▄▀▄ wiring additional flourescent fixtures ▄▀▄

[XFIRE]

Currently I have 4 8' T-8 fixtures on a 20 amp breaker in the shop. However, there is still a a poorly lit area. I have purchased two more 8' fixtures and want to wire them into the existing circuit. Luckily the current wire ends where I need to add the two new strips. My thinking is to connect the new wire (black to black, white to white) and continue that same pattern to the two new strips.
After researching this, I found that the 20 amp breaker is sufficient to handle the new load. Here is where my question arises. I have installed a pull toggle switch to each of the new fixtures so that they be controlled individually as needed. This will allow me to still be able to turn the original 4 fixtures at the wall switch and control the new lights as needed. What I am unsure of is how to interrupt the hot lead (black?) at the switches so as not to effect the other lighting.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Re: ▄▀▄ wiring additional flourescent fixtures ▄▀▄

You have a hot (black) wire in, hot wire out (black) to the next fixture, and a black wire into the ballast. Normally you would wire nut all three together (same with the neutral, all whites).

For what you want to do, you simply want to put the pull chain switch in the wire to the ballast. I would clip off a piece of the black ballast wire and wire nut it with the other two wires (the in and out ones) and then insert the switch with its fairly small stranded wire in the ballast's black lead (which will be fairly thin solid wire, using smaller wire nuts)

Charles

 

[soj]

Re: ▄▀▄ wiring additional flourescent fixtures ▄▀▄

The black feed from the last existing fixture can be connected (wire nut) to two more wires, one to the switch, the other will feed the next new light. Wire the other side of the switch to the black wire of this new fixture. In the second new fixture just connect the switch in series with the black feed wire from the first new fixture. White to white, no switches allowed on the neutral.

 

[XFIRE]

Re: ▄▀▄ wiring additional flourescent fixtures ▄▀▄

Thank you. That should be enough good information to get it done!