Lighting in basement....

Hello all.

Out basement is unfinished, and we have a bunch of light bulb sockets installed there. In these light bulb sockets, there are bulb to outlet adapters screwed in, just like these:

http://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-P.../dp/B001FQS59G

These have 3-Prong to 2-Prong Electrical Adapters in them, such as these:
Amazon.com: AXIS YLCT-6B 3-Prong to 2-Prong Electrical Adapter - 2 Pack: Electronics

Then we have fluorescent shop lights plugged into.
These lights look like this:
Utilitech at Lowe's: 4-Light 48" Utility Fluorescent Shop Light

The fluorescent lights have standard 3 prong plug in power cables, so that is why the 3-2 prong adapters are being used. The ground on these adapters is not connected to anything.

The fluorescent lights flicker in the basement when a lot are turned on, or when anything is plugged into the regular wall power outlets.

Could this be do the fact that the fluorescent lights are not grounded? Is there a danger in not grounding them? Could I just connect them to any screw nearby to ground them? Or should I just get rid of the light bulb sockets and hard wire fluorescent light fictures? Would those need a ground?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

Not having a ground with metal fixtures is always a safety issue. Grounding can affect fluorescent lights but I have used them on ungrounded circuits. I would suggest you replace the lamp holders with receptacles. Unless the manufacturer approves hardwiring you shouldn't do it.

 

Some fluors won't start properly w/o a ground.

 

When you say to replace them with receptacles, I am not sure what exactly do you mean? Right now there are wooden beams in the basement ceiling, and screw base bulb sockets (just like in the picture in the link) are attached to the beams. If I remove these sockets, I think I will be left with just the electrical bare wires.

http://www.electronicplus.com/images...cts/659-SP.jpg

 

I don't understand. Are you saying there are no junction boxes? Surely you aren't saying the lamp holders are screwed directly to the beams?

 

If I am reading this right you do not have any junction box above the keyless lightsocket ??


This what the typical junciton box look like




Typical this is one of most common one it will look simauir to this and you must have them when you use the keyless socket or other type of luminaire or other devices.

This is a serious issue you need to deal with it.

Merci.
Marc

 

If you don't have junction boxes then I would suggest removing the keyless fixtures and installing single gang handy boxes with receptacles so you can plug the lights in directly.