HD Shop light wireing?

[sizzler90]

I just picked up a couple of Home Depot 4ft cold weather t8 shops lights. I plan on getting at least 4 more making a total of 6 for my 2 car garage. These lights are already wired with a cord that plugs into a wall socket.
What would be the best way to permanently wire these? I am on a budget and can’t really afford any more expensive lights.
The purpose of these lights are to get rid of the 2 single bulbs that my builder left me with and give me some proper light to work under..

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[dropride]

I bought some of the same ones and ended up wiring in some outlets in the ceiling for them.

 

[Yotaforce]

I would just open them up and take out the cord and hardwire them. I picked up some T8 cold start 4 foot lights from Lowes for $29. How much were yours?

 

[mattbal]

This was yesterdays project.

I just added 4ea, 4inch boxes with , 2pr duplex boxes to the ceiling and wired them to the panel through a wall switch. They have a pull string, but I plan on just leaving them on, and primarily using a wall switch.I wanted to leave the cords on them in case I ever need to move them it will be easy to do.

I think they were about 24 bucks at Home Depot

on the cheap I guess you could just run extension cords, but I try to avoid that route

Estimated cost of what I did

4x4 box 2.50ea
Cover plate 2.00ea
Duplex outlets *Guestimate/estimate* .99cents up to 5 bucks*()
I had the wire left over from another project
I had wire nuts and the little connectors that go into the box


Matt Bal

 

[Tscott]

In my garage, I had a single bulb in the ceiling wired to a switch in the garage. I just got rid of the bulb fixture and daisy chained from light to light in the attic with a 12/2 romex. If i recall I ended up with 4 4' fluorescent lights in place of my 1 60Watt bulb. It worked out well, and as far as I know it was up to code.

Tom

 

[sizzler90]

I would just open them up and take out the cord and hardwire them. I picked up some T8 cold start 4 foot lights from Lowes for $29. How much were yours?

$24 ea and $8 for a 2 pack of t8 tubes.

 

[sizzler90]

This was yesterdays project.

I just added 4ea, 4inch boxes with , 2pr duplex boxes to the ceiling and wired them to the panel through a wall switch. They have a pull string, but I plan on just leaving them on, and primarily using a wall switch.I wanted to leave the cords on them in case I ever need to move them it will be easy to do.

I think they were about 24 bucks at Home Depot

on the cheap I guess you could just run extension cords, but I try to avoid that route

Estimated cost of what I did

4x4 box 2.50ea
Cover plate 2.00ea
Duplex outlets *Guestimate/estimate* .99cents up to 5 bucks*()
I had the wire left over from another project
I had wire nuts and the little connectors that go into the box


Matt Bal

I think this is the way I will go.

 

[rickairmedic]

The truly cheap option is to get one of the adapters that screw into the existing light sockets that has outlets built into it then just hang your lights and plug them in I have 7 each 2 tube 4 footers and one 4 tube 4 footer in my garage and thats how they are hooked up now granted I did daisy chain them like hot rod did so I only actually have 4 of them plugged in .The adapters were already there when I got the house but there were only 2 4 foot lights hung then as well.

Rick

 

[327-365hp]

I just picked up a couple of Home Depot 4ft cold weather t8 shops lights. I plan on getting at least 4 more making a total of 6 for my 2 car garage. These lights are already wired with a cord that plugs into a wall socket.
What would be the best way to permanently wire these? I am on a budget and can’t really afford any more expensive lights.
The purpose of these lights are to get rid of the 2 single bulbs that my builder left me with and give me some proper light to work under..

Thanks for any help you can give me.

I would just replace the lampholder with a receptacle and plug the lights into it. This way you can change your mind as to quantity and placement of the flourecents.

 

[powellscooter]

I want to do a similar set up 4 4 footers on a common circuit as temporary lighting while I do the floor coating before I enclose the walls. Like this

==== ==== ==== ====
I______I_____I_____I_________+

does that make sense, its the best I could draw with a key board. Anyway would I just keep the colors matched up then put a plug on the end?

 

[rickairmedic]

Youve got it Powell .

Rick

 

[IanF]

You will want to keep the plugs on the cords... if these fixtures are similar to ones I have from Home Depot, you might be replacing one or two ever few years...

 

[sizzler90]

So how many of these lights can I put on the circuit that was originally just a for 60 watt bulb? I was planning on 3 per side. But I really would like 4 per side.

 

[IanF]

So how many of these lights can I put on the circuit that was originally just a for 60 watt bulb? I was planning on 3 per side. But I really would like 4 per side.

Depends on what else is on the circuit and the size of the breaker.

If a 15A, then you can load it to 80% - 12A x 110V (typical residential voltage and worst-case) = 1320W. A 4' 2 lamp T8 fixture will draw about 70W (generally less, but depends on ballast efficiency), so 1320 / 70 = 18.8 or 18 fixtures on a 15A circuit, providing you have nothing else on the circuit. I have my lighting receptacles on dedicated breakers.

Wiring should be #14 AWG minimum. Make sure any existing wiring is in good condition, or bad things can happen.

If a 20A circuit, you can put more on, but you'll need #12 wire.

The calculation is also slightly different if your house gets 115 or 120 volts, but not a lot. Can put 20 fixtures on a 15A circuit at 120V.