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Bright Ideas: Install Track Lighting
By: Alastair Lydeard
Need a bright idea to bring life into your home? Track lighting is easy to install, and creates flair by spotlighting various areas. Track lighting is quite popular today, with many available choices including halogen system with small fixtures and brilliant light.
Track-lighting installation is a very simple project. You can attach the track first and install the wiring later if you have direct access to the wiring above the ceiling. Alternatively, you can install track lighting in place of an existing light fixture. Whatever you choose, the wiring attachments will be hidden by a cover plate.
Typical track-lighting installations can be finished in one day. The installation will probably cost less than $160, but the price tag will be higher if you employ an electrician.
1. At the breaker box, turn off the power to any circuit you will be using.
2. Determine where you want to install your track lighting, and drill pilot holes into the ceiling joists. Then, secure the track to the ceiling with wood screws. If you can't screw into the joists, try using toggle bolts.
3. If there was no previous lighting fixture, you'll need to feed the wire through the ceiling. This is one job that should be done by a licensed electrician.
4. Using a stud sensor, find an area between studs to install the light switch. The switch should be at least 2 inches away from any stud. Remember to use a measuring tape to mark the placement of the switch so that it will be uniform with the other switches in the room.
5. Use the drywall-mounted electrical box as a pattern, so that you can make a properly-sized cutout.
6. Drill a pilot hole in the corner of the cutout, and use a long screwdriver to inspect for obstructions. Complete the cutout with a drywall saw.
7. From the attic, find the area above the wall where you plan to mount the light switch. Use a one and a half inch spade bit to drill into the void behind the wall. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and a dust mask to prevent irritation from fiberglass insulation.
8. Take two pieces of electrical cable and slide them into the hole from the attic, and then back out through the hole in the wall.
9. Trim the sheathing away from the ends of both pieces of electrical cable, and strip an inch of insulation from the black and white wires.
10. Use a circuit tester to ensure that the power supply is off. When safe to do so, connect one electrical cable to an existing power supply, such as an attic light fixture, or any other handy power source. Use a barrel crimp to connect the bare copper wires, and then use wire nuts to secure the remaining connections. White wires are connected to white and black wires to black.
Caution: Some switched fixtures may have complex wiring arrangements. If you're not sure which wires supply constant power, test the circuit, or contact a licensed electrician.
11. Find the cable for the light fixture, and connect a junction box to a nearby joist. Thread the light-fixture cable and the remaining electrical cable into the junction box, and splice them with one another with wire nuts and a barrel crimp. Affix a cover to the junction box.
12. Back in the room with the track lighting installation, feed the other ends of electrical cable through the back of a drywall-mounted electrical box. Secure the box to the wall by tightening the wall clamp screws.
13. Strip away the sheathing and insulation from the wires. The ground wires are twisted together with a 5 inch piece of ground wire, and tightened using a barrel crimp. Then, connect the white wires together and secure them with a wire nut.
14. Connect the black wires to the terminals on a single-pole light switch, and attach the remaining ground wire to the green ground screw on the switch.
15. Install the switch onto the electrical box and put the cover plate on. Use a stack switch if you're installing multiple track lights.
16. Now it's time to install the lighting fixtures. Insert each fixture carefully, making sure that the three prongs are lined up with the electrical wiring inside the track. These fixtures should easily snap into place.
Note: When installing track lighting over an existing fixture, remove the old fixture and disconnect the wires. Then mount the new track lighting, connect the wiring and put in the light fixtures.
Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
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