House Mortgage Refinance Loan

Bright Ideas: Install Track Lighting

November 5th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

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.

A typical track lighting installation can easily be completed in one day. If you install the lighting yourself, the entire project shouldn’t cost much more than about $160. A professional electrician, of course, will charge a higher rate.

1. Go to the breaker box and turn off the power to any circuit that you’ll be accessing.

2. Decide where to install your new track lighting and drill pilot holes into the ceiling joists. Use wood screws to secure the track to the ceiling. If you’re not able to screw into the ceiling joists, try using toggle bolts.

3. If you’re installing your track lighting where there were no previous fixtures, you’ll need to feed the wire through the ceiling. Note: Consider hiring a licensed electrician to do any wiring in your home.

4. Use the stud sensor to determine an area between studs in which you can place the light switch. The switch should be at least 2 inches from any stud. Use a measuring tape to mark the placement of the switch so that it will be parallel with the other switches in the room.

5. Make a cutout pattern for the new switch by using a drywall-mounted electrical box.

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. Slide two pieces of electrical cable into the hole from the attic and out through the hole in the wall.

9. Peel the sheathing from the ends of both pieces of electrical cable. Strip one inch of insulation from both the black and white wires.

10. Always use a circuit tester to ensure that the power is off before you deal with bare wires. Connect one electrical cable to an existing power supply, such as an attic light fixture or another handy power source. Connect the bare copper wires with a barrel crimp, and use wire nuts to secure the remaining connections. This is done while grouping white wires with white, and black wires with black.

Caution: Switched fixtures can have complex wiring arrangements. If you’re not sure which wires provide the constant supply of 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. Go back to the room where the new track lighting is located. Push the other ends of electrical cable through the back of a drywall-mounted electrical box, and then 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. Attach the switch to the electrical box, and mount the cover plate. If you have multiple track lights, consider using a stack switch.

16. Insert the fixtures into the track so that the three prongs line up correctly with the electrical wiring inside the track. Most fixtures easily snap into place.

Note: If you’re installing track lighting over an existing fixture, take out the fixture and disconnect the wires. Then mount the track light, connect the wiring, and put in the light fixtures.

About the Author:

Columnist Alastair Lydeard is a freelancer for several popular Internet sites, on home decor and home repair topics. Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Tags: home improvement, light, home lightning