Friday, March 4, 2011

Wire Six Recessed Ceiling Lights In A Series







Wiring lights in series isn't that daunting of a task when you know what you're doing


Wiring recessed ceiling lights sounds like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. The theory behind series wiring is easy enough to understand, and easy to execute, using only basic tools and materials to get the job done.








A series of recessed lights are always operated by a switch, which feeds them electricity from the house's main grid. By wiring the lights a certain way, you can allow the switch to activate them all at once.


Instructions


1. Locate the light nearest to the switch that will be powering the series, and familiarize yourself with the location of the light's positive and negative power terminals, usually denoted by a "+" and a "-" symbol.


Power terminals are always on the bases of recessed lights, near where they're mounted to the frame of your house. That means you'll need to perform this project before the insulation and drywall are put up, hiding them. Also, make sure the power is off before beginning this project.


2. Put on your safety gloves and solder the first light's positive power terminal to the next-closest light's positive terminal with a short length of wire, and so on, until you reach the sixth light. Solder each connection solidly.


Note: Recessed lighting modules (the lights, casing, and power terminals) will be mounted in your ceiling as mirror-images of one another. That means that the power terminals will always be facing the same direction and in a straight line with the next terminal, making them easy to find.


3. Wire the first light's negative power terminal to the negative terminal of each successive light until you reach the sixth light.


Solder each connection solidly, and allow all solder to dry before attempting to power these lights.

Tags: light positive, connection solidly, daunting task, each connection, each connection solidly, first light