Temporary Lighting Help

[wfopete]

I need to get some temporary florescent lighting so I can work in one area of my shop. I have five florescent light fixtures (four foot bulbs) with male plugs on the ends.

What is a simple solution to wire these together so they all work off one power cord? I'm sure there is a "To easy" solution to this I'm just not sure my solution is that one.

I have some old extension cord I can sacrifice to donate to this cause.

 

[njride]

not much to it, hang them and make whips to tie them together.

 

[wfopete]

Exactly!....Ummm, what does a whip look like?

 

[njride]

Exactly!....Ummm, what does a whip look like?

A whip is just a short section of cable connecting two light fixtures on the same circuit.

take the home run to the switch and then from the switch to the first light and then out of the first light run a line to the next light and from that light to the next and so on until you're done. Sj cord and connectors will work nice for this.

 

[mrb]

A whip is just a short section of cable connecting two light fixtures on the same circuit.

take the home run to the switch and then from the switch to the first light and then out of the first light run a line to the next light and from that light to the next and so on until you're done. Sj cord and connectors will work nice for this.

that only works for fixtures that are made to be hard wired and have knockouts. Wont work for standard shop light fixtures that come with the cord.

Just use triple outlet adapters and extension cords and plug it all together. No need to wire anything up.

 

[njride]

that only works for fixtures that are made to be hard wired and have knockouts. Wont work for standard shop light fixtures that come with the cord.

Just use triple outlet adapters and extension cords and plug it all together. No need to wire anything up.

the wire goes into the light somewhere, probably through a knockout or a hole that could easily be enlarged to fit a connector. If its truly short term temp during construction than go ahead and ghetto rig it up with extension cords and adapters.

 

[wfopete]

Just use triple outlet adapters and extension cords and plug it all together. No need to wire anything up.

That's what I was thinking of doing, seemed EZ enough.

 

[mrb]

the wire goes into the light somewhere, probably through a knockout or a hole that could easily be enlarged to fit a connector. If its truly short term temp during construction than go ahead and ghetto rig it up with extension cords and adapters.

so hacking up the lights and hard wiring them together with cord is ok, but plugging them together with some outlet adapters and extension cords (which all this stuff is actually made for) is ghetto?

 

[njride]

so hacking up the lights and hard wiring them together with cord is ok, but plugging them together with some outlet adapters and extension cords (which all this stuff is actually made for) is ghetto?

you're not hacking anything up, you'd be opening the lights and taking the splice apart and remove the cord with the male connector on the end and replace it with a section of sj cord long enough to reach the next light and make the splices internally.

Yeah it is ghetto as hell to hang 5 lights and plug them in with extension cords up in the air, are you even serious right now?

 

[mrb]

you're not hacking anything up, you'd be opening the lights and taking the splice apart and remove the cord with the male connector on the end and replace it with a section of sj cord long enough to reach the next light and make the splices internally.

Yeah it is ghetto as hell to hang 5 lights and plug them in with extension cords up in the air, are you even serious right now?

if you remove the cord with the male plug to replace it with a cord to feed the next light, where does the light get power from? Each light (except the last) would need 2 cords going in and out. The cord youre removing (if these are std shop lights) is going to use a heyco strain relief in a punched hole that is only going to fit that strain relief which is only going to fit the cord that came on the light.

this is a temporary install fed from an extension cord. Running that cord to a triple tap in the center with the center light and 2 short cords plugged into it, with a triple tap at the end of each short cord with 2 lights plugged into that is hardly ghetto and is what these materials are designed for.

 

[njride]

if you remove the cord with the male plug to replace it with a cord to feed the next light, where does the light get power from? Each light (except the last) would need 2 cords going in and out. The cord youre removing (if these are std shop lights) is going to use a heyco strain relief in a punched hole that is only going to fit that strain relief which is only going to fit the cord that came on the light.

this is a temporary install fed from an extension cord. Running that cord to a triple tap in the center with the center light and 2 short cords plugged into it, with a triple tap at the end of each short cord with 2 lights plugged into that is hardly ghetto and is what these materials are designed for.

All it is a light fixture, you take your feed from the switch to the first light and using this amazing thing called a duplex connector you feed in the hot to the first light and your wire out to the next light in the same connector and so on until you get to the last fixture which will obviously be a single connector. You don't need a strain relief for light fixtures, you just need to support the wires within 6 or so inches going into the fixture so they aren't stressing the connection.

 

[mrb]

All it is a light fixture, you take your feed from the switch to the first light and using this amazing thing called a duplex connector you feed in the hot to the first light and your wire out to the next light in the same connector and so on until you get to the last fixture which will obviously be a single connector. You don't need a strain relief for light fixtures, you just need to support the wires within 6 or so inches going into the fixture so they aren't stressing the connection.

first, the shop light fixtures dont have a normal size knockout so the duplex connector is out. second, the duplex connector is for romex not SJ cord. this conversation is getting beyond idiotic. im done.

 

[Greatbear]

The holidays are coming, and hardware/outdoor/bigbox stores should already be getting their decorating crud in. Look for green outdoor extension cords that have multiple taps spaced along the cable length meant for outdoor displays. Pretty cheap, and once you've installed your permanent lighting, use the cords to out-decorate your neighbors.

 

[njride]

first, the shop light fixtures dont have a normal size knockout so the duplex connector is out. second, the duplex connector is for romex not SJ cord. this conversation is getting beyond idiotic. im done.

They have duplex connectors for sj cord also referenced as flexible cord, and most knockouts are 1/2 inch in light fixtures. You sir are the one who sounds like an idiot, because the way you want to run it will look like ghetto fabulous **** and it isn't any easier than doing it the right way.

 

[mrb]

They have duplex connectors for sj cord also referenced as flexible cord, and most knockouts are 1/2 inch in light fixtures. You sir are the one who sounds like an idiot, because the way you want to run it will look like ghetto fabulous **** and it isn't any easier than doing it the right way.

the way you are saying to do it is one way to do it that would be correct if it was being done with romex -but we're talking cord and you cant hard wire stuff with cord. This is a temporary install supplied with a cord so why would you hard wire any of it? Just doesnt make sense.

can you show me this connector listed for 2 cords?

and yes regular light fixtures have 1/2" KOs on them, but the cheap shop lights that come with a cord already on them dont -they have a keyco strain relief that goes in a smaller hole with 2 flat sides.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Temporary. Simple. Quick. Not the cheapest.

Y Splitter Outlet Saver Power Cable

Add some extension cords between fixtures. If your paranoid, wrap some electrical tape around the connections.

Also, typically available at local computer stores.

 

[csp]

because the way you want to run it will look like ghetto fabulous **** and it isn't any easier than doing it the right way.

Did you actually read the title of this thread?

Look at the first word, tem-po-ra-ry!

 

[ishiboo]

They have duplex connectors for sj cord also referenced as flexible cord, and most knockouts are 1/2 inch in light fixtures. You sir are the one who sounds like an idiot, because the way you want to run it will look like ghetto fabulous **** and it isn't any easier than doing it the right way.

Fixtures that come with a cord and 3-prong plug typically do not have knock-outs and are not rated nor UL-listed for hard-wired installation, thus it wouldn't be code. Your way is basically the opposite of the "right" way.

I have all of it laying around, but I would take some metal boxes + cheap receptacles and run NM between them, then just plug the lights in... but nothing wrong with extension cords and triple-taps for a temporary setup.

 

[ishiboo]

Temporary. Simple. Quick. Not the cheapest.

Y Splitter Outlet Saver Power Cable

Add some extension cords between fixtures. If your paranoid, wrap some electrical tape around the connections.

Also, typically available at local computer stores.

Less then half that price from Monoprice, and they're 14 awg instead of 16.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I need to get some temporary florescent lighting so I can work in one area of my shop. I have five florescent light fixtures (four foot bulbs) with male plugs on the ends.

What is a simple solution to wire these together so they all work off one power cord? I'm sure there is a "To easy" solution to this I'm just not sure my solution is that one.

I have some old extension cord I can sacrifice to donate to this cause.

Some of the readers simply didn't read the original post. The guy is not looking for a permanent installation, just something that will get him some light for a while (I assume until he can work out the permanent installation........ he might even be in a rented place for all I know, and cannot do anything permanent.)

mrb has the idea. Extension cord, triple taps and plug it all up. We are talking low amps here, using UL listed plugs and taps intended for situations like this. The hardest part of the whole thing is hanging the lights and securing the cords so they don't dangle. Its just not rocket science and doesn't warrant several hours of opening up fixtures and splicing wires and all kinds of stuff the OP might not even feel comfortable doing.

Charles

 

[theoldwizard1]

Less then half that price from Monoprice, and they're 14 awg instead of 16.

5 with shipping came out to be about $3.75 ea. Definitely better !

 

[wfopete]

Thanks Charles, you hit the nail on the head. Temp lighting while I figure and install the hardwire solution.

mrb: that's exactly what I'm going to do. Everything is UL from the low voltage lights to the cords and triple taps.

Thanks guys, I think we can bury this dead horse

 

[ishiboo]

Thanks Charles, you hit the nail on the head. Temp lighting while I figure and install the hardwire solution.

mrb: that's exactly what I'm going to do. Everything is UL from the low voltage lights to the cords and triple taps.

Thanks guys, I think we can bury this dead horse