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Connect the ground wire to the metal box.

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Q: Where do you hook the ground wire on a porcelain light fixture on a metal box?
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Do you have to Connect both fixture and house ground wires?

If you're asking whether you have to connect the fixture ground to the house ground, you do. The idea is to connect any exposed portion of a metal fixture to ground, keeping anything you would be able to touch from having a hazardous potential on it. The way to do this is to connect the fixture ground (which is connected to the metal chassis) to the building ground (which comes from your electrical panel).


Can you convert a 2 prong plug-in light into a hard wired fixture?

Sure, sounds like a creative way to use an old favorite table-top fixture and save a few bucks too. There would be a few things I would consider. First and foremost, be sure the "2 prong plug-in light" is made for outdoor use if you plan to mount this outdoors! Secondly, how are you going to securely mount this fixture to a ceiling or wall? Designing a custom base, may end up being more trouble than it's worth. After installation the fixture should be flush against the surface, and everything tucked inside. Next, I wouldn't forget, or leave out the ground. Even it is a 2 prong light. If your going to mount this on a wall, ceiling, or anywhere, chances are you already have a hole cut out and "2-conductor with ground" Romex type wiring ready at the instillation area. Where to attach the bare ground wire, maybe too risky if the fixture is not an metal chassis. Note: Assuming that there will only be one fixture on this branch circuit, then go with a gauge of Romex similar to that of the fixture cord. If using many in series or parallel , reference a NEC handbook for detailed guidance.


How close can you mount a light fixture to a water line?

Your main concern in installing anything near a water line is to avoid accidentally driving a nail or screw into the pipe, causing a leak. Therefore it is prudent to allow a separation of at least a few inches. Other than that, there is no reason why a light fixture cannot be close to a water line. The wires are insulated, so they are not going to short circuit as a result of the metal pipe.


Why Metal halide fixture with a 175 w bulb and correct ballast could overheat?

Make sure you are using a metal halide bulb and the ballast is matched to the wattage on the bulb. These both must be correct.


Why use 277v light fixtures instead of 110v light fixtures?

277v light fixtures are more efficient to operate and less expensive to install than a 110v fixture of identical wattage. 277v light fixtures are typically installed when 480V 3 Phase primary electric service supplies a commercial or industrial facility. 277v lighting circuits are single phase circuits using one of the 480v primary phases (A,B & C) to Neutral. The higher voltage allows more fixtures per circuit using smaller conductors and longer runs typically required in warehouse lighting applications. ( Amps = Watts/Volts: 400W/277V Fixture = 1.4 Amps, 400W/110V fixture = 3.6 Amps) With 480V 3 Phase primary service, 110V Single Phase power is created using a Step-down transformer. The voltage transformation process consumes power (kWh) and the 277V fixture will consume less kWh than a 110V fixture if identical wattage, especially in fixtures with ballasts such as fluorescent or High Intensity Discharge (HID), like Sodium, Metal Halide or Mercury Vapor.

Related questions

What do I attach the green wire from the light fixture to?

The green wire on the light fixture is a ground wire. If there is no ground wire in the conduit, the green wire should be attached to the metal box with a screw.


Is a fluorescent light grounded?

If you are talking about the lamp then the answer is no. If you are talking about the fluorescent fixture, it should be. It is the fixture grounding that helps the tube to ignite. because of the close proximity to the metal of the fixture. There are many occasions when the fixture will not operate, but as soon as the ground is connected the fixture operates fine.


Do you have to Connect both fixture and house ground wires?

If you're asking whether you have to connect the fixture ground to the house ground, you do. The idea is to connect any exposed portion of a metal fixture to ground, keeping anything you would be able to touch from having a hazardous potential on it. The way to do this is to connect the fixture ground (which is connected to the metal chassis) to the building ground (which comes from your electrical panel).


Do light fittings need to be earthed?

Normally the fixtures come with a grounding screw that you attach the grounding wire to. If the box you attaching the fixture to is metal and there is no grounding wire present then the grounded conduit should ground you fixture.


I am trying to put up a light fixture but it has three wires a white one a black one and a Coppertone where does the coopertoned wire go?

The bare copper wire is a ground wire. if your old electrical system only has black and white, then you don't have a ground wire to hook the new fixture's ground to. Safest bet is to run a ground wire to that junction box (or hire an electrician to do that). If the box in the ceiling (I'm assuming its a ceiling fixture) is metal, the home's electrical system ground wire may be attached to the metal box itself. If that's the case, you simply need to attach your new fixture's ground wire (the bare copper one) to the metal box. If in doubt -- have an electrician look at it.


Can you connect the ground wire from a light fixture to anthing in the metal box that does not have a ground coming from it?

I always connect the ground wire to the box. However, if there is no real ground wire running back to the panel it really does you no good. The NEC requires that you rewire the circuit with the proper conductors. Remember that the ground is for your protection. Without a proper ground, you run the risk of injury or death if the fixture wiring fails.


What to do with ground wire in wall when wiring metal light fixture without ground wire into plastic outlet box with ground wire Basically wall has 3 wires fixture has 2 and no place to ground to?

Don't worry about it some fixtures have no ground terminals. just shove the groung wire to the back of the box. Correction, if the fixture is metal and it shorts out, the metal surrounding the fixture could become electrified. That's why fixtures today are normally grounded to their mounting plates and then the lead is attached to the incoming romex. In the past, attaching these plates to metal boxes (either grounded by an incoming wire or grounded to the BX cable) eliminated the need for a ground wire. If the hot wire hit or shorted to the fixture, it would blow a fuse or circuit breaker. Many electrocutions and fires later, the folks at Underwriters realized that even that method of grounding wasn't sufficent (the old aluminum boxes and bx cables were crappy conductors. Solution; (and I practice what I preach because I remodel many old homes) get a little creative and spend the extra time to wrap a little ground wire to a mounting screw, or piece of metal, on the mounting plate of the fixture and then attach it to your incoming romex ground. On an old fixture, it could mean the difference between a fire and a tripped circuit breaker. If you have any metal boxes, old or new, ground to those too. <><><> Connect a pigtail to the metal canopy, and use a wire nut to connect the safety ground to it.


Do you have to ground a kitchen light?

Any fixture containing metal other than the conductors should be grounded. It ensures the proper operation of the over current device, which is the breaker or fuse.


Where does a new fixture's ground wire go when wiring in the ceiling of a 1940s-era house has only two wires and a metal clamp screwed into the wooden joists to bear the weight of the light fixture?

Just tuck it away in the box. Unless you run ground wires throughout the house it won't serve any purpose.


I purchased a light from IKEA but it does not have anywhere for the earth wire to go How should I wire it up Thanks in advance?

If the fixture doesn't have a ground wire attached or a grounding screw, then it doe not require to be grounded . It likely has insulated parts between the base where it attaches to the box and the lampholder. Simply shunt or cap the incoming ground wire with a wire nut. If you're mounting the fixture to a metal box , then attach the incoming ground wire to the box with a grounding clip or screw in the inside back of the metal box.


How can you ground a porcelain light fixture with no ground screw and not mounted in a metal box or do you even have to if not what do you do with ground wire?

Porcelain "keyless" fixtures do not have any designated ground screw, so, assuming there's a supply point "box" already in the ceiling or wall where the light is to be fixed, if there's more than one ground wire in the box, just bond all the ground wires together. "Bond" means "twist them together" or - and this is the best practice - use a simple electrical wiring connector to fix them together securely. Then make sure the ground wires won't be pressed hard against the coloured plastic insulation of any other wires in the supply point box when the light fixture is screwed down. In practice you just need to check they will stay nice and loose after you have shoved the ground wires back into the supply point box. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.


What is the formula for calculating the full current load of a 400 watt metal halide light?

For the amperage of a metal halide fixture look for the nameplate which can be found on the side of the ballast. There it will tell you what the amperage of the fixture draws. Knowing what one fixture draws will allow you to size the lighting circuit for wire and breaker sizes.