Switching Light Bulb Fixture to Flourescent

[Sparky]

Meeeeeh?

This would get you to the beer faster.

How would you ground the new fixture?

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

How would you ground the new fixture?

Cut off the round pokey sticking outta the plug! Duuuuhhh.

[rbeau30]

Cut off the round pokey sticking outta the plug! Duuuuhhh.

Yeah that part don't do nothin'!

[Ah Pook]

Cut off the round pokey sticking outta the plug! Duuuuhhh.

Ezzaklley!

These little electrical test pens are helpful.


Edit: Get one with English instructions though.

[JohnnyEgo]

If you look around Lowes or Home Depot, some of the light fixtures have an 'EZ Mount' system. It's basically two slots that grab on to the original fixture mount screws. You push the strip up and twist it into place.
It solves the hardest part of the process, which is supporting an unwieldy 8' long piece of sheet metal up on your ceiling while you try to wire and mount it. Most of the fixtures have stab-in style wire connections, so the wiring is actually remarkably easy. If you can't find the quick mount system, my recommendation would be that you pre-determine and mark where at least one joist is near to the ceiling box and your fixture center-line. When you are on the ladder with the fixture, mount the middle screw into the joist. Then it is up there without falling on you, you can swing it out of the way, and you can determine your other joist locations for mounting and take your time with the wiring.

Here is my most recent hack job for converting one ceiling fixture into two:

If my HVAC ducting or the knockouts had been in a more convenient place, I would have just mounted one light directly over the box, and run a small piece of conduit between the two lights. But the spacing just didn't work for this part of my ceiling or fixtures.

Don't buy the T12 fixtures, as those bulbs are being phased out. The T5 High Output bulbs are awesome, but hard to find locally. I have three fixtures with 12 T8 daylight bulbs in my garage, and I can turn night into day.

This is so easy to do that I could swing by and do them for you in about 30 minutes if you can't get them done yourself.

[rbeau30]

If you look around Lowes or Home Depot, some of the light fixtures have an 'EZ Mount' system. It's basically two slots that grab on to the original fixture mount screws. You push the strip up and twist it into place.
It solves the hardest part of the process, which is supporting an unwieldy 8' long piece of sheet metal up on your ceiling while you try to wire and mount it. Most of the fixtures have stab-in style wire connections, so the wiring is actually remarkably easy. If you can't find the quick mount system, my recommendation would be that you pre-determine and mark where at least one joist is near to the ceiling box and your fixture center-line. When you are on the ladder with the fixture, mount the middle screw into the joist. Then it is up there without falling on you, you can swing it out of the way, and you can determine your other joist locations for mounting and take your time with the wiring.

Here is my most recent hack job for converting one ceiling fixture into two:

If my HVAC ducting or the knockouts had been in a more convenient place, I would have just mounted one light directly over the box, and run a small piece of conduit between the two lights. But the spacing just didn't work for this part of my ceiling or fixtures.

Don't buy the T12 fixtures, as those bulbs are being phased out. The T5 High Output bulbs are awesome, but hard to find locally. I have three fixtures with 12 T8 daylight bulbs in my garage, and I can turn night into day.

This is so easy to do that I could swing by and do them for you in about 30 minutes if you can't get them done yourself.

Thanks for the recommendations! I didn't know t12 was being phased out so that is a good tip. I'll definitely look for that system, because i don't think there will be anyone else up there on the ladder with me.

[rbeau30]

So, I was able to mount the fixture right over the old box.

The ground was already hooked up to the box where the fixture screw was. I used the spot that the ground screw was to screw the fixture right up to the ceiling and attach the fixture right to the box, while feeding the wires into the strip light. The power from the house had Red and White wires.

One screw got it right to the ceiling so I could mount the rest of the fixture with drywall anchors It even grounded the fixture as well. I got the $40.78 fixture with T8's, it claims to be instant start. Started right up during the smoke-test. An hour later and the house is still not burnt down!



Next weekend I'll do the shop area. It will be different because the box in the ceiling I want to turn into a couple outlets because I'm looking at some different fixtures that hang down a little more and plug in.

[Irving]

Was it as easy as we made it sound?

[rbeau30]

Was it as easy as we made it sound?

Heck yeah! I might just start doing some other electrical things that have been bugging me. I do need a bigger ladder.

[jerrymrc]

Heck yeah! I might just start doing some other electrical things that have been bugging me. I do need a bigger ladder.

Why does this disturb me. I need to redo the lights in my garage. great lights but I put them up in a hurry.