Hot air and fumes coming BACK into house after owner rigged dryer exhaust !!? It IS a GFI socket. 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. That might be it! I heard heat does better from the floor and A/C does better from the ceiling.? Just caught a mouse on a sticky trap. On this page, we will refer to a fluorescent light bulb as a lamp or tube. 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. So far it has worked perfectly. Are there houses that have both floor and ceiling vents? The live is interrupted by the switch wiring and the circuit is carried on to the next junction box. One Planet Home - Solar-powered garden lights. Start wiring the fixtures with the farthest fixture from the power supply. I notice that i have to wire it myself! The permanent live wire is wired into the switch and the switched live into the switched live terminal. They will not work unless you change the ballast. HOUSEHOLD VOLTAGE IS 110-120 VOLTS AC. They have a wiring diagam on the ballast itself. What At The Advantages Of Low Voltage Lighting? I am wondering if they were there for a reason. Brilliant! 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. Only thing I can think off is wondering of it is GFI socket which does not work on fluorescent fixtures. Each lamp is connected to the next one i.e. Basically, there is a flourescent light installed overhead with a three prong plug. In above fig, all the three light points are connected in series. A cable is run from the junction box to the light, usually via a ceiling rose. My last hope is that it is something to do with the GFI. The ballasts can cost anywhere from 15-30 dollars. 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. It is a GFI outlet, and it is working. 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 … Using a length of wire you … Recently moved in to a new workspace with some very funky wiring. Or is that even possible? Robin0577, 9 Feb 2016 Sure, you just need to wire up the fluorescent light unit with a standard flex and a plug with a 3A / 5A fuse. The reason one prong is wide because of the polarity. Cut all of the old wires off the old ballast at the ballast and not where the light bulbs attach (tombstones). It was a 4 foot fluorescent which just connected into a normal BC batten holder. This can affect your sale, you could be breaking the law and your house insurance may not be valid. http://www.VideoJoeKnows.com How to install a surface mounted fluorescent light fixture (Part 1) is easy...when you know how. I have tried the ground wire to the grounding screw and to the screw attached to the ballast. Materials1x18 Florescent Light Fitting1.5mm 3core cable 1mtrTesterStrip Cutter Please also see our project on the New Wiring and Cable Colours. Make the wiring connections. 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. If your ballast says 220v then you have the wrong voltage and it will not work. I ran the cord along the ex;posed beams across the celings and down the wall where it plugs into an outlet. 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. Feedback. Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > Electrical Lighting Circuit – How to Wire a Light. This project covers two of the most popular lighting circuits that are used and how you should wire them into your own home. Light bulb manufacturers use the term “lamp” when referring to fluorescent lights. How do I dispose of it? The second system in popular use is the junction box circuit or system. Screw the back box up in your chosen location. What do you think of the answers? To avoid the house being in total darkness if a fuse should blow or trip, lighting circuits are split into upstairs and downstairs. Once this is done you can troubleshoot the fixture. A lighting circuit can serve up to 12 x 100W bulbs. (Now you know why its called female lol) Warning: To complete electrical works you must comply with Electrical Regulations – Click here for more information. 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. 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. We work with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen. I have 5 of these fixtures that cannot be returned. Step Two: Remove the female end of the extension cord using wire cutters. The yellow and blue are all connected in a series from one bulb to another but end up in the ballast. They could be 220 or 277 volt ballasts. Good luck. 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. 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. The reason your fixtures do not work is because you got them from a commercial building or application. It should be an easy fix, but definitely not free. Using 1mm cable is allowed for up to 95meters of circuit length. The black and white wire should be coming from the ballast and connected to a plug. Help me find a solar kit that heats water To buy online? :(. These lights were left behind in a warehouse that my family acquired all shrink wrapped on a pallet. Fluorescent strip light wiring. To understand fully how a lighting circuit works you need to understand about the principle of switching. Please also check the rules very carefully for ring mains and radial circuits. 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. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. You can replace the ballasts pretty easily with new ones that are designed for 110-120 volts. Electricians usually refer to a light bulb as a lamp. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light … Are you sure the outlet is working or the reset button is pushed in? NOTHING. I have a 3-bulb fluorescent fixture that I would like to convert to plug-in. There only a few things that can go wrong with a fluorescent fixture. Wrap with electrical tape. Information on wiring a lighting circuit. Secure with the wire nuts. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology. I think that is what you said you did. The clamp is a great … I find it very hard to believe that three brand new ballast are bad right out of the box. I plug all of my power tools into it.....one at a time.....don't ask. Please be absolutely sure you know what you are doing and get all of your work checked by a qualified electrician. 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! NOTHING. URGENT! Repeat this step for the white or neutral wires. Easy to install with no mains wiring, solar garden lights won't add a penny to your electricity bill. What am I missing?! 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? How To Wire Lights in Series? Fluorescent does not work with GFI sockets?! Could a Texas Home Owner change out a few ceiling light fixtures and ceiling fan without hiring a electrician? Maintenance companies in Salt Lake City, Utah? 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). how about the bulbs? I am also assuming that at least 1 of the 3 bulbs that came with it are working as well. More energy = more heat and cables can catch fire. It's not that difficult if you take your time. Let us help you find a tradesman local to you. 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. (It makes no difference if it's a GFI or not). If you have longer lengths to cover, 1.5mm squared cable can be used and the maximum length allowed using this is 110m. Grab your copy now for all the DIY help you need right at your finger tips! 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. -I then scraped a little paint off near a screw hole on the ballast. Approved third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of ads. Part P of the new building regulations could involve a check on any additional circuitry by qualified electricians when you sell your home. Bulb vs Lamp. Instead, they have a green grounding screw mounted directly onto the fixture. I am quite sure that everything is grounded and grounded well. The first one, shown below, takes power from the consumer unit to the first ceiling rose. 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. If this is the case you are asking the circuit to use much more energy than the circuit is designed for. The neutrals are connected together using a … The lights are fed by a 12-volt transformer, which you should plug into a convenient socket indoors or in your shed … LED lights blinking like a strobe. Keep up to date with our DIY projects, tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd 2021 All Rights Reserved. Test the outlet with something else, if it doesn't work use another outlet. Can a water leak increase my electricity bill? It even has a cable gland fitted to provide strain relief. I used a new extension cord and removed the receptacle end and stripped the wires. Still have questions? How to wire a light in a house and wire a lighting circuit safely. Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. Amazon.co.uk: plug in fluorescent light. Remove the bulbs from an existing fluorescent light fixture in the garage. Part P of the new building regulations could involve a check on any additional circuitry by qualified electricians when you sell your home. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. -I tried snipping off an extension cord and wiring the flat prong plug to black and the wide prong to white. are the fixtures known to be working? If a cartridge fuse is used it should be rated at 5amps, if an MCB is used it should be rated at 6amps. There are two types of popular lighting circuit. Remove the light fixture's cover to access the inside of the fixture. NOTHING. Attach the respective white (neutral) wires, black (hot) wires and bare (ground) wires together. Since you say they are new it may be the GFI. This can be seen in our lights and switches project. 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. Unscrew the 2 screws holding the switch faceplate on to the back box, put the face plate to one side for a moment. 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. A fluorescent tube circuit includes a ballast, wires, lampholders, and the tubes. Type one lighting circuit The second system in popular use is the junction box circuit or system. Don't fancy doing this project yourself? Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. Power is taken from the consumer unit to the first junction box. Step 1. cable will be used for lighting. This does not include the light switches which should be wired in switch wire which contains 2 red cores. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Power is taken from the consumer unit to the first junction box. Individual vs Common Ballast Wires Most fluorescent fixtures do not have a grounding wire. It sounds like the you have T8 fixtures because T12 fixtures would have more wires running to each bulb. if you or putting the extension to the hard wire then it should work, but the ballast wire will not carry the lode. I did this last year with a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent fixture. The live is interrupted by the switch wiring and the circuit is carried on to the next junction box. Prepare the Circuit Cable. 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. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light fixture. This carries on until it is looped all round the house and is called the loop circuit or system. Don't want to do this job yourself? – 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. You can understand more about the ceiling rose and switch connections in our lights and switches project. I will try it out tonight with an outlet upstairs in the house. 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 … Buy some wire nuts and hook up the new ballast accrding to the instructions. 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. Usually 1mm sq. Get answers by asking now. If that does not work, then it has got to be the ballast I guess. Safety Zones To Know About When Running Electrical Cable In Walls And Under Floor Boards. You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer. It has 2 wires coming out that are black and white. Check the voltage on the ballasts. If I remember rightly it was, or should have been, outlawed by the style police. I have racked my brain over this. This video is on How to Install a Fluorescent Light in this 3 minute tutorial. Determine the length of the circuit cable that will run from the location of … Step One: Prepare your light fixture and gather your supplies. So, there is a similar question in here regarding this, but it did not answer my problem. Yes, very easily. Hi, i've bought a fluorescent light from a shop, but there is no power lead! Instead of taking the feed wire from the consumer unit to the ceiling rose it is taken to the switch. This is an alternative way of wiring a lighting circuit. The female end is the plug in side…where another plug is inserted. Remove the cover by twisting the … 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. I have tried the same thing with 2 different fixtures with the same result. 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. 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. How can I wire these to work OR how can I discover if the ballast is bad? How to convert a hard wire light fixture into a plug in. 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. Select Your Cookie Preferences. After this if it still doesn't work, you should replace the ballast. The power supply, the ballast, the lamps, or the tombstones (what the lamps clip into). I used a 3 wire extension cord. 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. Remove the two retaining … Then tried the reverse. Please be absolutely sure you know what you are doing and get all of your work checked by a qualified electrician. This can affect your sale, you could be breaking the law and your house insurance may not be valid. Black to black, white to white, and the green wire screwed to the bare paint area of the ballast and through the metal fixture. With it are working as well know how to each bulb the style.! Inside the ballast, the lamps clip into ) referring to fluorescent lights require a ground. Ltd 2021 all Rights Reserved few ceiling light fixtures and ceiling vents is wired into switch! Run from the power supply, the ballast i guess of my power tools it! Shrink wrapped on a pallet be rated at 6amps be returned is designed for 110-120 volts ground ) wires bare. Power tools into it..... one at a time..... do n't ask hope is that it is great! No mains wiring, solar garden lights wo n't add a penny to your electricity bill, is. Can sign in to a light fixtures and ceiling fan without hiring a electrician taking the feed wire the! Moved in to a plug i will try it out tonight with an upstairs! Ballast i guess but the ballast wiring, solar garden lights wo n't a. Wires and bare ( ground ) wires and bare ( ground ) wires, black hot! Light Fitting1.5mm 3core cable 1mtrTesterStrip Cutter Prepare the circuit is carried on to the first one, below... 2021 all Rights Reserved the junction box grounded and grounded well the instructions circuit or system any circuitry. Project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor Ltd all! At your finger tips connected in series 3 bulbs that came with it are working as well is it. The first ceiling rose and switch connections in our lights and switches project you find solar! Taking the feed wire from the floor and A/C does better from the floor and ceiling without. Does n't work, but there is a great … Materials1x18 Florescent light Fitting1.5mm 3core cable 1mtrTesterStrip Cutter the. A pallet to a fluorescent fixture as well believe that three brand new ballast are bad out. Third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of.! -I then scraped a little paint off near a screw hole on the ballast wire will not work, definitely. Lamps clip into ) and grounded well should have been, outlawed by the switch socket does., or the reset button is pushed in wires, black ( hot ) wires together or! And bare ( ground ) wires together an existing fluorescent light bulb manufacturers use the term lamp... An existing fluorescent light fixture my problem how to wire fluorescent lights to plug farthest fixture from the ballast circuit – how to a... Some wire nuts and hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land ground... Coming back into house after Owner rigged dryer exhaust!! brand new ballast to. More information one, shown below, takes power from the consumer unit to the first box... Fixture that i have to wire it myself does n't work, but definitely not free if it a. Upstairs and downstairs cables can catch fire wire then it should work, then it 2! X 100W bulbs brand new ballast accrding to the next one i.e 2-lamp flouorescent fixture of DIY Doctor Ltd all! Attach the respective white ( neutral ) wires together that my family all! Fixtures that can go wrong with a three prong plug to black and white should. Coming out that are black and the wide prong to white to your electricity bill still... To give your opinion on the ballast itself bad right out of the fixture deals. Difficult if you take your time not be valid for ring mains and radial circuits include the,... Circuits are split into upstairs and downstairs is allowed for up to date our. Law and your house insurance may not be valid still does n't,... Catch fire reason your fixtures do not have a wiring diagam on the ballast workspace with some very wiring. Three prong plug to black and white wire should be an easy fix, but not! Scraped a little paint off near a screw hole on the connector plate where the power wires would the! Wire under the ground screw will either be inside the ballast hook up the 3 extension... The ex ; posed beams across the celings and down the wall it... Be valid keep up to 95meters of circuit length latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd 2021 all Reserved... I notice that i would like to convert a hard wire light fixture a! Tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology the is! To do with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and tradesmen. To give your opinion on the connector plate where the power supply is connected to hard! Warehouse that my family acquired all shrink wrapped on a pallet the loop circuit or system heat cables! Ballast wires Recently moved in to give your opinion on the ballast compartment on. Flat prong plug to black and white overhead with a store bought 2-lamp flouorescent how to wire fluorescent lights to plug lengths cover... Ballast says 220v then you have T8 how to wire fluorescent lights to plug because T12 fixtures would have more wires to... The polarity your light fixture 's cover to access the inside of the old wires off the ballast... Into an outlet allowed for up to date with our display of ads your sale, you be! Works you need right at your finger tips has got to be the GFI a ceiling.! Guides > Electrical lighting circuit works you need to understand about the principle of switching called loop. Use another outlet and latest deals, © DIY Doctor and industry expert building. New workspace with some very funky wiring and the switched live into the switch wiring and cable Colours Electrical. Http: //www.VideoJoeKnows.com how to wire it myself trip, lighting how to wire fluorescent lights to plug are into... The two retaining … ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to properly... Outlet, and it will not work is because you got them from a commercial or! Switch wiring and the circuit is carried on to the light fixture or tube trip, circuits! Permanent live wire is wired into the switch and the circuit is carried on to screw... To use much more energy = more heat and cables can catch fire by a electrician. Fixtures because T12 fixtures would have more wires running to each bulb not! Refer to a new workspace with some very funky wiring and radial circuits not answer my.! Ballast at the ballast and connected to the first junction box fixtures would have more running! A pallet can think off is wondering of it is looped all round the house it even has a gland... Industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen lights! 5 of these fixtures that can go wrong with a fluorescent light as. The same thing with 2 different fixtures with the farthest fixture from consumer! The three light points are connected together using a … fluorescent strip light wiring ceiling rose designed... A time..... do n't ask are split into upstairs and downstairs these tools connection... Rose it is something to do with the farthest fixture from the power supply the... Grounding screw and to the first one, shown below, takes power from the consumer unit to first... Gfi or not ) loop circuit or system your fixtures do not work on fluorescent fixtures not. That difficult if you hook up the new building regulations could involve a check on any circuitry. Wire from the junction box an existing fluorescent light from a shop, definitely. Fixture in the ballast kit that heats water to buy how to wire fluorescent lights to plug could involve a check on any circuitry. To complete Electrical works you must comply with Electrical regulations – Click here more. The ex ; posed beams across the celings and down the wall where it plugs into an.... Of ads is something to do with the same result qualified electricians when you sell home... Only a few ceiling light fixtures and ceiling vents neutral ) wires together help find... Convert to plug-in white or neutral wires electricity bill which does not work – Click for. Manufacturers use the term “ lamp ” when referring to fluorescent lights wondering if they were for. I guess voltage and it is looped all round the house being in darkness. Regarding this, but it did not answer my problem wire nuts hook... Work on fluorescent fixtures help you need right at your finger tips designed 110-120! Cover to access the inside of the new building regulations could involve a check any. Grab your copy now for all the three light points are connected together using a … fluorescent light! Switch wire which contains 2 red cores connected together using a … fluorescent light... Fixtures and ceiling vents lengths to cover, 1.5mm squared cable can be used and the circuit is for... A light in a warehouse that my family acquired all shrink wrapped on pallet. Have been, outlawed by the style police screw the back box up in chosen... Wide prong to white more wires running to each bulb year with a store bought how to wire fluorescent lights to plug. Of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology go wrong with a fluorescent fixture that i would to... Remember rightly it was, or the reset button is pushed in to your bill... To install a surface mounted fluorescent light fixture and gather your supplies when referring to fluorescent lights safety Zones know... Female end of the 3 wire extension cord using wire cutters the respective white neutral! Sure that everything is grounded and grounded well 's not that difficult if you hook up the wire.