Turning a ceiling light into a plug-in light

[Finbert]

Thanks for the advice! If I start another plant tank, that's probably what I'll do, but I was able to buy a plug-in fixture for less than I would have paid for the ceiling one, so it's not an issue for now. :-)

HI Finbert

It is way easier than you think - I am not an electrician, but once you see it - it is easy to do. On your ballast it should show your Positive (+), Negative (-) & Ground. Once you have identified those 3, you match them up with your wire/ plug & you are good to go. I don't live in Edmonton, but I do visit my fam there all the time - the next time I am there I would be happy to show you what I know...

The other thing you can do is take your fixture down to a hardware store and ask for the guy that they got there that understands electricity and 9 times out of 10, they will show you how to do it right

Good luck!

Will it smoke for long enough that you get a chance to notice, before it bursts into flames?

It doesn't really matter if it catches on fire. It will eventually fall into the tank and the water will put it out. :smokey:

haha, that sucks since water can sometimes worsen an electric fire.

[wireman]

Those fixtures from teh Architecture Clearing House are good fixtures. I used them for my fishroom. I've wired over 10 of those types of fixtures by doing exactly what Darkangel said. It's super easy. It will smoke if you wire it improperly, or it might if you get it wet, too.

Will it smoke for long enough that you get a chance to notice, before it bursts into flames? (here I go being Miss Worst Case Scenario again)

i work as an electrician, it is very importent that you ground the light using the green wire , and since you are using it near water you should use a GFCI plug for it

[whatley01]

I just did this myself. My old lights blew, and I didn't have the money for new aquarium lights, so off to the hardware store I went. Cost about $40 total. It's not too difficult to wire. Like Darkangel said, pick up some extension cord from the hardware store, and a plug. The wires inside are colour coded. You connect the white wire to the other white wire in the fixture, and do the same for the black. Then, you ground your green wire to the fixture. You connect the plug end the same way, the ground is the bottom prong, and the screw for the black wire is usually painted. You'll need a wire stripping tool, ask around, maybe someone you know can loan you one..... or better yet, show off their electrical knowledge and do it for you!

thank you for the help sounds actuallt pretty simple

[Drydock]

I have the same setup for my aquarium. I cut off the plug of a fixture I bought at a hardware store and simply paired up the black, white and ground wires. My lights are controlled by a switch along with the other switches for the room. The only drawback is that you can't hook up a timer. Well, you can, but it makes it more complicated...

[Wibber]

If you are still leary about it you can pick up a

little green book called electrical code simplified, $14.00 to $16.00 depending on where you buy it.

It would be adviseable to consult the electric codes & standards (green book available at Rona, HomeDepot, library, etc) to learn the right way of doing things if you have no previous experience.

Just wanted to point out that this is a condensed, simplified version of the Canadian Electrical Code intended to assist the homeowner with standard installations. It really doesn't cover a project like this. Many of them are likely out of date as the CEC is an evolving legal entity.

Installing used fixtures intended for dry, concealed conditions in exposed conditions in close proximity to water is different. You should be aware of this and use caution at the point of install and daily use. Most projects would not meet CEC or CSA standards.

I'm not trying to scare people with this post, but rather, suggesting caution and awareness. In it's entirety - it's not as simple as black to black, white to white, green to green.

[Drydock]

If you are still leary about it you can pick up a

little green book called electrical code simplified, $14.00 to $16.00 depending on where you buy it.

It would be adviseable to consult the electric codes & standards (green book available at Rona, HomeDepot, library, etc) to learn the right way of doing things if you have no previous experience.

Just wanted to point out that this is a condensed, simplified version of the Canadian Electrical Code intended to assist the homeowner with standard installations. It really doesn't cover a project like this. Many of them are likely out of date as the CEC is an evolving legal entity.

Installing used fixtures intended for dry, concealed conditions in exposed conditions in close proximity to water is different. You should be aware of this and use caution at the point of install and daily use. Most projects would not meet CEC or CSA standards.

I'm not trying to scare people with this post, but rather, suggesting caution and awareness. In it's entirety - it's not as simple as black to black, white to white, green to green.

Good Point...

Do you know if you can get a GFCI installed right into an electrical panel? Would that solve the problem of hard wiring it into your home's electrical?

[Wibber]

Do you know if you can get a GFCI installed right into an electrical panel? Would that solve the problem of hard wiring it into your home's electrical?

You can get everything in this world, for a price.

GCFI Breakers are expensive, GCFI receptacles are typically installed as an economical solution. It's best installed upstream in the circuit from the 'hazardous' location.

The 'gyst' of my concealed comment is in reference to the examples in the P.S. Knight series (The Green Book) which are eventually covered by drywall. There's alot of nuance involving in selection and installation of materials in electrical. Just 'cause it 'works', doesn't mean it's right.

[Drydock]

You can get everything in this world, for a price.

GCFI Breakers are expensive, GCFI receptacles are typically installed as an economical solution. It's best installed upstream in the circuit from the 'hazardous' location.

The 'gyst' of my concealed comment is in reference to the examples in the P.S. Knight series (The Green Book) which are eventually covered by drywall. There's alot of nuance involving in selection and installation of materials in electrical. Just 'cause it 'works', doesn't mean it's right.

Soo, If I have a switched ceiling fixture, I can replace it with a GFCI plug, put a plug on the end of my lighting fixture? (I realize I would have to change the box...) But that would solve the electricity around water issue right?

[Wibber]

If I have a switched ceiling fixture, I can replace it with a GFCI plug, put a plug on the end of my lighting fixture? (I realize I would have to change the box...) But that would solve the electricity around water issue right?

I'm a little lost by the diction, so I'll assume you mean that you have a lighting fixture and an introduces receptacle that its fed from the load side of a GCFI receptacle. The fixture, and the downstream receptacle would be protected by the GCFI receptacle. I wouldn't say that's 'solves' things, but it helps minimize the hazard.

[darkangel]

Do you know if you can get a GFCI installed right into an electrical panel? Would that solve the problem of hard wiring it into your home's electrical?

You can get everything in this world, for a price.

GCFI Breakers are expensive, GCFI receptacles are typically installed as an economical solution. It's best installed upstream in the circuit from the 'hazardous' location.

The 'gyst' of my concealed comment is in reference to the examples in the P.S. Knight series (The Green Book) which are eventually covered by drywall. There's alot of nuance involving in selection and installation of materials in electrical. Just 'cause it 'works', doesn't mean it's right.

A GFCI receptical is an economical solution but not really that safe as the rest of the recepticals on that same breaker are all pigtailed together and live. If you have water damage in a GFCI receptical it trips that one only, the rest remain live and dangerous.

That is why when you install a GFCI receptical you should also install a GFCI breaker that all those recepticals are conected to, that way if you have water get into one it trips the breaker as well as the receptical. GFCI breakers depending on what type of panel you have will run you anywhere from $85.00 to $130.00 for a 15 amp. Also keep your cords away from the walls and create a drip loop in the cords so no water can get into the recepticals. Dehumidifiers and small fans also help keep things dry.

[Wibber]

A GFCI receptical is an economical solution but not really that safe as the rest of the recepticals on that same breaker are all pigtailed together and live. If you have water damage in a GFCI receptical it trips that one only, the rest remain live and dangerous.

That is why when you install a GFCI receptical you should also install a GFCI breaker that all those recepticals are conected to, that way if you have water get into one it trips the breaker as well as the receptical.

You are correct if you pigtail and install the leads on the GCFI receptacle. If you put the feeds on the line side and downstream devices on the load terminals of a GCFI receptacle, the GCFI receptacle protects the downstream devices. If the GCFI trips, the downstream devices are disconnected. No need for a GCFI breaker.