Fluorescent lights are the traditional choice for garage spaces. Place it under the screw in a clockwise direction and tighten the screw. 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. Using a wire cutter, cut the length of the light fixture’s electric wires to the length of the house wires. 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. The ballast is used to create the voltage and current necessary to start and illuminate the fluorescent lamp. Loosen the retaining screw on the face of the plug with the screwdriver. Reassemble the motor housing cover. 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. 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. Connect the bare ground wire to the fixture's green grounding screw. 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. Remove the outer cable jacket, using the cable ripper or utility knife. Touch a light fixture only after disconnecting it from the room’s electrical circuit. In all fairness, I wasn't sure if it was safe to convert a plug-in light to a hardwired light. Wrap with electrical tape. 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. Find where they connect to the terminal board. 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. Wrap with electrical tape. The simplest act of switching out a light fixture can dramatically change the atmosphere of a room. Use the stud finder to ensure … Check the instructions that came with your light fixture. 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. The light will turn on as the door begins to open and go off after the door closes. The starter closes whenever you deenergize the fixture. Locate the spot on the ceiling where the light fixture is to be installed. These characteristics make fluorescent lights popular choices for many indoor applications, including growing plants and lighting workshops. Alternate Method: Direct Wire/Ballast Bypass LED Tubes. 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. Connect the house wires and the wires of the new light fixture in the reverse way you used to disconnect the old light fixture. Save energy with better light if conversion to LED lights from fluorescent fixtures. Secure with the wire nuts. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, The Family Handyman: Wiring a Plug - Replacing a Plug and Rewiring Electronics. Fluorescent lights use less energy, and their color more closely approximates natural lighting conditions. Attach the respective white (neutral) wires, black (hot) wires and bare (ground) wires together. Many fluorescent lights do not work below 50 degrees. Set the light tube off to the side. Thread the light fixture wires through the center hole and screw on the mounting nuts to the mounting screws. Locate the wires coming from the built-in work light. Install a piece of 12/2 with ground cable between the ceiling cutout for the light and the garage door opener's motor housing. I have sever… It allows existing fluorescent fixtures to be utilized by removing the ballast, providing customers with significant energy savings. Secure with the wire nuts. Turn off the branch circuit breaker supplying power to the garage door opener if it is hard wired. Nathan "Guide" Fisher began writing in 1997. Besides rewiring of fluorescent fixtures, this is another method as for how to convert fluorescent fixture into the LED. (Basically repeat steps Five & … Connect the hot wire (black) to the terminal of the narrower prong. In most fluorescent fixtures, the starter is an automatic switch. Plug the light into the socket. Remove the two retaining … 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. Remove the bulbs from an existing fluorescent light fixture in the garage. 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 lights come with a warranty but removing the light and returning it about once a year isn't worth the trouble. I’ve spent all of my adult life calling my dad whenever I’ve wanted a light fixture changed. Alternatively, unplug it if it is connected by a cord and plug. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. Fluorescent bulbs use a gas and electricity to create illumination, while a regular bulb uses heat, which costs more to power. 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. Insert the cable end far enough for the wires to reach the terminal board. Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jerry Walch has been writing articles for the DIY market since 1974. Gently push on the tube. 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. 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. Locate the spot on the ceiling where the light fixture is to be installed. His work has appeared in “Family Handyman” magazine, “Popular Science,” "Popular Mechanics," “Handy” and other publications. 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. The size is easier to work with and is more easily sourced. Fluorescent lights are a common choice for long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting, but they still need to be repaired or removed at times. Retain the troffer footprint while upgrading to a sleek, … But if you don’t know how to hardwire a light, it’s not such a simple act, is it? Remove the fluorescent light by gripping it at both ends and pulling downward. Strip a 3/4-inch piece of insulation from the black and white wires. degree in family studies. The fluorescent fixture has now been converted to LED light. Locate an electrical outlet or light fixture near the cabinet where you wish to install the fluorescent … They produce a lot of light, they don't cost a lot to operate, and the fluorescent tubes last a really long time. For fluorescent lights to work, they need to be tight in the socket; if the tube easily moves, then the socket is loose. 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. Standard fluorescent strip fixtures usually have knockout plugs located on each end as well as the back of the fixture. Once it senses that the lamp is glowing, it stays open. Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. 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. I also, purchased a infrared motion sensor. Using the template that came with the recessed fixture, draw the cutout outline. The ballast passes 120‑volt household current to the fixture's sockets, to which the tubes are connected. I mean, it's just two little wires, right? Remove the knockout plug from the desired location on the fixture. 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