Questions tagged [lighting]
Planning, installing and using either indoor or outdoor artificial lights.
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Dim only certain lightbulbs on a circuit?
The builder built my house with multiple outdoor lights on a single circuit. Most of the lights are non-dimmable LED wall fixtures, but 2 of them are dimmable 6" LED baffles under an overhang. He ...
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1answer
45 views
Wiring question for detached room
Would it be possible to power the detached room from the breaker box with two 30 amp breakers to the room with UF 10-2 wiring underground from the breaker box and then landed into the junction box at ...
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1answer
25 views
LED's emitting high pitched noise
I have some LED lights hooked up to a trophy cabinet and for some reason it's emitting a fairly loud high pitched noise, does anyone know what this could be?
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3answers
71 views
How to switch 40A timer used for outdoor lighting and direct 120V outdoor lighting
I am redoing my outdoor lighting and need to move 3 wall switches used for outdoor 120V lighting to a different place within the house. The issue is that the inground wire is 10/2 UF but the inside ...
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2answers
77 views
Looking to replace light switches - 2x blue, 2x black wires
I'm looking to replace a light switch. Upon opening up the switch, I'm greeted with this:
I would like to replace with this:
For context, this is a commercial in-conduit wiring. I want to replace my ...
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1answer
32 views
Downlight density (spacing)
Im in the process of rennovating my house, and Im at the point of re-doing lighting on the ground floor.
Im looking at putting downlights in, removing the existing clusters of bulbs.
The thing that ...
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1answer
34 views
What is the name of the part used to fasten a pendant light cable to the ceiling circuitry case
I'm looking to purchase this part (see image below) but cannot find the name.
The part is located on the case mounted to the ceiling from which the cable to the pendant light comes down. One half is ...
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3answers
315 views
Exposed wire in ceiling light
Was changing the two dead light bulbs and a piece fell off than noticed the wire became exposed. Is this something I can fix as a diy and how dangerous to use the light.
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5answers
174 views
Plastic-on-plastic lubricant that wont leave a residue?
I am working on an outdoor LED lighting project where I'm making my own rope lights to hold up to the elements. I am using waterproof LED strips which are surrounded in a plastic "jelly-like" material ...
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1answer
42 views
Color adjusting LED ceiling light intermittent issues
I recently installed CE color changing (5 temperature settings) LED all-in-one fixtures in my bedrooms and have been having an odd issue. I wired four fixtures with 12/2 Romex in parallel out of a ...
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1answer
39 views
Simple light switch wiring isn’t working
I have power coming into box from black and white wires. When wiring black to light switch and white to white leading to fixture, the breaker goes every time. When wiring the two whites together ...
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2answers
71 views
Outlets and switches
I changed the outlets and the switches for looks in two rooms. I copied same wiring same position from old to the new outlet, or light switch. Figures, not that hard. Tested - everything, outlets good ...
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0answers
42 views
How can I install recessed lights with a thick ceiling finish? [duplicate]
I have an old house with a lath and plaster ceiling that has 1x4 battens installed on the lath and plaster ceiling with 3/8" drywall over those.
I want to install recessed lighting but there is ...
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2answers
103 views
Several LEDs and LED bulbs in my house are failing at the same time and way before their estimated lifespan
I've never had this happen to me and, now, in a span of 1 month, it's already happened 4 times... The following 3 LED bulbs and 1 LED strip have become unusable:
An Ikea Ledare 600lm spot LED buld (...
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2answers
52 views
Electrical wiring for this ceiling lamp with many bulbs?
I saw this ceiling lamp on the internet, and I thought I would try to build it. I'm trying to be more DIY, but anything related to electrical is new to me.
This question is related to the electrical ...
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0answers
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DIY Hanging Outdoor patio string lights from piles in planters
I want to hang string lights from poles that are cemented into planters for my patio. I did this project last year and it looks amazing, however, the planters kept falling over. The many DIY sites are ...
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1answer
37 views
Ceiling fan + dimmable lights + old wiring?
I want to have my cake and eat it too. Is there any way to accomplish this?
I have an old ceiling light circuit. There is a switch going to a (broken) fan on the ceiling, with lights in it. Since the ...
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2answers
100 views
Single pole switch with lighting “zones”?
Somewhat of a challenge...
I'm going from a single light to recessed lighting in my studio condo.
There is a single pole switch that this single light is currently connected to.
I'm going to install ...
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1answer
40 views
3 way swing arm wall mount lighting
Looking to buy a wall mount swing arm lamp, and it has a 3 way switch in it with a 60 watt minimum rating to 150 watt maximum rating. I understand the reason for maximum rating but not minimum rating ?...
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3answers
2k views
Lights are flickering on and off after accidentally bumping into light switch
During the night, I accidentally bumped into my light switch, jamming it in towards itself. Now, the lights in my room will sometimes flicker on and off very quickly when after turning on the lights. ...
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3answers
93 views
Does “Suitable for use in open fixtures” mean not suitable for closed?
Background:
I need to replace a couple bulbs in my apartment which are controlled by an "old" dimmer switch, which predates the advent of LED bulbs. My understanding is that I cannot use a dimmable ...
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3answers
32 views
How much wattage to choose for LED light when replacing flourescent light with LED?
Suppose I have a circular 22W flourescent light at home and I want to replace it with LED of similar brightness. How much wattage should this LED have? Any rule of thumb as guidance?
The salesman at ...
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0answers
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Old mobile home wiring, outlets stopped working
Yesterday 3 of my outlets stopped working.
Earlier this winter 2 got burnt and I haven't replaced them yet, but they're on the other side of the house.
The 3 that stopped working are all around each ...
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1answer
28 views
LED light is on when it should not be
I have 3 12v LED under cabinet lights that I plan to install. The final install goal is to have the line power (120v) controlled by a pre-installed light switch (1-way) which currently operates 4 pot ...
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1answer
41 views
Low voltage track lighting flashing at low frequency
I have two sets of track lighting on the same switch, and one of the tracks flashes at a low frequency at seemingly random times. Video of the behavior.
Some relevant details:
The two tracks are on ...
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1answer
68 views
Ideas to install stand-alone light on ceiling without nails or screws
In the ceiling there is no light box and I can't insert nails or screws.
I need to install a square LED light fixture, weighting 1.4 lbs, that is fed by the outlet. Maximum I can do is to damage the ...
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1answer
43 views
Light and fan switches
I would like to have a double wall switch for the toilet where one switch (#1) turns on both the light and the fan while the second switch (#2) turns only the fan. Please note the light and the fan ...
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2answers
58 views
Adding an outlet to a 3 way switch on 'far' end
I'd like to add an outlet near a 3-way-switch as it's the closest potential source.
My issue is that there is no constant load at this location; when I toggle the other switch the red and black wires ...
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1answer
43 views
Touch Lamps & Static Electricity
We have 6 identical table lamps in our home that are touch lamps. We have used them for three years. One evening recently my husband touched the lamp on his bedside table and there was a small static ...
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0answers
25 views
How can I hook up a second light when the first lacks enough power?
I added a light to my shower. I ran wiring from new light to an existing single switch intending to add a second switch, but the existing switch only has one set of wires coming directly from an ...
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1answer
55 views
Need help identifying a light switch
At work we have some light switches that look like this, and I've seen similar ones at school and at other commercial offices. This one is installed in Vancouver, Canada
The lights also have a motion ...
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1answer
74 views
Two switches, one turns both lights on, the other just one of them
I have two separate lights in a room. And two separate switches (actually one switch and one motion sensor). I want one switch to turn both lights on, and one switch to turn just one of the lights on.
...
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1answer
70 views
Wire colours reversed on switch
I've just installed a new (1 way, ceiling pull cord) switch in my bathroom since the old one broke. When I came to change it, it was not wired the way I expected with the live into the COM terminal ...
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1answer
89 views
Does it matter which wire goes where on single pole dimmer?
I’m updating the switches throughout my house. I have an old rotary style single-pole dimmer controlling the just-as-old chandelier in my dining room. This dimmer shares a double-gang box with a 3-way ...
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2answers
189 views
Can someone explain this wiring configuration to me?
See my previous question for more detail on my household's bizarre wiring. Three of my bedrooms have dimmer switches connected to outlets and ceiling fans, which is electrically unsafe and just ...
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1answer
18 views
Adding a vanity light to a switched knob and tube ceiling light
I shut off the main breaker, disconnected an ancient light fixture, taped new wire to the existing knob and tube and pulled it all up into my attic. Next I pigtailed from the K&T to two new (WBG) ...
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3answers
2k views
Can someone explain how this makes sense electrically?
The wiring in my house is... odd. Nearly every pair of outlets has one of the outlets connected to a light switch. Sometimes that switch is quite far from the outlet even when there are other closer ...
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1answer
56 views
How to install new chandelier when impossible to fish wires?
. Want to run a brown external wire to point where I can hang chandelier. I can’t cut thru beams. Any suggestions for where to find wiring, etc.
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1answer
51 views
Switches in other bedrooms turning on different lights after I put new light up
I recently put up a light in my bedroom but the switches in other rooms now turn on different lights, there are 9 wires altogether coming through the ceiling, 3 earth which are connected together, 3 ...
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2answers
55 views
Tie lighting on Knob and Tube to a low voltage (12v) system?
I have an old stone 18th C. Pennsylvania farm house. In several rooms, wall sconces were installed when the house was first electrified - with knob & tube wiring. The knob and tube wired to old ...
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2answers
38 views
LED downlights working in conjunction with bathroom fan
There are 3 led downlights and an extractor fan wired with a bathroom fan isolator and separate light switch. The light switch also, when on, provides the live connection to the fan isolator switch, ...
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2answers
101 views
Black wire crossed with white in box
I was helping my dad install Alumiconn pigtails in his home when I spotted something weird in a 1-gang outlet box: a black wire shorted with a white wire. Alarm bells went off in my head, so I spent ...
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1answer
55 views
Ceiling fan gets voltage but lights do not turn on
I just connected a new ceiling fan with lights and the lights and fan won't turn on. I tried to hunt down the problem and used a non contact voltage detector and the voltage does flow to the wires on ...
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1answer
50 views
How do I know what LED bulbs are safe to use in fixtures that are part of construction?
In a recent question, I asked about different power ratings for LED and traditional incandescent light bulbs. In the accepted answer, the author explained that the different ratings are due to heat ...
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2answers
54 views
Ceiling light goes off itself
My ceiling light goes off itself after 10 mins or sometimes even after an hour, no loose connection from the ceiling fixture and the switch, nothing seems loose even breaker too. How can i find the ...
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1answer
32 views
Raising a porch light and doorbell?
A previous owner of our house installed a front deck over the top of the two concrete steps leading up to the front door. Unfortunately they did not raise the front porch light and doorbell.
So many ...
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1answer
66 views
There appears to be no ground - what do I do?
Hi!
Trying to change a light switch in my house. I am Chicago within city limits.
House is pretty old...it was “gut rehabbed” in the 80s but that doesn’t really mean anything. Actual building been ...
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1answer
23 views
G24Q CFL Line Voltage
I am working with a CFL that requires a ballast to fire the lamp. This lamp is a G24Q-2. The lamp has four pins on the base. I am assuming that two of the pins are for the ballast connection and the ...
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0answers
62 views
Also have 3 black, 3 white and 3 ground wires coming from ceiling but difference in current
I'm replacing a ceiling fan and found the same problem as Cathy Ashley with 3 each white, black and ground coming from ceiling. None were marked, and I couldn't remember how they were originally ...
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2answers
26 views
Replacing light and fan set up to a plain light
I am replacing a Hunter ceiling fan with a regular hanging light. The ceiling fan had a knob for the fan and another for the lights with a dimmer switch. I took off the fan assembly and have a black ...
