• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
  • r ranson
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Liv Smith
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Matt McSpadden
  • thomas rubino

Connecting ceiling light fixture to wall outlet

 
pollinator
Posts: 181
Location: Northern California
39
dog tiny house greening the desert
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Total newbie to electric work here. My new house doesn’t have any lights or other electric wiring going across the bedroom ceilings. I bought a couple of light fixtures to install. Is it possible to splice some wires and connect the fixtures to a plug, like a lamp would be plugged into a wall outlet? I’m looking to save money and not have to open up the walls and ceilings to do wiring. I don’t mind the visual of the wires traveling across the ceiling and down the wall to an outlet. If this is something that a newbie could safely do, any advice or links to tutorials, info, etc would be greatly appreciated.
 
gardener
Posts: 903
Location: SW Missouri • zone 6 • ~1400' elevation
386
fish trees chicken sheep seed woodworking
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
It can be done. Are you comfortable with wiring? Will the install be subject to code/inspection?

I suggest securing the wire such that it can't slide easily, and providing at least a little slack where it attaches to the fixture. This prevents strain on your connections. There are also clamps that will do the same, but need to be matched to the electrical box that you use. Not all box/clamp combinations will work.

Securing the wire as above, plus making sure the very end of the wire near the light fixture has a little freedom of movement can help avoid a future short. For example, don't cut the ceiling for your box with a snug fit and recess it like a typical install, then put your wire into the hole and shove in the box. Or don't put the wire in the box from below, then screw on a tight cover. Both of those methods risk damage to the insulation that could cause a short, or shock you in the future during servicing. Instead consider installing the box as normal and passing the wire through the ceiling with a seperate hole beside it, or hanging the box from the ceiling and installing the wire through a side knock-out, or plugging the cord in inside the attic so the wire never crosses the ceiling.

 
gardener
Posts: 3200
Location: Cascades of Oregon
798
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Sounds like you're looking for a 1970's swag lamp.
swag-lamp.jpg
[Thumbnail for swag-lamp.jpg]
 
T Melville
gardener
Posts: 903
Location: SW Missouri • zone 6 • ~1400' elevation
386
fish trees chicken sheep seed woodworking
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Here are some videos that might help.





 
Juniper Zen
pollinator
Posts: 181
Location: Northern California
39
dog tiny house greening the desert
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thank you very much, T Melville! Those videos were precisely what I needed. It took 9 months but I finally installed two ceiling lamps without having to run the cords through the walls and ceiling. I am perfectly happy with the results and proud that I did it on my own!
 
Juniper Zen
pollinator
Posts: 181
Location: Northern California
39
dog tiny house greening the desert
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Photographic evidence!
22-03-05_lights1.jpeg
Light in bedroom
Light in bedroom
22-03-05_lights2.jpeg
Decorative power cord
Decorative power cord
 
Did you ever grow anything in the garden of your mind? - Fred Rogers. Tiny ad:
Special fundraiser JUST for the permaculture bootcamp!
https://permies.com/w/bel-fundraiser
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic