Light fixture for attic lights?

[Innovate1]

Want to put a couple attic lights in. Don't expect to be up there hardly at all but easy enough to do when building. In the house I just put in ceramic screw base sockets but I think code may now require these to be covered bulbs. What's the current requirements for attic lights?

 

[Zippercat]

Depending on how much light you need, these work great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G19SQ8P/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Innovate1]

That's not much light for a 30 x 40 attic. I was thinking two 60W incandescent equivalent lights or something close to that for brightness.

 

[Innovate1]

My real question is are open light fixtures allowed in attics? I know they can't be used in closets but think they are ok in attics. Something like this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-600-Watt-250-Volt-White-Outlet-Box-Lampholder-R50-49875-000/207106566?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-203716800-_-207106566-_-N

Will be mounted such that contact/breakage is unlikely.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Just install some cheap porcelain lamp holders and the bulbs can be exposed (not covered)....... The NEC just says you need a light in the attic or crawl with a switch that needs to be accessible BEFORE you have to walk or get into the attic.

 

[Innovate1]

Thanks! Planning to put a switch just inside/above the access panel. That's how the house is done and think it meets that requirement.

 

[Gotcha640]

As an owner of older houses, is there any reason for a custom build not to put a couple more lights up there? At least ends/corners and one in the middle? Eventually someone will be up there to drop a new outlet, repair something, change out the ac, inspect the roof, etc, and I've never complained of too much light in the attic.

The house my friends parents built did lights, outlets, race ways, channels for ac ducts, and decked most of it. A little extra now, and service is soooo much easier for the life of the house.

 

[Innovate1]

As an owner of older houses, is there any reason for a custom build not to put a couple more lights up there? At least ends/corners and one in the middle? Eventually someone will be up there to drop a new outlet, repair something, change out the ac, inspect the roof, etc, and I've never complained of too much light in the attic.

The house my friends parents built did lights, outlets, race ways, channels for ac ducts, and decked most of it. A little extra now, and service is soooo much easier for the life of the house.

That's basically my plan. In the house I put a couple lights and an outlet. Also ran some 2 x 4s across webs of the trusses above the insulation and added a strip of OSB down the middle to make it easier to get to things. Has been a real plus when adding wiring. But some places don't allow such things because you may load up the attic with stuff and the truss design didn't include attic load. Some places even make you put extra boards around the inside of the attic access to make entry more difficult. Thankfully I am not in such a place.

 

[Chukster]

Depending on how much light you need, these work great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G19SQ8P/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Wife bought one of these for our aluminum shed in the back yard. Better than nothing, while it's still working, but it sits in there unused for so long, it's a gamble as to whether it will have enough battery when you do need it. That and the little magnets on the back tend to un-stick themselves from their molded recesses. I love LED lighting, but this kind of product makes my blood, well, I just don't like 'em. Easier to remember to bring a BFFL - Big Flash Light.

 

[dave*99]

I’ve done my 2 attics and 1 crawl space with the ceramic base lamp holders. Works great. Just give some thought to height\clearance. Don’t want to hit your head.

I used a 2 gang box for the switch and added a receptacle.

 

[cdestuck]

Put in a couple switched outlets and plug in some 4’ led shop lights. Easy and bright.

 

[nadogail]

In my workshop attic I used upcycled shop lights that plug in to switched outlets,
They are used infrequently, when and if they fail or I run out of T-12 lamps I will replace them with what I find then.

 

[yatg]

I'm using 4' T8 shop lights. The goal is to have plenty of light and I had a bunch of T8 tubes.

There's 9 fixtures, one on each pair of trusses alternating sides. Lights are screwed into the crotch of the web so they're out of casual head banging range. They light the floor and back into the space on the opposite side.

Use 3way switches, one at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top. That way you don't have to climb back into the attic to shut the light off.

Add a pilot light to let you know the lights are on. Visual indicator if you fold up the ladder and forgot to turn the lights off.

 

[mike93lx]

I use a couple of these :https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerc...lity-LED-Shop-Light-SHOP-3X2-840-HD/306380611

$11.50 each locally

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Ceramic or plastic base fixtures are cheap and easy. I used two in my attic I just have to remember to duck by them. There are plenty of small and low-profile LED fixtures for $20 or less that mount to a 4" round box if you're worried about hitting a bulb.

 

[mike93lx]

I'll never use one of the cheap plastic base fixtures again... They crack way too easily.

 

[nadogail]

With the current low prices, high efficiency and projected long life LED fixtures look very good.