wanna run an idea by you guys

[sickboi55]

in my garage i have two "normal" light bulb sockets. id really like to have florescent lights. being that i dont own i cant go rewiring and such. so my question is this, i have seen the "kits" that have normal plugs on them. can i get the adapters that turn a normal light socket into an outlet and hang some lights? if so, could i plug two into one socket each, giving me a total of four?

 

[ghnl]

I don't see why not. Florescents draw less power than incandescants.

 

[Jeff]

This is what I did with normal light sockets. I originally had 2 and added the rest. Cheap and easy.

 

[ddawg16]

4 4' two lamp FL fixtures would pull about 250W....should not be an issue.

Sharkin's idea would be the easiest....next would be the 'adapter'.

BUT....there are only two screws holding that old light fixture up....it would be real easy to pull that off and put a duplex recpt up there....when you move out...put the lights back up....but I would be willing to bet the landlord would like the FL lights....

No matter what you do...it will be easy to put it back to 'before' condition

 

[Joe B.]

This is what I did with normal light sockets. I originally had 2 and added the rest. Cheap and easy.

I did the same thing after seeing posts about it here. It made a huge improvment for a couple of bucks. If you use two 100w equivalnt bulbs, they put out a lot of light. The only downside is that the bulbs hand down a little further than I like.

 

[BioHazard]

...when you move out...put the lights back up....but I would be willing to bet the landlord would like the FL lights....

Yeah, maybe ask the landlord...they might want nicer lights anyway.

My shop is an industrial building that I lease...I don't think twice about rewiring whatever I want, or cutting a hole in the wall. I can fix it before I leave...

Last week the landlord came in while I wasn't there and the door for the main panel was off, wires sticking out, some new outlets on the wall half installed...I don't think she even knew anything was out of place.

 

[sberry]

It would work, only thing is the fixtures wouldn't be grounded with the adapters.

 

[JBurgess]

The srew in adapter and 410.90 don't mix.

410.90 Screw Shell Type. Lampholders of the screw shell
type shall be installed for use as lampholders only. Where
supplied by a circuit having a grounded conductor, the
grounded conductor shall be connected to the screw shell.

 

[p_mori7]

Geez...I would start by cutting the power, remove the incandescent bulbs, remove the porcelain (or plastic) screw in fittings that are screwed into the octagonal boxes in the cieling, by some 4' fluo's, connect the three wires to the ones in the octagonal boxes with wire nuts while a buddy is supporting the fluo light frame, tuck the wiring into the octagonal box, screw the frame into the cieling (find at least one joist), install the tubes & cover, voila !

 

[BioHazard]

The srew in adapter and 410.90 don't mix.

410.90 Screw Shell Type. Lampholders of the screw shell
type shall be installed for use as lampholders only. Where
supplied by a circuit having a grounded conductor, the
grounded conductor shall be connected to the screw shell.

I doubt anybody cares, but, if it bothers you that much simply pop off the existing light socket and replace it with a stanard outlet. It will take you 5 minutes...10 if you've never done it before. You won't need anything besides a screw driver. Easy to reverse, and, you get a ground that way. Now you can plug in any old fluorescent.

You could do the CFL thing too, but I like tubes much better, and they really stick down from the ceiling.

 

[BioHazard]

By the way, my house came with a lame 20x22 garage, and only 2 light sockets on the ceiling. I just hung some $10 shoplight fixtures that plug in and ran a white extension cord to all of them. I just plug it into a socket on the wall.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I doubt anybody cares, but, if it bothers you that much simply pop off the existing light socket and replace it with a stanard outlet. It will take you 5 minutes...10 if you've never done it before. You won't need anything besides a screw driver. Easy to reverse, and, you get a ground that way. Now you can plug in any old fluorescent.

You could do the CFL thing too, but I like tubes much better, and they really stick down from the ceiling.

Make sure you kill the power first. I know most know it, but some don't.



When I stored my car in my SIL's garage of her rental, it had a single bulb fixture. I wired in a second fixture for another bulb. When a buddy gave me 4 single flourescent fixtures, I screwed in a bulb holder with 2 outlets in them. I never had a problem with them and took them out when I quit using the garage. I left the 2 porcelian fixtures.

 

[rsanter]

I removed the porcilin light bulb base/socket
installed a plate with an electrical outlet
installed the 4' florecent fixtures and pluged them in

bob

 

[Fudge0514]

I ghetto rigged my 2 car garage. It only had one light bulb fixture, and I used one of those connectors that turns it into an outlet. I put one of those adapters that turns it into 3 standard outlets into the light bulb, then I plugged in 3 shoplights into it. Each shoplight is a dual T8 setup, so I am running a total of 6 tubes (6500K daylight tubes). I'm renting this place, so it can be restored back to normal very easily. It's nice and bright now.

 

[BioHazard]

Make sure you kill the power first. I know most know it, but some don't.

Yeah, last year when my house was being painted I wondered how they took down the light fixtures out front without access to the breaker panel? Oh, they didn't bother...

 

[jeepntxj]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658

These bulbs rock.

 

[lessan]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658

These bulbs rock.

I use the 400W equivalent ones in my shop. I have 8 in a 28x34 with 13' ceilings, and it is very bright