Setting Up A Track Lighting System

Installing a track lighting system is a great way to bring additional ambient or task lighting to your room. A track lighting system is flexible enough to work in a variety of different situations and locations throughout your home.

Step 1–Turn off Power

Using the circuit breaker, cut power to the room you will be working in.

Step 2–Prepare the Room

Determine where you will be installing your tracking lighting kit. If possible, select a location that will allow you to put the two electrical boxes you will be installing in the same stud bay as an existing electrical outlet.

Step 2–Cut the Holes

Use the electrical cut-in boxes as templates and draw an outline on the wall and ceiling where you will be installing the light switch and the track lighting panel. Using your keyhole saw or drywall saw cut out where you made the markings.

Step 3–Install the Wiring

Run electrical wiring from an existing electrical outlet to the hole you cut for the light switch and then to the hole you cut for the track lighting panel.

Step 4–Install the Cut-in Boxes

To install the electrical cut-in boxes pull the wires into the box through the knockouts. You may have to use a screwdriver to knock out the protective covers. Insert the cut-in boxes into the holes you cut out and use a screwdriver to tighten the screws until the flaps make contact with the drywall. When done the boxes should be flush with the drywall.

Step 5–Install the Tracks

The track lighting kit will include a mounting plate. Mount this to the electrical cut-in box you installed in the ceiling. Connect the wires. The wires on the track lighting kit will be red, black and exposed copper. The red is hot and it will connect to the black wire. The black is neutral and will connect to the white wire. The exposed copper wire will twist around the exposed copper wire. Use wire nuts to cap the wires.

Step 6–Install the Lights

Slide the track lights onto the tracks. Certain models may already have the connectors in the track. In this design you screw the light into the connectors provided on the track. Adjust the positioning of the track lights.

Step 7–Install the Light Switch

Install the light switch into the cut-in box you installed in the wall. The wire running to the light will connect to the switch side. The wire running to the outlet will connect to the constant hot side. Remember, black is hot, white is neutral and exposed copper is ground. Connect the wire going to the outlet to the receptacle by twisting the black wire around the copper screw, the white wire around the silver screw and the copper wire around the green screw.

Step 8–Test the System

Turn power back on at the breaker panel and test your new track lighting.