Basement Pull String Lights
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Basement Pull String Lights
I have seen variations on this, so I apologize if this is redundant. I have two basement pull string lights that I wish to be able to operate from a switch. They appear to be on the same circuit. How would it be different if they're not on the same circuit? I would greatly appreciate anyones input. Thanks!
Last edited by njchoochoo; 09-02-06 at 06:22 PM.
#2
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Great Barrington MA
Posts: 496
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
If when you turn off one switch in the breaker box and both lights go off they are on the same circuit. If they are on separate circuits then you would need 2 switches.
#3
If the basement is not finnished, you should be able to see where most of the wiring runs.
Follow build pro's suggestion to be sure they are on the same circuit. Then come back and tell us how the wires run. From there we should be able to help you with the simple instructions for installing a switch.
Follow build pro's suggestion to be sure they are on the same circuit. Then come back and tell us how the wires run. From there we should be able to help you with the simple instructions for installing a switch.
#5
how easy this is to do depends on the order things are wired from the panel on.
If the order is panel... finished lights... pull lights(end) it will not be so bad.
If the order is panel.....pull chain lights..... finished lights.... it will be harder.
If the order is panel... finished lights... pull lights(end) it will not be so bad.
If the order is panel.....pull chain lights..... finished lights.... it will be harder.
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
As the basement is half finished off, I can't see half of the wiring. How can I determine the order of things? There are three romex connections in each light box. Thanks!
#7
If you have three romex connectors in each box then it will be a bit tougher, but not impossible.
The first thing is that the j boxes are probably already full. We need to know the wire size in the boxes, and the size of the box. (how deep, round or rectangle and measurements.)
Hopefully one of the romexes goes from one light directly to the other. You will have to replace this one with a 3 conductor cable. Then from one of the lights you will have to run a 2 conductor cable to the switch.
If this setup will work for you I will write more detailed instructioins for how to make the connections.
The first thing is that the j boxes are probably already full. We need to know the wire size in the boxes, and the size of the box. (how deep, round or rectangle and measurements.)
Hopefully one of the romexes goes from one light directly to the other. You will have to replace this one with a 3 conductor cable. Then from one of the lights you will have to run a 2 conductor cable to the switch.
If this setup will work for you I will write more detailed instructioins for how to make the connections.
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
The box is round with a diameter of 3 5/8 and a depth of 2 1/2, with 14/2 romex cable. One of the cables does go from one light directly to the other, although I don't know which is downstream from the other.
#9
I looked up a box similar to the one you describe and it had 18 cubic inches capacity. The actual CU is stamped inside the box, yours will be close to this.
Box fill works like this: If all the conductors are the same size.
Count all the wires except the grounds.
Add one for all the grounds.
Add one if internal cable clamps are installed.
Add two for each device strap installed inside the box. (rec, sw, etc)
So, you have: From what you have told me.
6 conductors.
1 ground
0 internal connectors.
0 internal devices.
7 count.
the multiplier for #14 wire is 2 giving you a total cu used of 14.
You will not be able to add enough wire to the existing boxes to put both lights on a single wall switch.
I would suggest turning the existing boxes into j boxes and then running power from one to a wall switch and the the two new light locations.
Box fill works like this: If all the conductors are the same size.
Count all the wires except the grounds.
Add one for all the grounds.
Add one if internal cable clamps are installed.
Add two for each device strap installed inside the box. (rec, sw, etc)
So, you have: From what you have told me.
6 conductors.
1 ground
0 internal connectors.
0 internal devices.
7 count.
the multiplier for #14 wire is 2 giving you a total cu used of 14.
You will not be able to add enough wire to the existing boxes to put both lights on a single wall switch.
I would suggest turning the existing boxes into j boxes and then running power from one to a wall switch and the the two new light locations.
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Is that a fairly straight forward process...turning the current boxes into junction boxes?
...
Basically, all I am doing by making the junction boxes is making more room in the box for additional wiring, correct? Then run wire from one light to the other, to the junction box, and then from the box to the switch? Could I use florescent light fixtures instead of the incadescent ones? I greatly appreciate you walking me through this. Thanks!
...
Basically, all I am doing by making the junction boxes is making more room in the box for additional wiring, correct? Then run wire from one light to the other, to the junction box, and then from the box to the switch? Could I use florescent light fixtures instead of the incadescent ones? I greatly appreciate you walking me through this. Thanks!
Last edited by njchoochoo; 09-04-06 at 02:05 PM.
#12
Originally Posted by njchoochoo
Is that a fairly straight forward process...turning the current boxes into junction boxes?
...
Basically, all I am doing by making the junction boxes is making more room in the box for additional wiring, correct? Then run wire from one light to the other, to the junction box, and then from the box to the switch? Could I use florescent light fixtures instead of the incadescent ones? I greatly appreciate you walking me through this. Thanks!
...
Basically, all I am doing by making the junction boxes is making more room in the box for additional wiring, correct? Then run wire from one light to the other, to the junction box, and then from the box to the switch? Could I use florescent light fixtures instead of the incadescent ones? I greatly appreciate you walking me through this. Thanks!
The big box store sells inexpensive lights that plug into a rec. You could just put in switched recs.
#13
Originally Posted by joed
In order to determine if this can done with the existing wires you need to anwer some questions.
How many cables go into each box?
Do you want one switch to turn off both lights?
How many cables go into each box?
Do you want one switch to turn off both lights?
Please start your reading all the way up at the top of the thread.
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
How about this...
I have a light switch for the finished part of my basement right near where I want to put the switch for the lights in the unfinished part. Can I remove the fixtures from their current wire, pull power from the existing light switch to the new light switch and run new cable with new fixtures, and wire new lights in that way?
Thanks again for your assistance.
I have a light switch for the finished part of my basement right near where I want to put the switch for the lights in the unfinished part. Can I remove the fixtures from their current wire, pull power from the existing light switch to the new light switch and run new cable with new fixtures, and wire new lights in that way?
Thanks again for your assistance.
#15
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Great Barrington MA
Posts: 496
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
I'm starting to think by reading this that it might be easier to run a whole new circuit then trying to figure out what goes where and so forth. If the lights are real close to the panel then might not be much more wire used then trying to tag off the existing circuits and will eliminate the guess work. Hard to know if that would be the way to go without seeing it but just a thought.
#17
njchoochoo, is the feed for the lights in the finished part of the basement at the light switch or is this a switch loop?
I do not know how this can get any simpler than using one of the old pull chain boxes as the feed and doing as I suggested above.
If you want a better answer, then you need to trace out all the wiring in your basement, do a drawing, upload it to server and let us all see what we are dealing with.
Jeff
I do not know how this can get any simpler than using one of the old pull chain boxes as the feed and doing as I suggested above.
If you want a better answer, then you need to trace out all the wiring in your basement, do a drawing, upload it to server and let us all see what we are dealing with.
Jeff
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
My thanks to JWhite and everyone else that helped me with advice. JWhite...I did as you recommended and ran a feed from my new jbox to a switch, and then to new fixtures. It actually worked! Mind you I never doubted your advice, just my ability.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!