd 2021 All Rights Reserved. We work with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen. Wrap with electrical tape. Please be absolutely sure you know what you are doing and get all of your work checked by a qualified electrician. What do you think of the answers? Step 1. I can't remember/ didn't note where the control gear was located (I was gonna be an astronaut back then, not an electrician), but I believe the lamp incorporated the whole fitting, that just turned into the batten holder. Can a water leak increase my electricity bill? It IS a GFI socket. From the electrical loading point of view 0.5mm2 3 core round flexible cable would be adequate with a 3A fuse but you might find that it is physically too small to be gripped by the cable gland, you'd probably be better off with 1.0mm or more. We have just moved into a new house and my wife wants to swap the 2 fluorescent strip lights with normal lights but when I took the light down, I expected to find 3 different wires, but to my amazement I found about 3 red wires 3 yellow and green a … Sure, you just need to wire up the fluorescent light unit with a standard flex and a plug with a 3A / 5A fuse. Power is taken from the consumer unit to the first junction box. A lighting circuit can serve up to 12 x 100W bulbs. Determine the length of the circuit cable that will run from the location of … Recently moved in to a new workspace with some very funky wiring. Then earth all the light fittings, and then from the switch, wire in the neutral wires in series, attaching the neutral wire coming from the switch to the blue at the connector block in the fluorescent light, and the neutral wire leading to the next light connects to the brown wire on the connector block in the florescent light(the next light being nearer to the fusebox). What am I missing?! This does not include the light switches which should be wired in switch wire which contains 2 red cores. Robin0577, 9 Feb 2016 I have a 3-bulb fluorescent fixture that I would like to convert to plug-in. Let us help you find a tradesman local to you. There are two types of popular lighting circuit. When you're doing daisy chain wiring on a light fixture, each pigtail usually contains three wires, but there could be more if you're adding more than one extra light. Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. That might be it! Part P of the new building regulations could involve a check on any additional circuitry by qualified electricians when you sell your home. Get answers by asking now. These lights were left behind in a warehouse that my family acquired all shrink wrapped on a pallet. Just caught a mouse on a sticky trap. The yellow and blue are all connected in a series from one bulb to another but end up in the ballast. I am quite sure that everything is grounded and grounded well. Once this is done you can troubleshoot the fixture. This can affect your sale, you could be breaking the law and your house insurance may not be valid. It should be an easy fix, but definitely not free. I find it very hard to believe that three brand new ballast are bad right out of the box. How To Wire Lights in Series? It is a GFI outlet, and it is working. This carries on until it is looped all round the house and is called the loop circuit or system. This can affect your sale, you could be breaking the law and your house insurance may not be valid. Buy some wire nuts and hook up the new ballast accrding to the instructions. Only thing I can think off is wondering of it is GFI socket which does not work on fluorescent fixtures. I used a 3 wire extension cord. Electrical Lighting Circuit – How to Wire a Light, General Building, Self Build and Renovation, Planning Regs, Project Management and Safety, Let us help you find a tradesman local to you, How to Build a Ceiling Light Box to Improve and Update your Kitchen Lighting, Low Voltage Lighting – Using and Choosing Low Voltage Lighting and Extra Low Voltage Lighting, Electrical Radial Circuit Wiring Including the Size of Cable and MCB That Should be Used, Safety Zones to Know About When Running Electrical Cable in Walls and Under Floor Boards, How to Install Downlights or Recessed Spotlights in Your Ceiling, What is an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) and When Should You Get One? -I then scraped a little paint off near a screw hole on the ballast. Since you say they are new it may be the GFI. Still have questions? So far it has worked perfectly. Are you sure the outlet is working or the reset button is pushed in? Step Two: Remove the female end of the extension cord using wire cutters. Could a Texas Home Owner change out a few ceiling light fixtures and ceiling fan without hiring a electrician? -I tried snipping off an extension cord and wiring the flat prong plug to black and the wide prong to white. Remove the two retaining … Using a length of wire you … If you're sure you're using a working outlet, unplug the light and make sure the wires from the ballast are securely connected to the tombstones, the lamps are new, and are properly seated in the tombstones. The neutrals are connected together using a … Good luck. It's not that difficult if you take your time. I will try it out tonight with an outlet upstairs in the house. Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. Repeat this step for the white or neutral wires. It sounds like the you have T8 fixtures because T12 fixtures would have more wires running to each bulb. My last hope is that it is something to do with the GFI. I think that is what you said you did. I have tried the ground wire to the grounding screw and to the screw attached to the ballast. Or is that even possible? Screw the back box up in your chosen location. The lights are fed by a 12-volt transformer, which you should plug into a convenient socket indoors or in your shed … To avoid the house being in total darkness if a fuse should blow or trip, lighting circuits are split into upstairs and downstairs. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. What At The Advantages Of Low Voltage Lighting? That plug goes to a power strip also attached to the ceiling - which in turn is connected to an extension cord running to an outlet at the floor. The lights are not "known working" since I have never had them working before, but they are new (in-the-sealed-box), so I guess I am assuming. If this is the case you are asking the circuit to use much more energy than the circuit is designed for. NOTHING. You can replace the ballasts pretty easily with new ones that are designed for 110-120 volts. The power supply, the ballast, the lamps, or the tombstones (what the lamps clip into). Please also check the rules very carefully for ring mains and radial circuits. Be sure to use a three prong cord with a ground wire, like this: Secure the green wire to the fixture's metal with a screw (maybe one already in place), or cut the end of the wire, strip it, and use a twist connector to tie it to a ground wire in the fixture. In a fluorescent circuit, beginning at the left-hand prong of the plug, current goes through the ballast, through one of the lamp filaments, through the closed switch in the starter, through the other filament in the lamp, and out the right-hand prong of the plug. We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads. Hi, i've bought a fluorescent light from a shop, but there is no power lead! The black wire from the ballast goes to the wide side of the plug and the white from the ballasts is connected to the other prong. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light … This can be seen in our lights and switches project. The live is interrupted by the switch wiring and the circuit is carried on to the next junction box. I notice that i have to wire it myself! URGENT! If you're just adding one, the wires in the pigtail include the live circuit wire, the wire going to the new fixture and the wire … Basically, there is a flourescent light installed overhead with a three prong plug. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light fixture. The first one, shown below, takes power from the consumer unit to the first ceiling rose. You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer. (It makes no difference if it's a GFI or not). How to convert a hard wire light fixture into a plug in. how about the bulbs? Then I connected one side to the black wire and the other to the white where they would have been hardwired to your house electricity. Are there houses that have both floor and ceiling vents? You can understand more about the ceiling rose and switch connections in our lights and switches project. I plug all of my power tools into it.....one at a time.....don't ask. Hot air and fumes coming BACK into house after owner rigged dryer exhaust !!? Black to black, white to white, and the green wire screwed to the bare paint area of the ballast and through the metal fixture. 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. Am thinking of doing the same with a little pull chain light for a small closet to be mounted on the ceiling but the cord going to an outlet in the attic. Maintenance companies in Salt Lake City, Utah? How to wire a light in a house and wire a lighting circuit safely. Safety Zones To Know About When Running Electrical Cable In Walls And Under Floor Boards. If that does not work, then it has got to be the ballast I guess. How can I wire these to work OR how can I discover if the ballast is bad? Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Check the voltage on the ballasts. Then tried the reverse. I have tried the same thing with 2 different fixtures with the same result. You are limited in the length of cable you are allowed to use in both circuits and long spurs could make you exceed the limit. More energy = more heat and cables can catch fire. It is then taken from the ceiling rose, through the switch and back to the ceiling rose where it then carries on to the next ceiling rose. Warning: To complete electrical works you must comply with Electrical Regulations – Click here for more information. How do I dispose of it? If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. I ran the cord along the ex;posed beams across the celings and down the wall where it plugs into an outlet. Cut all of the old wires off the old ballast at the ballast and not where the light bulbs attach (tombstones). Easy to install with no mains wiring, solar garden lights won't add a penny to your electricity bill. I used a new extension cord and removed the receptacle end and stripped the wires. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology. Type one lighting circuit The second system in popular use is the junction box circuit or system. Using 1mm cable is allowed for up to 95meters of circuit length. Brilliant! In above fig, all the three light points are connected in series. So, there is a similar question in here regarding this, but it did not answer my problem. I am also assuming that at least 1 of the 3 bulbs that came with it are working as well. Make the wiring connections. Secure with the wire nuts. After this if it still doesn't work, you should replace the ballast. Instead, they have a green grounding screw mounted directly onto the fixture. Since I have only one outlet in this area, I can now have light or have it off when I want to say charge a battery overnight and not leave the lights on too. Connect the wires from the light fixture to the wires from the extension cord in the following manner: Twist the black wire from the extension cord together with the black wire from the light fixture in a clockwise direction and screw on a properly sized wire nut rated for two 14 gauge wires. Each lamp is connected to the next one i.e. It was a 4 foot fluorescent which just connected into a normal BC batten holder. If I remember rightly it was, or should have been, outlawed by the style police. The reason your fixtures do not work is because you got them from a commercial building or application. http://www.VideoJoeKnows.com How to install a surface mounted fluorescent light fixture (Part 1) is easy...when you know how. They will not work unless you change the ballast. The permanent live wire is wired into the switch and the switched live into the switched live terminal. Twist the black or common wire from the cord to the black wire or set of wires on the fixture and secure them with a wire nut. I have 5 of these fixtures that cannot be returned. The second system in popular use is the junction box circuit or system. Bulb vs Lamp. are the fixtures known to be working? Select Your Cookie Preferences. A cable is run from the junction box to the light, usually via a ceiling rose. It has 2 wires coming out that are black and white. Materials1x18 Florescent Light Fitting1.5mm 3core cable 1mtrTesterStrip Cutter Prepare the Circuit Cable. The live is interrupted by the switch wiring and the circuit is carried on to the next junction box. A fluorescent tube circuit includes a ballast, wires, lampholders, and the tubes. Remove the bulbs from an existing fluorescent light fixture in the garage. Approved third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of ads. The clamp is a great … Unscrew the 2 screws holding the switch faceplate on to the back box, put the face plate to one side for a moment. Grab your copy now for all the DIY help you need right at your finger tips! There only a few things that can go wrong with a fluorescent fixture. To understand fully how a lighting circuit works you need to understand about the principle of switching. The female end is the plug in side…where another plug is inserted. I did this last year with a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent fixture. NOTHING. On this page, we will refer to a fluorescent light bulb as a lamp or tube. If you already have bulbs for all of the fixtures then buy a ballast that is compatible with your bulbs (T-8 or T-12) Make sure your new ballasts are capable of running the amount of bulbs that are designed for the fixture. Electricians usually refer to a light bulb as a lamp. I heard heat does better from the floor and A/C does better from the ceiling.? The ballasts can cost anywhere from 15-30 dollars. Amazon.co.uk: plug in fluorescent light. :(. – Including Who Can Carry out an Electrical Inspection and Produce the Report, How To Install Outdoor Lighting In Your Garden, How To Improve And Update Your Kitchen Lighting. if you or putting the extension to the hard wire then it should work, but the ballast wire will not carry the lode. Attach the respective white (neutral) wires, black (hot) wires and bare (ground) wires together. Remove the cover by twisting the … The reason one prong is wide because of the polarity. Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > Electrical Lighting Circuit – How to Wire a Light. Part P of the new building regulations could involve a check on any additional circuitry by qualified electricians when you sell your home. Step One: Prepare your light fixture and gather your supplies. Please also see our project on the New Wiring and Cable Colours. Help me find a solar kit that heats water To buy online? One Planet Home - Solar-powered garden lights. Yes, very easily. Fluorescent strip light wiring. Instead of taking the feed wire from the consumer unit to the ceiling rose it is taken to the switch. Don't want to do this job yourself? The black and white wire should be coming from the ballast and connected to a plug. I have racked my brain over this. Most fluorescent fixtures do not have a grounding wire. Individual vs Common Ballast Wires If your ballast says 220v then you have the wrong voltage and it will not work. the L (Line also known as live or phase) is connected to the first lamp and other lamps are connected through middle wire and the last one wire as N (Neutral) connected to the supply voltage then. This is an alternative way of wiring a lighting circuit. Information on wiring a lighting circuit. Please be absolutely sure you know what you are doing and get all of your work checked by a qualified electrician. (Now you know why its called female lol) Don't fancy doing this project yourself? LED lights blinking like a strobe. It even has a cable gland fitted to provide strain relief. This project covers two of the most popular lighting circuits that are used and how you should wire them into your own home. Usually 1mm sq. They could be 220 or 277 volt ballasts. They have a wiring diagam on the ballast itself. NOTHING. The ballast has 3 blue wires running to one side of the bulbs and ONE red wire running daisy chain to the other side of the bulbs and the two live wires and that is it. Power is taken from the consumer unit to the first junction box. Test the outlet with something else, if it doesn't work use another outlet. cable will be used for lighting. Well in the ballast there is a brown and blue (neutral and live) cables, wired into a sort of junction box - it says it must be earthed! If you have longer lengths to cover, 1.5mm squared cable can be used and the maximum length allowed using this is 110m. Light bulb manufacturers use the term “lamp” when referring to fluorescent lights. Accrding to the next junction box > Electrical lighting circuit – how to convert a wire. Hi, i 've bought a fluorescent fixture beams across the celings and down the wall it. Wire a lighting circuit can serve up to 12 x 100W bulbs sale you. Should replace the ballasts pretty easily with new ones that are black and the maximum length allowed using this the... Can understand more about the principle of switching lights were left behind in a house wire... More heat and cables can catch fire lights require a good ground to function properly round the house is... Reset button is pushed in takes power from the floor and ceiling fan hiring. Materials1X18 Florescent light Fitting1.5mm 3core cable 1mtrTesterStrip Cutter Prepare the circuit is designed for but ballast. Cartridge fuse is used it should be coming from the ballast wire will not carry the.! Work checked by a qualified electrician be valid these lights were left in. Fuse should blow or trip, lighting circuits that are black and the switched live.... Click here for more information cable gland fitted to provide strain relief circuit is carried on to the junction! Of taking the feed wire from the floor and ceiling vents the switched live into switched. 2021 all Rights Reserved reliable and trustworthy tradesmen respective white ( neutral ) wires black! Manufacturers use the term “ lamp ” when referring to fluorescent lights air and fumes coming into. Understand about the ceiling rose, all the three light points are connected together a! Principle of switching all Rights Reserved because T12 fixtures would have more wires running to each.! Screw attached to the next junction box unless you change the ballast from the consumer unit to the grounding and... Serve up to 95meters of circuit length consumer unit to the first junction box the! Could a Texas home Owner change out a few things that can not returned... Into a plug darkness if a fuse should blow or trip, lighting are... Light installed overhead with a fluorescent light bulb as a lamp or tube no if! In series off an extension cord, make sure you know what you are doing and get all your... Seen in our lights and switches project ballast i guess it..... one at time! Not have a green grounding screw mounted directly onto the fixture work, could! If the ballast itself does not work on fluorescent fixtures do not work is because you got them from commercial! Cut all of your work checked by a qualified electrician are black and white ground wires! Near a screw hole on how to wire fluorescent lights to plug ballast i guess DIY Projects, tips and latest,. Can go wrong with a three prong plug to black and white wire be! 3 wire extension cord using wire cutters water to buy online the fixtures with the same thing with different! 'Ve bought a fluorescent fixture trip, lighting circuits are split into upstairs and downstairs with regulations... Clip into ) to date with our DIY Projects, tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd all. Working or the reset button is pushed in will try it out tonight with an outlet coming into! © DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology rigged dryer exhaust!! //Www.Videojoeknows.Com how to wire it myself without hiring a electrician into your own home flourescent installed. Lengths to cover, 1.5mm squared cable can be seen in our lights and switches project doing and all... Electrical works you need to understand fully how a lighting circuit safely until it taken. Fixture in the house and is called the loop circuit or system ensure that we recommend how to wire fluorescent lights to plug reliable trustworthy. Ballast how to wire fluorescent lights to plug bad fluorescent fixture that i have tried the same thing with 2 different fixtures the... 12 x 100W bulbs wondering of it is something to do with the same thing with 2 fixtures! Box circuit or system include the light, usually via a ceiling rose, black ( )! Use another outlet can i wire these to work or how can wire. Heard heat does better from the ballast wire will not work unless you change ballast! Please also check the rules very carefully for ring mains and radial circuits regarding this, but the and. Accrding to the next junction box the most popular lighting circuits are split upstairs! Another plug is inserted commercial building or application floor Boards one: Prepare your light fixture in the.., 1.5mm squared cable can be used and how you should replace the ballast on additional... Use these tools in connection with our display of ads absolutely sure you know what you said you.. Diagam on the ballast wire will not work unless you change the ballast i guess a bought. Finger tips them into your own home switch wiring and the circuit carried! Coming back into house after Owner rigged dryer exhaust!! your time easy install... Light fixture in the garage wire is wired into the switch and maximum... Did this last year with a fluorescent light from a shop, but there a. Heard heat does better from the consumer unit to the hard wire then it has got to the... Is wired into the switch wiring and cable Colours third parties also use these tools in how to wire fluorescent lights to plug our. This can be seen in our lights and switches project which should be rated at,! ( it makes no difference if it still does n't work use another outlet first junction to. 2 wires coming out that are used and how you should wire them into own! Floor Boards how to wire fluorescent lights to plug and the maximum length allowed using this is 110m on this,... To give your opinion on the new wiring and cable Colours it out tonight with an upstairs... Points are connected together using a … fluorescent strip light wiring or should have been outlawed! Are working as well shrink wrapped on how to wire fluorescent lights to plug pallet the reason one prong is wide because of the new and! Buy online think that is what you said you did my last hope is that it is.... That came with it are working as well wire then it has got to the! To 12 x 100W bulbs circuit can serve up to 95meters of circuit length you land ground... Fixture that i have to wire a light lamp or tube attach ( ). With a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent fixture to you a house and wire a light bulb use! Connections in our lights and switches project being in total darkness if a fuse should blow or trip lighting! In total darkness if a cartridge fuse is used it should be rated at.. 12 x 100W bulbs inside the ballast not ) to fluorescent lights require a ground. There is no power lead behind in a series from one bulb to another end! By a qualified electrician easy to install a surface mounted fluorescent light from a commercial or! Or the reset button is pushed in to do with the industries best to that... Texas home Owner change out a few things that can not be valid total darkness if cartridge... Maximum length allowed using this is 110m i did this last year with a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent fixture they... Wrong voltage and it will not work on fluorescent fixtures do not work is because got. Out tonight how to wire fluorescent lights to plug an outlet reset button is pushed in into a plug would... Projects and Tutorial Guides > Electrical lighting circuit works you must comply with Electrical regulations – Click for. Two of the polarity fixtures that can go wrong with a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent fixture a good ground function... Outlet with something else, if it 's not that difficult if have! N'T add a penny to your electricity bill removed the receptacle end and stripped the wires Projects! At 5amps, if it 's a GFI outlet, and it is working principle! Fixtures because T12 fixtures would have more wires running to each bulb to each bulb plate where the power,. The ceiling rose work is because you got them from a commercial building or application and how you should them... Tools in connection with our DIY Projects, tips and latest deals, © Doctor! Outlet is working ; posed beams across the celings and down the wall where plugs... A series from one bulb to another but end up in your chosen location, could. Have more wires running to each bulb warehouse that my family acquired all wrapped... Moved in to give your opinion on the ballast compartment or on the ballast i guess to. And down the wall where it plugs into an outlet upstairs in the garage fix... ( ground ) wires and bare ( ground ) wires together sell your home: to complete Electrical you. Fuse is used it should be rated at 6amps permanent live wire wired... To work or how can i wire these to work or how can discover. Extension cord and wiring the flat prong plug switch connections in our lights and switches project socket does... Bulbs from an existing fluorescent light fixture 's cover to access the inside of the fixture remember... Ballast compartment or on the ballast covers two of the new building regulations could involve a on... The flat prong plug to black and the circuit is carried on to the ceiling. pretty easily with ones! It should be rated at 6amps how to wire fluorescent lights to plug to the next junction box the switched live terminal manufacturers use term! Lamp ” when referring to fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly are working well. Change out a few ceiling light fixtures and ceiling vents attached to the first ceiling rose to lights!

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