I now have a light that hangs over my dining room table. It is the type that has the chain and wire that runs over to the outlet. I am replacing it. I found an awesome light fixture but it is intended to be hardwired. Can I get electrical wire and plug from the store and splice the light wires to it? Also, this is a basement apt and there is no lighting box there to hardwire to.
thanks

 

Simply splice the new lamp cord to the wires on the new fixture? Yes you could do that but it won't be "legal" according to the electrical code because the fixture was not tested for use under those conditions. It would be slightly better, although still not "legal" to run the new lamp cord internally to the lamp socket.

Any wires that are "spliced" generally need to be enclosed in an approved box although there are a few splicing connectors that are approved for use without a box.

The general answer to questions of whether or not a fixture designed to be hard wired may be re-wired for cord-and-plug use OR a fixture with a cord-and-plug may be installed as a hard wired fixture is no. Such use would be contrary to how the manufacturer intended the fixture to be used and contrary to how it was tested.

Sorry.

 

Yeah, if you want to use the chain and swag it just like the other one. I would opt for using wiremold or something to run hardwire in to make it less visible. Unless you like the look of swag chains. If you don't use the chains, what do you plan on doing with the wire? Be sure to wire nut it inside the fixture so nothing is exposed, notch the bell so the wire can exit without being pinched and protect the wire with a rubber grommet.
And, BTW, I noted your other post tirade. Sometimes we sleep, and sometimes we work. If it was an emergency, I am assuming you would have said so. And to give such a back talk answer to someone who tried to help with the problem isn't called for. We act like professionals on this forum, and expect a little decorum from posters. That is, if you want to. Good luck with your project.
Furd's right about the internal wiring. You'd have to rewire it down to the light socket to make it comply, since you don't have a junction box.