Electrical Engineering - Help re-wiring lights

Author

Help re-wiring lights

mlick2@gmail.com

2006-11-25, 3:25 am

I have an outlet controlled by a light switch in my bedroom that is
never used. I would like to install some new recessed lighting that
would be controlled by this light switch. I have very little
electrical experience, so any suggestions on how this may be done based
on this diagram would be very much appreciated.

Follow the link below for the diagram:
http://static.flickr.com/120/305409072_e38588cc20_o.jpg

Thanks for any and all help
--Matt

John Gilmer

2006-11-25, 3:25 am

I have some difficulty understanding your drawing.

Your best bet is to just run a cable from the switched outlet to your new
fixture.

Frankly, the quick and dirty approach is to just run an extension cord from
the switched outlet to your recessed lighting.

<mlick2@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164426101.868567.180570@14g2000cws.googlegroups.com...
> I have an outlet controlled by a light switch in my bedroom that is
> never used. I would like to install some new recessed lighting that
> would be controlled by this light switch. I have very little
> electrical experience, so any suggestions on how this may be done based
> on this diagram would be very much appreciated.
>
> Follow the link below for the diagram:
> http://static.flickr.com/120/305409072_e38588cc20_o.jpg
>
> Thanks for any and all help
> --Matt
>

phil-news-nospam@ipal.net

2006-11-25, 3:25 am

On 24 Nov 2006 19:41:41 -0800 mlick2@gmail.com wrote:

| I have an outlet controlled by a light switch in my bedroom that is
| never used. I would like to install some new recessed lighting that
| would be controlled by this light switch. I have very little
| electrical experience, so any suggestions on how this may be done based
| on this diagram would be very much appreciated.

Hire an electrician. Seriously. Things like this should only be done
by people who have some experience with others watching, and understand
electrical theory and the electrical code. Some carpentry work will be
needed. And you will need to consider the heat coming from those lights.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / spamtrap-2006-11-24-2320@ipal.net |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

Ben Miller

2006-11-25, 9:25 pm

"John Gilmer" <gilmer@crosslink.net> wrote in message
news:4567cf37$0$26791@dingus.crosslink.net...
>I have some difficulty understanding your drawing.
>
> Your best bet is to just run a cable from the switched outlet to your new
> fixture.
>
> Frankly, the quick and dirty approach is to just run an extension cord
> from
> the switched outlet to your recessed lighting.

That is unsafe, and also not code compliant. The fixture needs to be wired
in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Also, it will be marked
for a minimum 90c conductors. It is better to have a qualified electrician
install it, so the job gets done right.

Ben Miller

--
Benjamin D. Miller, PE
B. MILLER ENGINEERING
www.bmillerengineering.com

John Gilmer

2006-11-26, 3:25 am

>
> That is unsafe, and also not code compliant. The fixture needs to be wired

Maybe.

If the "fixtures" are actually lamps then ...

Ben Miller

2006-11-26, 1:25 pm

"John Gilmer" <gilmer@crosslink.net> wrote in message
news:45690ca8$0$27423@dingus.crosslink.net...
> Maybe.
>
> If the "fixtures" are actually lamps then ...

If he is talking about cord-connected lamps then the extension cord will
work, although a permanent receptacle in the area of the lamp is safer. His
reference to "recessed lighting" leads me to believe these are permanent
fixtures, however.

He could install an X10 outlet and use a wall switch transmitter to control
it.

Ben Miller

--
Benjamin D. Miller, PE
B. MILLER ENGINEERING
www.bmillerengineering.com

John Gilmer

2006-11-26, 5:25 pm

>
> If he is talking about cord-connected lamps then the extension cord will
> work, although a permanent receptacle in the area of the lamp is safer.
His
> reference to "recessed lighting" leads me to believe these are permanent
> fixtures, however.

Could be.

I have some "recessing lighting" that is just a bunch of $7 "under shelf"
flourescent lamps with line cord. I put them on top of the bookcases that
line the walls of the family room.

Frankly, as most of my outlets are GFCI protected, I believe that it's
likely my "lamps" on top of the bookcase are just as safe as any hard wired
lighting fixture (although I have some of them too.)

But when you "hard wire" you likely have to "steal" the power from a wall
outlet circuit as not. By some readings that's a violation of the code.
But just plugging in some lamps into an extention just isn't a violation.
>
> He could install an X10 outlet and use a wall switch transmitter to
control
> it.

I did some of that in my family room. It was fun to play with for a time.
Frankly I got tired of it all and put a ceiling fan with 4 CFs and an
illuminated base in the ceiling. That provides about as much room lighting
as my make shift "recessed lighting" and it's quite obvious where you turn
the lights on and off: it's the pull chain, stupid! Sometimes the old and
simple ways are best!

Igor The Terrible

2006-11-27, 8:25 pm

What you are saying will work just fine; but, that would cost him more
money then he might be willing to spend. It would be cheaper to just
run a 14-2 (12-2 or whatever his "house?" was wired with) from the
proposed recessed lighting to the switched outlet. From there, twist up
the red (switchleg) to the black (fixture's switchleg), pigtail the
neutral (don't use devices as junctions) and pigtail the ground. That
will leave a hot, neutral, and ground for the replacement receptacle.
Going this route is the least invasive to the building and still doing
the job right. Again...he didn't say what kind of building he was
living in so I don't know how his place was originally wired. I am
going on the assumption that he is living in a house that was wired
with romex.

Ben Miller wrote:
> "John Gilmer" <gilmer@crosslink.net> wrote in message
> news:45690ca8$0$27423@dingus.crosslink.net...
>
> If he is talking about cord-connected lamps then the extension cord will
> work, although a permanent receptacle in the area of the lamp is safer. His
> reference to "recessed lighting" leads me to believe these are permanent
> fixtures, however.
>
> He could install an X10 outlet and use a wall switch transmitter to control
> it.
>
> Ben Miller
>
> --
> Benjamin D. Miller, PE
> B. MILLER ENGINEERING
> www.bmillerengineering.com

LinkBot