Wiring Barrina Lights

[Greenlawnracing]

Based on reviews here, I bought a six pack of Barrina lights.


Looks like the cables are really short. Safe to assume I can just buy any T8 extension that catches my eye?

Crappy picture, but you can see the two that are installed, possibly the chalk marks where the two that go on the garage door opener stud, and two closest to the front of the garage. With 48 inches between each light, I'll need pretty long cables.

 

[kaymccampbell]

When I redid my shop lights with LED, I set a receptacle for every light. Keeps the cords short n neat, and skips that daisy chain thing.

 

[vwpieces]

laptop power cord help?

Monoprice Power Cord - NEMA 5-15P to IEC-320-C5, 18AWG, 7A/125V, 3-Prong, Black, 3ft - Monoprice.com

This is a 3‑conductor, grounded AC power cord designed for use with switched‑mode power supplies with the IEC 60320 C6 connector. It features a standard 3‑prong NEMA® 5‑15P

www.monoprice.com

 

[vwpieces]

Amazon.com : barrina cord extensions

 

[Norcal]

If your lights are cord and plug connected, it is required to have GFCI protection, if hardwired it is not required to have GFCI protection.

 

[Greenlawnracing]

If your lights are cord and plug connected, it is required to have GFCI protection, if hardwired it is not required to have GFCI protection.

I think what you are telling me is that my master plan of plugging these into one of these is flawed? I had intended to use this method to retain the light switch capability, and daisy chain the other four.

 

[pbon]

Does the OP wants to use the daisy chain feature — plug one light into an a receptacle and daisy chain more from it? I have similar cheap hanging shop lights in the basement and attic of my shop and put one outlet in the middle of each half of the ceiling. From each receptacle, I plugged in 1 light and daisy chained another from it. This allowed me to reasonably space out 8 lights with the supplied cords. I’d have to go look to see whether they are 2, 3 or 4 feet.

The OP could change his incandescent fixtures to receptacles. Obviously the cleanest way is to change them to surface mount boxes and run conduit to new receptacles. I did this in my last shop using the pvc type conduit and off the shelf bends and hangers.

 

[Greenlawnracing]

Does the OP wants to use the daisy chain feature — plug one light into an a receptacle and daisy chain more from it? I have similar cheap hanging shop lights in the basement and attic of my shop and put one outlet in the middle of each half of the ceiling. From each receptacle, I plugged in 1 light and daisy chained another from it. This allowed me to reasonably space out 8 lights with the supplied cords. I’d have to go look to see whether they are 2, 3 or 4 feet.

The OP could change his incandescent fixtures to receptacles. Obviously the cleanest way is to change them to surface mount boxes and run conduit to new receptacles. I did this in my last shop using the pvc type conduit and off the shelf bends and hangers.

That is exactly what I'm looking to do. And to make it simple, I'm wanting to use a light socket to outlet converter to retain the existing wall switch. I have six lights, longest run is probably about 10 feet. I've drawn a terrible picture that might help visualize the spacing.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Instead of the screw in adapter I'd replace the existing porcelain base with one of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...ull-Chain-and-Outlet-R60-09726-00C/100357030?

 

[Norcal]

I think what you are telling me is that my master plan of plugging these into one of these is flawed? I had intended to use this method to retain the light switch capability, and daisy chain the other four.

All 15A & 20A, 120 volt receptacles in garages, shops, outbuildings, require GFCI protection with no exceptions, jump to where the 2020 NEC has been adopted & it gets worse.

 

[Greenlawnracing]

All 15A & 20A, 120 volt receptacles in garages, shops, outbuildings, require GFCI protection with no exceptions, jump to where the 2020 NEC has been adopted & it gets worse.

Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I have a "plan" to wire them to GFCI outlet which will be executed once the cable extensions arrive.

 

[smk17]

This may possibly be the dumbest question so far but I am doing the same thing to my 10' ceiling in my garage with the same lights. It's going to be a metal ceiling so I don't want to cut holes in it and hope that they line up.

My thought was just to put some GFCI receptacles up on the wall like at 9.75' to plug these lights into with the longer cord (not hardwired) But then I'm wondering if I can even do that, does code allow receptacles to be that high?

"According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), a garage receptacle should be installed no more than 5.5 feet (66 inches) above the floor level; meaning, the top of the receptacle should not be higher than 5.5 feet from the ground to ensure accessibility from the floor. "

 

[CraigStu]

Realizing there may be other users on the breaker that powers your light switch, I will ask anyway. How about a GFCI circuit breaker.
smk17, I hope that existing installs are grandfathered by that max 5.5ft reg. Otherwise there are going to be millions and millions of garage door openers that are illegal. Every one I have ever seen had a 2-3ft cord plugged into an outlet in the ceiling.

 

[Beerhippie]

Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I have a "plan" to wire them to GFCI outlet which will be executed once the cable extensions arrive.

By far the easiest way to achieve this is to install GFCI (actually, combination) breakers.

 

[drx2]

Just did this yesterday. Used these off Amazon. Worked perfectly

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X53V8VD?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[drx2]

Tucked the excess in the ceiling

 

[smk17]

Tucked the excess in the ceiling

Oh that looks great! very nice

 

[drx2]

Thank you. The connectors on the wires fit through a 3/4 inch hole. Used some silicone cable grommet pass throughs to neaten it up

 

[dave*99]

This may possibly be the dumbest question so far but I am doing the same thing to my 10' ceiling in my garage with the same lights. It's going to be a metal ceiling so I don't want to cut holes in it and hope that they line up.

My thought was just to put some GFCI receptacles up on the wall like at 9.75' to plug these lights into with the longer cord (not hardwired) But then I'm wondering if I can even do that, does code allow receptacles to be that high?

"According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), a garage receptacle should be installed no more than 5.5 feet (66 inches) above the floor level; meaning, the top of the receptacle should not be higher than 5.5 feet from the ground to ensure accessibility from the floor. "

You are misinterpreting this rule.
A convenience outlet is required and must follow that rule......it's not convenient on the ceiling.
But you can also add as many additional outlets as you like (GFCI etc) just don't forget the required convenience outlet.
The code is a minimum requirement. You can go above and beyond.

 

[Beerhippie]

You are misinterpreting this rule.
A convenience outlet is required and must follow that rule......it's not convenient on the ceiling.
But you can also add as many additional outlets as you like (GFCI etc) just don't forget the required convenience outlet.
The code is a minimum requirement. You can go above and beyond.

It's a shop and garage. Put "convenient" outlets (just above workbench height) about every two to four feet along every wall, each wall on its own 20A GFCI breaker. You'll thank me later.

 

[smk17]

You are misinterpreting this rule.
A convenience outlet is required and must follow that rule......it's not convenient on the ceiling.
But you can also add as many additional outlets as you like (GFCI etc) just don't forget the required convenience outlet.
The code is a minimum requirement. You can go above and beyond.

Thank you very much

 

[duneslider]

Realizing there may be other users on the breaker that powers your light switch, I will ask anyway. How about a GFCI circuit breaker.
smk17, I hope that existing installs are grandfathered by that max 5.5ft reg. Otherwise there are going to be millions and millions of garage door openers that are illegal. Every one I have ever seen had a 2-3ft cord plugged into an outlet in the ceiling.

Well millions and millions of homes currently do not have gfci plugs on garage ceilings. I think that hit the code in 2008. Not saying it's a bad idea but if the plugs on the ceiling weren't gfci and were only used for lights I suspect everyone would be okay...

A gfci breaker is an easy way to do this though.

 

[Beerhippie]

Should also note that modern GFCI breakers are actually combination circuit protection, meaning they include arc-fault protection.

Combination Arc-Fault Circuit-Breaker VS. Dual Function: Arc-Fault/GFCI Circuit-Breaker | JADE Learning

www.jadelearning.com

Arc-fault is a big deal. Straight GFCI only detects current not returning via the neutral wire, which leaves a lot of potentially dangerous electrical fault conditions out.

 

[dave*99]

Should also note that modern GFCI breakers are actually combination circuit protection, meaning they include arc-fault protection.

Combination Arc-Fault Circuit-Breaker VS. Dual Function: Arc-Fault/GFCI Circuit-Breaker | JADE Learning

www.jadelearning.com

Arc-fault is a big deal. Straight GFCI only detects current not returning via the neutral wire, which leaves a lot of potentially dangerous electrical fault conditions out.

The sentence in bold munges the 3 types of breaker protection together. Yet the article you quoted is designed to alleviate that confusion. Modern GFCI breakers only provide GFCI protection.

"A “COMBINATION” Arc-Fault Circuit Breaker is NOT equivalent to a “DUAL-FUNCTION” Circuit Breaker.

With ever changing electrical Code requirements, a circuit breaker with the ability to provide both Arc-Fault protection as well as Ground Fault (GFCI) protection was long overdue. But beware, the “combination” function that is identified on recently manufactured AFCI circuit breakers DOES NOT provide this AFCI/GFCI protection.

COMBINATION AFCI Circuit-Breaker: Provides protection against both parallel arcing conditions (which is a hot to ground arcing condition), and series arcing conditions (which is arcing that occurs along a single conductor where a portion of that conductor is broken, frayed, or otherwise partially disassembled, causing the current to leap an air-gap to continue on its path).

DUAL-FUNCTION AFCI/GFCI Circuit-Breaker: Combines both AFCI and GFCI branch-circuit protection into one OCPD."

That is from the article.

I'd say it's better to say: DUAL-FUNCTION AFCI/GFCI Circuit-Breaker: INCLUDES both COMBINATION AFCI and GFCI branch-circuit protection into one OCPD.


My comments are only directed at explaining the terminology.
Some on GJ would argue AFCI is hogwash. I'm staying out of the fray on that topic. Just observing. YMMV

 

[Cougar]

All 15A & 20A, 120 volt receptacles in garages, shops, outbuildings, require GFCI protection with no exceptions, jump to where the 2020 NEC has been adopted & it gets worse.

What about basements.

 

[dave*99]

What about basements.

Yes basements too.