Adding linkable lights.

[Sumboodie]

When I bought my house ~10 years ago, the garage had 4 T8 housings.

I added 3 more and thought "wow, this is bright!"
7 (14 bulbs) was I think was the max 32 watt T8s I could do on a 15 amp circuit sign the door opener is also on that circuit, but maybe it was just an easy layout. Been a while so can't recall.
Now with low draw LEDs, it's much less of an issue anyhow.

Also had clearance issues above the door, so didn't add any there. (9ft ceiling, 8ft door)

A few years ago I converted them to LED. A few have 1 LED and 1 T8 as the ballast didn't like just LEDs.


I bought a 10 pack of LED linkable plug in lights as I'm finding it's not bright enough. Maybe my eyes getting old too?

Should I abandon the existing housings, install an outlet at each junction (7) and plug in the new lights?

Or put in an outlet or two off the existing circuit and plug all these in?

I'm thinking of putting a few angled 45* on corner of the wall and ceiling to help with shadows, like if working under a car hood. Make sense??

 

[Sumboodie]

Garage is 24x26 with 9ft ceiling if that helps for info.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Get rid of the old fixtures. The problem with linking on a finished ceiling is that the wires will be exposed.

The standard box for a ceiling fixture is round/octogon. The make a plate with cut outs for a duplex outlet so you can easily plug in your new fixtures.

 

[Sumboodie]

Get rid of the old fixtures. The problem with linking on a finished ceiling is that the wires will be exposed.

The standard box for a ceiling fixture is round/octogon. The make a plate with cut outs for a duplex outlet so you can easily plug in your new fixtures.

They are square boxes.

 

[Sumboodie]

Wires on the ceiling are fine. I can put them in office style plastic hide a wire if it really bothers me

 

[alfredeneuman]

Should I abandon the existing housings, install an outlet at each junction (7) and plug in the new lights?
Or put in an outlet or two off the existing circuit and plug all these in?

An answer>>Any receptacles in a garage require GFI protection which has to readily accessible (without need for a ladder), so GFI receptacles on the ceiling are out. You'd have to put in a GFI breaker.

 

[Sumboodie]

Nah.

My garage "requires" whatever I put.

It doesn't have GFCI now, no plans later.
If I decide to sell in 20 years, I'll worry about it then.

Would be no realistic reason to need GFCI on ceiling fixtures anyhow.
I mean I guess someone could climb a ladder and plug in an extension cord, then decide to plug a toaster in it and drag over a bathtub...

The "what ifs" just help thin out the idiots.