Fluorescent light fixtures instillation
#1
10-26-04, 06:16 AM
Fluorescent light fixtures instillation
I’m about to install 3 fluorescent fixtures in my garage. I have looked through a few books on the process. However, I still have some questions before I start the instillation.
Currently there are three incandescent light fixtures that work off of the same breaker (10ka) including the garage light which is incandescent and wired with 14/2 wire.
I’m concerned as to whether replacing the one incandescent light fixture in the garage with 3 fluorescent light fixtures (with electric ballast) will pose a problem?
Is the 14/2 wiring sufficient?
Can I just splice into the wiring for the one incandescent light to wire the 3 fluorescent light fixtures?
Is there anything I need to be concerned about when doing the wiring ie. Series parallel?
I can be contacted at niceperson0031@hotmail.com
Thankyou,
Dwain
Currently there are three incandescent light fixtures that work off of the same breaker (10ka) including the garage light which is incandescent and wired with 14/2 wire.
I’m concerned as to whether replacing the one incandescent light fixture in the garage with 3 fluorescent light fixtures (with electric ballast) will pose a problem?
Is the 14/2 wiring sufficient?
Can I just splice into the wiring for the one incandescent light to wire the 3 fluorescent light fixtures?
Is there anything I need to be concerned about when doing the wiring ie. Series parallel?
I can be contacted at niceperson0031@hotmail.com
Thankyou,
Dwain
#2
10-26-04, 06:27 AM
The 10KA rating on your breaker is the amount of fault current it can handle, not it's circuit interrupting rating. There should be a number at the end of the breaker handle, hopefully this says "15". Please let us know if it says anything else.
If you are simply replacing the incandescent fixture in the garage with three fluorescent fixtures (I'm picturing the shop-light/4-foot-tube design) then you should not have a problem. I am assuming you want to have all three fluorescent fixtures controlled by the original switch for the garage.
14-2 should be fine, as long as the breaker really is 15A.
If you are simply replacing the incandescent fixture in the garage with three fluorescent fixtures (I'm picturing the shop-light/4-foot-tube design) then you should not have a problem. I am assuming you want to have all three fluorescent fixtures controlled by the original switch for the garage.
14-2 should be fine, as long as the breaker really is 15A.
#3
10-26-04, 10:12 AM
Thanks to sjr
SJR,
Thanks for your promp response. I really appreciate it. I was pretty sure that it would be ok to do the instillation, and I'm pretty sure that the braker says 15amps at the other end but I will double check. If I'm currect from my research if the breaker is less than 15amps then I would need to be using heavier gauge wire than 14gauge. Like I mentioned in the question I've been reading and researching it in couple of books I purchased.
However I just wanted to be absolutely sure before proceeding. To answer another of your questions. Yes I had planned on using the existing switch for the garrage. Is there something you were concerned about in regards to the switch question?
Thanks again,
Dwain
Thanks for your promp response. I really appreciate it. I was pretty sure that it would be ok to do the instillation, and I'm pretty sure that the braker says 15amps at the other end but I will double check. If I'm currect from my research if the breaker is less than 15amps then I would need to be using heavier gauge wire than 14gauge. Like I mentioned in the question I've been reading and researching it in couple of books I purchased.
However I just wanted to be absolutely sure before proceeding. To answer another of your questions. Yes I had planned on using the existing switch for the garrage. Is there something you were concerned about in regards to the switch question?
Thanks again,
Dwain
#4
10-26-04, 11:05 AM
If your breaker isn't 15A then the 14-2 wire you said was feeding the existing installation would be a problem and you would want to replace the breaker with one rated at 15A. The general rule (there are always exceptions) is a 15A breaker needs 14 AWG or larger, a 20A breaker needs 12 AWG or larger.
I wanted to check that you intended to use the existing switch to control all of the new fixtures to make sure there weren't additional considerations to keep in mind. You should be fine with the existing switch controlling the new fixtures. You can just remove the incandescent fixture and continue the circuit to your new fixtures.
The only other thing that worries me a little about your original post was your question about series vs parallel wiring. You definitely want to wire this project and virtually all other residential circuits in parallel. If you need help with the specific wiring configuration, just ask.
I wanted to check that you intended to use the existing switch to control all of the new fixtures to make sure there weren't additional considerations to keep in mind. You should be fine with the existing switch controlling the new fixtures. You can just remove the incandescent fixture and continue the circuit to your new fixtures.
The only other thing that worries me a little about your original post was your question about series vs parallel wiring. You definitely want to wire this project and virtually all other residential circuits in parallel. If you need help with the specific wiring configuration, just ask.
#5
10-26-04, 11:11 AM
Do not bring the words serial and parallel into this discussion, they only confuse people.
For example, your lights will be wired electrically in parallel, and serially from one light to the next.
For example, your lights will be wired electrically in parallel, and serially from one light to the next.
#6
10-26-04, 11:26 AM
Was thinking that electrically parallel/serial was what Dwain was asking.
Not that it's exactly what we're talking about here, but if the lights were located on opposite sides of the garage with the switch in the middle of the wall, then I would pigtail at the switch and the fixtures would be wired in parallel too; not from one fixture to the next.
Someone stop the room from spinning...
Not that it's exactly what we're talking about here, but if the lights were located on opposite sides of the garage with the switch in the middle of the wall, then I would pigtail at the switch and the fixtures would be wired in parallel too; not from one fixture to the next.
Someone stop the room from spinning...
Last edited by sjr; 10-26-04 at 01:58 PM.
#7
10-27-04, 05:33 PM
SrJ and craft,
Thank you guys so much for the help. I went ahead today and replaced the incandescent light with one of the fluorescent fixtures. Now I have some bright light to install the other two which will be from scratch ie. installing the plate and running the wire.
To better answer you guys about he wiring here is how the layout is
Switch - light - light - light
my original thought was to just pigtail onto the wiring at the existing fixture (the first light) to the second light fixture and pigtail from the second to the last light. Am my correct.
Thank you,
Dwain
Thank you guys so much for the help. I went ahead today and replaced the incandescent light with one of the fluorescent fixtures. Now I have some bright light to install the other two which will be from scratch ie. installing the plate and running the wire.
To better answer you guys about he wiring here is how the layout is
Switch - light - light - light
my original thought was to just pigtail onto the wiring at the existing fixture (the first light) to the second light fixture and pigtail from the second to the last light. Am my correct.
Thank you,
Dwain
