junction box for lights

[jpcjguy]

Hi all,

So I am planning my lights and my buddy just recently built his garage and the electrician used round boxes and now his lights look like the attached pic with the cover plate visible.
Not a fan - I assume I can use regular square boxes and hopefully be covered by the light?
Or do i bring the wires through the drywall ceiling into to light and make all connections there? (using a wire clamp).
All my previous lights I have wired, used the round box but was completely covered by the fixture....so what are the code compliant options here?

 

[Terry D]

Hi all,

So I am planning my lights and my buddy just recently built his garage and the electrician used round boxes and now his lights look like the attached pic with the cover plate visible.
Not a fan - I assume I can use regular square boxes and hopefully be covered by the light?
Or do i bring the wires through the drywall ceiling into to light and make all connections there? (using a wire clamp).
All my previous lights I have wired, used the round box but was completely covered by the fixture....so what are the code compliant options here?

The splices has to be accessible by just opening up the fixture, not removing the fixture. I know a lot of the LED fixtures now are narrower than a round box. They still make fixtures that are wide enough to cover the box, they have a large knock out in them to access the splices. Or you can just bring the wiring in though 1/2 inch knock outs on top the fixture and not even use boxes.

 

[jpcjguy]

So can you use a square box if you wanted to? and if I go the route of not using boxes, I assume the wire still needs to be secured within 8" of entering the light fixture?

 

[Terry D]

So can you use a square box if you wanted to? and if I go the route of not using boxes, I assume the wire still needs to be secured within 8" of entering the light fixture?

What ever box you use must be accessible from inside the fixture. All code requirements apply for the type of wiring you use

Sent from my SM-G960U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[yeldogt]

The box allows the wiring to be finished and if you are linking things together .. it's done. And you never have to worry about the wall contractor covering the wire and having to hunt it down.

I actually had a situation when doing a kitchen -- the inspector wanted two under cabinet lights wired back to the switch -- vs linked together.