Using old suspended ceiling lights for garage.

[checkthisout]

So I just hung a couple of these up my garage tonight after installing new ballasts and getting new lamps for them and shooting them with a coat of paint...then I wondered....will an inspector pass these? I just have them hanging by chains from the rafters.

They had that armored flex cable pigtails so I got metal boxes and all the proper clamps and used those to wire them...but is assembly ok to use the way I am using it?

Thanks.

 

[bczygan]

Why would you have an inspector look at them?

More importantly, are they the old T12, no electronic ballast?

Not good in the cold...where are you?

Get some t8's

They'll do if you just need some light for a bit.

I just threw away 5 of them.

Bill

 

[checkthisout]

Why would you have an inspector look at them?

More importantly, are they the old T12, no electronic ballast?

Not good in the cold...where are you?

Get some t8's

They'll do if you just need some light for a bit.

I just threw away 5 of them.

Bill

Why would you throw them away when a new equivalent assembly is $150.00?

I "overhauled" them.

Each lamp originally had 2 ballasts, 1 ballast, per 2 lamps, 4 4' T12 lamps in each fixture, ok?

I took the old ballasts out and swapped in new single ballast that runs 4 lamps (got a 4 pack of these ballasts at HD for $54.00 and then got 2 10 packs of 32 watt T8 lamps at Home Depot, then shot the assemblies with a coat of paint.

View media item 54207
Direct shot with camera makes them look dim obviously

View media item 54208
Good light, they are 16' up on the ceiling

View media item 54209
So yeah, back to my original question. Are these ok to use the way I am using them? I.E. hung from chains with new single electronic ballast and T8 lamps?

 

[nadogail]

I have been advocating the reuse of troffers for a few years.

You can get them for hauling them away.

In the mild climate we have here, T12 lamps are generally satisfactory performers. They are not the most efficient, but they are inexpensive to acquire.

 

[checkthisout]

In the mild climate we have here, T12 lamps are generally satisfactory performers. They are not the most efficient, but they are inexpensive to acquire.

T8's are a direct swap. A new electronic ballast to run them is $13.00 @ Home Depot if you buy a pack of 4.

 

[checkthisout]

In the mild climate we have here, T12 lamps are generally satisfactory performers. They are not the most efficient, but they are inexpensive to acquire.

T8's are a direct swap. A new electronic ballast to run them is $13.00 @ Home Depot if you buy a pack of 4.

I don't need to be sold on what I have done. I am extremely happy with my idea and decision as far as the results, I got **** loads of light for about as cheap as you get it.

I just want to know if it meets code.

 

[Norcal]

Prob. depends on the inspector, they were listed for use in a suspended ceiling. Unsafe? I don't think so, but I personally don't care for them being used that way but the OP did one of the better looking installs, except for the missing cover on the 4 square box above the fixture. I would not lose any sleep over using them.

 

[bczygan]

If the inspector has a problem, just hang a single porcelain socket with a bulb for the inspection approval, then hang your fixtures afterwards.

Bill

 

[Cmreschke]

I would say your fine.

 

[LutzTD]

we hung lights by chains in the factory I worked in all the time as the line changed. Only difference they were plug in, but I dont see how that matters. They do ask you to dress the wire, at least the ones we did.

 

[Norcal]

One problem I forgot to mention, if the factory whips have solid conductors in them, there is a problem as when suspended by chain the conductors must be stranded when flexible whips are used.

 

[Mustang51js]

If you don't have them already ,the inspector may want covers on the lights

 

[Norcal]

If you don't have them already ,the inspector may want covers on the lights

Why? It is not a food prep area.

 

[Mustang51js]

So no broken glass falling down on your head,not saying it's code just the inspector may want them covered

 

[Platonic Solid]

Hard to guess how picky your inspector could be. Use and mounting looks fine to me. You said you repainted them. Does that include painting over the UL Label. Rule is UL Label to be located such that it is visible when relamping.

 

[Classic Yunkyard Stuff]

Use what you got. The inspector in our county will never come around after he ok'd a shop. He told me and the guy that wired it" Well after I leave you can wire all stuff you want wire in because it is a shop and that is why you got 200 amp service panel" I had just what it needed to pass. All it called for was light over each stall,outside light by man door,ele panel to be right height, and one gf plug in.
I asked will I have to get you to come back out? He said no. I know the guy you have got wiring it. He will keep you straight. You have got to love small towns.
It comes down to you got to what ever the inspector wants unless you got very reason. Even then most of the time they will work with you. Most inspectors are just trying to keep us safe but small amount are trying to make life a pain.
I like the reused lights. They look good.

 

[butchfig8]

Inspector will want to see a pig tail, Ground in the metal J box, Plastic whould be the way to go.

 

[checkthisout]

Inspector will want to see a pig tail, Ground in the metal J box, Plastic whould be the way to go.

So yeah, that's all done. Proper connectors, grounded, etc.

I left the covers off for inspection.

Two issues pointed out by Norcal and others that may come up....haven't had an inspection yet....something always nails me on electrical...I do good work but miss something in the code that only a journeymen would know...

1) I painted over the UL label. That was just dumb....

2) The wire in the pigtails is solid which apparently isn't allowed when the light is suspened by chains...an easy fix...sort of......nothing is easy when the lights are 16 feet up......I still have two yet to install.

 

[Norcal]

Platonic Solid is the one who mentioned about the UL label, 16' in the air may mean it's not noticed.

 

[checkthisout]

Got the last two installed yesterday, 4 total.

They are 16' up, 20 feet apart front to back and like maybe 14 feet apart side to side. 10 feet away from the front and back walls and like 7 feet in from the sides lighting a 40x28 Square area of the shop. Shop 40x48.

View media item 54535
View media item 54536
Holy **** these are bright.

1 box of four ballasts (1 ballast per assembly) $54.00 @ Home Depot
Two boxes of T8 lamps (20 lamps, so that leaves me 4 spares) $64.00
Steel junction boxes and retainers ~ $25.00
New chains and hooks for hanging lamps $20.00

$163.00 Total for 480 Watts worth of T8 light or $40.00 per assembly including bulbs.



This is a good amount of light but I'm going to add probably 2 8 foot or 4 4 foot tubes to the walls to side light the work area and possibly a couple low hanging incandescents or similar color tone version in LEDs over the future work bench area.

 

[sberry]

No decent inspector will have an issue with hanging these old fixtures in a garage you own and use that's not some sensitive commercial operation. There are so many other issues he see's daily.

 

[sberry]

I used to wire up everything in site when I started and had to use every fitting invented. In this kind of building I like to run a pipe up and switch some outlets and use cords. A little pipe and one can cluster to keep them cord length. With this type of truss could rig a simple pulley & rope to bring fixtures down for service.
Clamp and hanger scheme makes it easy. This is nice if you are using old stuff and in the end find you don't always need to light the whole place all the time.

 

[marty_p]

A very bright work area, and very bright of you for such thrifty repurposing.

I venture to say that your retrofitted fixtures are now as safe as any new, 'out of the box' el-cheapo fixtures.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

T8's are a direct swap. A new electronic ballast to run them is $13.00 @ Home Depot if you buy a pack of 4.

I wish it was that easy for me. I originally had (8) $9.99 4' T12x2 fixtures. I got rid of them when the original ballasts died and put up (3) 8' single pin T12x2 fixtures cause they were cheap, rated for cold and put out more light. Now if I'd like to go to T8s, I probably will have to start over...

Tommy

 

[checkthisout]

A very bright work area, and very bright of you for such thrifty repurposing.

I venture to say that your retrofitted fixtures are now as safe as any new, 'out of the box' el-cheapo fixtures.

Thanks!

 

[checkthisout]

If you don't have them already ,the inspector may want covers on the lights

I don't have the covers. I can get covers but I don't want them anyway because they will just fill up with dust and bugs.

They are up high enough that I'm not worried about car antennas striking them and popping the bulbs out.

Like you said, don't know what the inspector will say? I see lights with exposed tubes on them all the time.

It seems though, that once they are below certain height that bulbs are either covered or encased in those protective tubes.

 

[checkthisout]

I wish it was that easy for me. I originally had (8) $9.99 4' T12x2 fixtures. I got rid of them when the original ballasts died and put up (3) 8' single pin T12x2 fixtures cause they were cheap, rated for cold and put out more light. Now if I'd like to go to T8s, I probably will have to start over...

Tommy

No, just swap the ballasts and get 8' T8 tubes with single pins! Remember, you can swap out the sockets for the dual pin ones as well if needed.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...uorescent-Light-Bulb-15-Pack-408617/203315007

 

[LS6 Tommy]

No, just swap the ballasts and get 8' T8 tubes with single pins! Remember, you can swap out the sockets for the dual pin ones as well if needed.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...uorescent-Light-Bulb-15-Pack-408617/203315007

I knew I could swap tombstones and ballasts. I had never seen 8' T8 single pins before. Everything was free, so I fogured it would just be cheaper to replace with new. T5 HOs would have been my choice, but now that I'm aware of the T8's I may just swap ballasts. I think I might even have some!!

Thanks!

Tommy

 

[brownsmustang]

I bought 12 of these lights for 2$ the other day. My work switched to all led lights and these worked. I'm gonna hang em in my shop once we get moved in.

Scott

 

[checkthisout]

I bought 12 of these lights for 2$ the other day. My work switched to all led lights and these worked. I'm gonna hang em in my shop once we get moved in.

Scott

Free-$2.00 is always a fair price range for pretty much anything except toxic waste.

Good score!

 

[cybrdyke]

...but now that I'm aware of the T8's I may just swap ballasts....

Compare the wiring diagram of the T8 ballasts to the T12. You might find a slight difference. Just an FYI....
CD