A light panel is a good way to add a lot of light in a room with a drop ceiling.
A drop ceiling consists of a metal frame suspended from the original ceiling with metal wires. Resting on the metal frameworks are several foam acoustic tiles. To add light into a room with a drop ceiling, you can replace one or more of the acoustic tiles with a light panel. The light panel measures the same dimensions as the acoustic panel, usually 2 by 4 feet in length. If you installed the drop ceiling, you will find this process relatively simple. If you did not install the drop ceiling, it will not take you long to acclimate to the process.
Instructions
1. Shut your electrical breaker off so you can install the electrical connections.
2. Place a ladder under the panel adjacent to the panel you plan to replace with the suspended light panel. Push up on the panel and then slide the panel away from the panel you plan to replace. This gives you access to the space between the existing ceiling and the drop ceiling.
3. Move the ladder to a position directly under the panel you plan to replace with the suspended light panel. Push up on the acoustic panel installed on the drop ceiling framework and then tilt it so you can lower it down and out of the framework. Place the acoustic panel off to the side.
4. Hold the suspended light panel from end-to-end and then place it up between the original ceiling and the drop ceiling. Carefully lower the light panel onto the framework. The framework will hold the panel in place.
5. Slide the ladder under the open hole you created in step one. Thread eyelet bolts into the original ceiling directly above every corner of the light panel and directly above the center of the light panel.
6. Cut five pieces to a length that measures twice the distance between the and the top of the light panel.
7. Thread the wires through the eyelet holes and through the mounting holes on the light panel and then tie the ends of the wires around the wires strung stout between the eyelet bolts and mounting holes. This secures the light to the original ceiling and takes the weight off the framework.
8. Attach the green wire extending from the light panel to the green wire or bare wire extending from the ceiling. Attach the black wires together and then attach the white wires together. Use wire nuts to secure the wire connections.
Tags: light panel, drop ceiling, original ceiling, acoustic panel, ceiling drop