To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Lighting question with plug

340wedge

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 8, 2012
Messages
391
Okay, I do not mess with electric and don't know anything about it, so this question may seem stupid. I want to put two LED lights in my garage and was going to hire an electrician but in going up in the attic I see there is a box with two outlets and it is wired to a switch and single bulb in the attic. Would buying the LED strips with plugs and using those two outlets be considered safe and in code, or should I have those lights hard wired?:dunno:
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Moto

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
153
Appliance cords aren't supposed to go through walls or ceilings.

If you install the lights such that the cords are entirely in the attic, then I suppose it would be legal. Hard-wired is the right way to do it, though

Are the outlets controlled by the switch?
 
Last edited:
OP
3

340wedge

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 8, 2012
Messages
391
Appliance cords aren't supposed to go through walls or ceilings.

If you install the lights such that the cords are entirely in the attic, then I suppose it would be legal.

Are the outlets controlled by the switch?

Thank you for your response. The outlets aren't controlled by the switch but I am thinking you are correct, cords shouldn't go through ceilings and that was my concern really. Looks like electrician..Thanks again:beer:
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

CJ7VFR

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
2,939
Location
Central New Jersey
Okay, I do not mess with electric and don't know anything about it, so this question may seem stupid...

Looks like electrician..Thanks again:beer:

First, never, ever feel bad, or stupid, about not wanting to work with electricity, or any other item for that matter, because you don't know how, or don't have the tools, or just plain old don't want to mess with it. There are experts for these things that do this stuff for a living. If your not comfortable doing it, let them do it.

The upside to going with the electrician is that when he gets to your garage, you can ask him to give you a price on adding any additional receptacles, lights, and switches you want to have.

Don't limit yourself to just having him put a few receptacles in the garage ceiling, controlled by a switch, as your only means of lighting and powering your garage with two LED lights.

If you don't already have receptacles in the garage where you want/need them, go around and make a note of where you would want them, and see what the electrician says about installing them for you.

It will be cheaper to have him do everything all at once, than to realize after he puts in the electric to run your two LED lights, that you now say, hey, I can see better now, I want to put some receptacles near the cars, or near a work bench or whatever so I can work in here.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. And post some pictures of what you end up doing so we can see it!!

Jim
 
Last edited:

theoldwizard1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,216
Location
SE MI
I don't have a ceiling in my garage. I only had 2 bare bulbs. I remove the bulbs and their porcelain fixtures, replaced them with a duplex outlet mounted to an octagon box adapter cover and plugged in the lights. Works great. I love being able to turn each fixture on or off with a pull chain or leave them on and use the switch by the door.

Best garage upgrade in 40+ years !
 

Norcal

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
13,764
GFCI's are required for all 15 &. 20A receptacles in a garage hard wire them and avoid the GFCI.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom