Adding a plug to hard wired fluorescent fixture?

Question

I want to take a fluorescent light fixture meant to be hard wired and add a plug to make it a plug in fixture. Bad idea? Okay?

I have added new plugs to appliances and lights and envision this to be similiar...?

Answer 1

This is a simple thing to do. I am sure you can take the fixture apart so we will start with an open fixture.
You will have a black wire, a white wire, and there should have a green screw somewhere in the inside top of the fixture. You can use part of an old drop cord or even a 2 prong plug from an old appliance such as a toaster or coffee pot, but doing so will leave it ungrounded. That is OK if it is used in a dry location, but if it is somewhere the floor gets wet or even really damp, it should be grounded if you can touch it from the floor or if you will be useing a metal ladder to change bulbs when the floor is wet.
If so buy a # 16 or #18 - 2 wire with ground cord from lowes/home depot/ etc., with a plug already installed.
You will need two yellow wire nuts also and sta-con for the ground would be nice but not a real big deal.
There is what is called knock-outs in the ends and top of the fixture. Decide where you want the wire to come out at and take a screw driver and something to tap it with, ( I use my side cutters) and tap it and it will start coming out. Take your pliers or side cutters and twist it untill it breaks out.
You need to put a 3/8" Romex connector in the hole and tighten the nut on it.
Run the wire through it and then tighten the screws to hold the wire and connect the white to white, Black to black and the green wire, if you use a grounding plug on the wire goes under the green screw. If the connector doesn't tighten down on the wire enough to hold it tight, wrap enough electrical tape around the wire until it will do so.
Put it back together, hang it up, put the tubes in, plug it up, and as the Good Lord said, let there be light.

Answer 2

Ballasts for fluorescent lights require a good ground to function properly. If you hook up the 3 wire extension cord, make sure you land the ground wire under the ground screw. The ground screw will either be inside the ballast compartment or on the connector plate where the power wires would enter the light fixture. Once this is done you can troubleshoot the fixture. There only a few things that can go wrong with a fluorescent fixture. The power supply, the ballast, the lamps, or the tombstones (what the lamps clip into). Since you say they are new it may be the GFI. Are you sure the outlet is working or the reset button is pushed in? Test the outlet with something else, if it doesn't work use another outlet. (It makes no difference if it's a GFI or not). If you're sure you're using a working outlet, unplug the light and make sure the wires from the ballast are securely connected to the tombstones, the lamps are new, and are properly seated in the tombstones. After this if it still doesn't work, you should replace the ballast. I find it very hard to believe that three brand new ballast are bad right out of the box. Good luck.

Answer 3

Plug In Fluorescent Light

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Adding a plug to hard wired fluorescent fixture?
I want to take a fluorescent light fixture meant to be hard wired and add a plug to make it a plug in fixture. Bad idea? Okay?

I have added new plugs to appliances and lights and envision this to be similiar...?

Answer 5

I have done it. I added a cord to a fixture for my garage. No problem and very easy to wire.

Answer 6

--->> Tips---> https://trimurl.im/f78/adding-a-plug-to-hard-wired-fluorescent-fixture

Answer 7

Yes, It would be the same thing.
Just add the plug to the hot and neutral lines of the light.
Good Luck