What would you do?

[adambomb]

I have 6 — 4' double T8 fixtures going up in my garage, plug-in, hanging fixtures. Would you:

•Put receptacle at eyehook, shorten (5') cord for aesthetics, plug in fixture.
•Cut cord and direct wire into newly installed junction box at each eyehook.

 

[pattenp]

Plug in as designed. If you want hardwired then use fixtures designed to be hardwired.

 

[Greyhorse]

Plug in, use a cable tie to coil up extra cord and make it look nice.

 

[ambenz]

One nice thing about "plug and play" is if you don't like the placement of the lighting, you can move it around and after a few years of trial and error, know exactly where the placement of your fixtures should be.
I went from hardwire to outlet for that very reason.
You really never know where your going to need light especially if you rearrange the shop for better flow, easier access around vehicles, or changing the footprint based on future storage needs.
You can also "zone" the outlets and switches so you can just turn on the lights you need and save a few pennies.
"Plug and Play" is so much easier to allow flexibility.

 

[Bondo]

I have 6 — 4' double T8 fixtures going up in my garage, plug-in, hanging fixtures. Would you:

•Put receptacle at eyehook, shorten (5') cord for aesthetics, plug in fixture.
•Cut cord and direct wire into newly installed junction box at each eyehook.

Ayuh,.... Plug 'em in, 'n stuff the cord into the wire raceway of the fixture,...

Ya might want the length, if ya gotta move the fixtures around,...

 

[Norcal]

If you add receptacles in a garage, they have be GFCI protected.

 

[Falcon67]

Plug them. I did the hardware thing, it's a pain in the ***. And I would not use GFCIs on the ceiling LOL. OR if you did, do one and run the rest off the load side.

 

[Norcal]

Plug them. I did the hardware thing, it's a pain in the ***. And I would not use GFCIs on the ceiling LOL. OR if you did, do one and run the rest off the load side.

GFCI's have to be accessible and to do it per code means they have to be used.

 

[adambomb]

Haha, Thanks guys, no big deal to run a few GFCIs up there. I can actually recall a few good times I've gotten the ceiling nice and wet in the garage... so not a ridiculous claim at all!

 

[dw1]

You could always install the GFI receptacle on the wall where its accessible and then run three outlets in the ceiling off the "Load Side" of the GFI where they are GFI protected, you could put the receptacles in the middle of the lights and run the cords to plug in


Light X Light

Light X Light

LIght X Light

 

[Cypherian]

Hey,

Forgive my ignorance .. but wouldn't putting a GFI breaker in and wiring regular plugs be eaiser ? I say that as a short person lol 5'8" having to get a ladder out and find out which plug popped which will invariablly happen.

Cypher

 

[adambomb]

Light X Light

Light X Light

LIght X Light

This was my original plan, and I DID install receptacles in these spots in my ceiling already, the draped cords are bothering me more than I thought they would... Which has lead me to thinking about a surface mounted conduit-type solution

Or Installing a total of 6 new receptacles near the eyehooks.

 

[dogdog]

For my small garage....
It's 3x of those long strip of 4xT8s wired to a plug and the outlets on the ceiling are switched and labeled SW1 and SW2. No GFIC.

 

[Speedy Petey]

What would I do? I wouldn't use junk plug-in fixtures.

 

[DC73]

Hey,

Forgive my ignorance .. but wouldn't putting a GFI breaker in and wiring regular plugs be eaiser ? I say that as a short person lol 5'8" having to get a ladder out and find out which plug popped which will invariablly happen.

Cypher

It could be easier but a GFCI breaker is typically 3 times the cost of a GFCI outlet. I like the idea of putting a GFCI outlet on the wall where's easily accessible and then running the lights off the load side of that outlet.

DC

 

[Norcal]

What would I do? I wouldn't use junk plug-in fixtures.

Have to agree with you have never seen a quality one yet.

 

[Cypherian]

It could be easier but a GFCI breaker is typically 3 times the cost of a GFCI outlet. I like the idea of putting a GFCI outlet on the wall where's easily accessible and then running the lights off the load side of that outlet.

DC

Yeah I know they are pricey but if your going to run 3 or so gfci it might work out and be easier in the long run but it is what it is . I have 6 8' 4 T8 Bulb units and two LED spot lights they are hardwired but I did leave some extra cable to move them one bay either way for future changes.

Cypher

 

[nehog]

Plug in, use a cable tie to coil up extra cord and make it look nice.

Exactly what I did, there is no way I'd try to customize the cords... Life is too short (even when the cords are too long). In my case, each light position had a different cord length requirement (as the outlet was not centered between each row of fixtures.)

 

[Redwolf947]

I'd use the outlets myself and run em 20amp so I can add a drop cord reel if ever i wanted to.

As for GFCI protection Look up SmartLockPro 15 Amp Tamper-Resistant Combination GFCI Duplex Outlet and Switch $26.. Use this as your switch and GFCI together.

OR use a Blank GFCI Outlet $16. put it next to your switch?