how to wire a outside light to an outlet?

Question

i have an old outdoor light that would normaly get wired directly to a house but i want to make it so you can plug it in instead.

yes i think it is a 120 volt light

Answer 1

No need it reiterate all of the "just cut an extension cord" verbiage,so:

Do not use a 2 conductor cord, unless it is 2-conductor with a ground, so three wires, black, white, green.

If the light is going to stay outside, use SJO cord or something clearly marked for outdoor use.
http://www.ul.com/consumers/cords.html
This is primarily important if the light is going to stay outside with the cord attached. Also, use a cord connector that is raintight and provides good support of the cable.

Make sure the wires are rated for the rating of the circuit they connect to. Since you are not making the light and having it approved by UL with a smaller conductor cable, you need to be somewhat wary of little #16 extension cords. At least make sure it can handle the maximum wattage bulb the fixture can hold. If it will ever be on more than 3 hours, multiply the wattage by 1.25.
NEC 675.7 A

If you do not intend to staple or provide other means of supporting the weight of the cord other than the connector, and depending on the length, consider a grip with a mesh that grips the cable for a few inches. It looks like what is on page two of this document (you do not need the pin connector, just the mesh style)
http://www.gepco.com/PDF_files/npupdate_G37.pdf

Also, conisder using silicone filled wire nuts, rated for indoor and outdoor, this will keep wires from oxidizing.
http://www.smarthome.com/7870.html

The plug you connect this to should be GFCI protected, either from a GFCI breaker, another GFCI receptacle feeding it, or it should be the GFCI and have a cover rated "Raintight while in Use".
https://www.tselectronic.com/leviton_ac/5977_5997cl.html?tse_Session=a17eca4a1d1da2e240ac954fbfd2e5e2

Have fun!

Answer 2

I am going to suppose this is a standard 120 volt light.

There should be black, white and a bare copper (or green) wires on the light fixture. You will need to visit a hardware store and buy some standard extension cord wire with the three conductors listed above and a standard male plug. The you will need to attach the plug to your new cable, wire nut the cable to the fixture.
The black is the "hot", white is neutral and green is the ground.

Or you may be able to find a pre- made cable with the plug already on it. The you just need to wire that to the light.

If your not familiar with proper wiring and electricity in general, I would talk to a associate at the hardware store in the electrical dept. for help and guidance.

Answer 3

Just go to home depot. They will set you up. I did all that and more with the stuff they have in their lighting department. The motion sensor is the easy part. They are in the lights and turn on automatically with the ones I bought. Instead of the flood lights with the wires, you could buy the ones already enclosed and ready to hook up to your power outlets. Otherwise, you could connect that to a light source already outside after you of course disconnect the power. If you really want to use the flood light you already have, ask home depot and they will show you the exact extention cord you which will be similar to rewiring a lamp when the cord breaks. I would avoid wiring it directly into the outlet unless you had an electrian because of the dangerous of electrocution and rain.

Answer 4

If the wires coming out of it are in good repair. Buy an extension cord long enough to reach the outlet. Cut off the receptacle end separate the two wires enough to be able to attache them to the wires of the light. use "wire nuts" . On the extension cord notice that one wire cover will be smooth compared to the other (which will have ridges on it). The ridge is the white wire, the smooth is the black.

Answer 5

I normally buy extension cords and cut one end of and wire them to my lights. I normally only do this to aquarium lights( fluro tubes)

if it has wire on it still, go to a lighting shop and buy a plug, the casing slides back and you just screw the wires in place.

maybe take the light to a lighting store so they can tell you which wires are posative, negative and earth. Other wise you may get fried

Answer 6

cut off the end of an extention cord and wire nut the cord to existing wiring on the lamp.

Answer 7

by light do you mean fixture? if so then take fixture, wire proper sized cord to it per wattage...and then put male cord cap on other end and simply plug it in