Can you use recessed light as junction box?

3 Answers. Show activity on this post. Modern recessed lights have junction boxes built in. You are free to daisy-chain other lights or receptacles, so long as you connect properly and do not exceed the number of wires for the size of the built in box.

What wire do I need to run recessed lights?

Typically, a 12-gauge cable with two insulated conductor wires and a ground wire are used. The cable is jacketed with a non-metallic plastic jacket to protect it.

Do recessed lights have to be wired in series?

You can wire them in any sequence. Do it in whatever way is the most convenient. The electricity doesn’t care, and doesn’t know the physical location of the fixtures. Household wiring is parallel, so there isn’t really a sequence.

Does recessed lighting need to be grounded?

Strictly speaking, grounding your light fixtures isn’t necessary in all cases. However, it’s a good idea as it makes your light fixture safer and reduces the risk of injury. Metal light fixture boxes should always be grounded where you install the fixture.

How do you install a recessed lighting junction box?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Definitely easier there it is make sure each wire has at least 12 to 18 inches of slack. At each opening insert the wires into the junction box and use wire nuts to make the connections.

Do LED ceiling lights need a junction box?

You need to put it into a junction box to make a connection. The Fluorescent Lights previously had that direct connection inside the fixture, but the LED lights don’t.

Can you use 12 2 wire recessed lighting?

Yes, it is okay to use 12-2 cable to supply lighting fixtures.

Can I use 14 gauge wire for recessed lighting?

Here’s some basic facts you should consider when installing recessed lights: Most lighting circuits in homes are either 15 or 20 amps. 15 amp circuits are the most common. 20 amp circuits require 12 gauge wire; 15 amps circuits allow for less expensive 14 gauge wire.

What size wire do I need for LED can lights?

Most people would likely recommend using a solid core 18-gauge wire for your LED lights. The cost difference between this wire size and a much smaller cable is negligible, and 18-gauge is about as big as you can go if you would like your wires to fit into most holders or terminals.

What happens if you don’t ground an LED light?

Now, any fixture that uses LEDs, or a bulb that uses LEDs to replace an incandescent bulb, must be grounded, similarly to the incandescent-bulb-using fixture. If not grounded, these fixtures use 110/120 volts AC power and might cause injury.

What happens if you don’t connect the ground wire?

Don’t ground to the electrical box. Connecting the ground wire to a metal electrical box will energize the box in the event of a short circuit. The box could overheat and start a fire, or someone could get a shock from touching it.

Where does the ground wire go on recessed lighting?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Box put the cover on. And we're ready to go and turn the new lights on I'm going to connect my ground wire to a wing nut that's on the housing.

Does the ground wire need to be connected to the box?

Grounding In Switches



This wire can be a bare copper wire. The additional grounding wire needs to be grounded at the main box. Then, with a small screw, it needs to be attached to the switch box. If your existing switch doesn’t have a ground screw, replace it with one that has.

What do I do with the ground wire on my light fixture?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Ground make sure you make your loop. In the same direction that your nut is tightening up and that will pull the wire underneath the screw.

What do you do with green wire without ground?

What to do When there is Nothing to Attach the Ground Wire

  1. When you have a ground wire and there is no place to attach it then place a wire connector over the end, coil up the ground wire and push it back into the electrical junction box.
  2. IMPORTANT: Never cut the ground wire off.

Is it OK to leave a ground wire exposed?

Grounding wires, especially those running through grounding rods on the exterior of your home, are exposed. The grounding wires are safe to touch unless there is an electrical surge that causes electricity to flow through the grounding wire.

Can green and white wires go together?

It provides a path that electricity can follow to the earth. If a malfunction occurs, the grounding wire will defend against electrical shocks. You can only connect the green wire to other green cables. White wires are neutral.

Can I attach ground wire to mounting screw?

You attach the ground wire from the supply cable to the metal box. Always. If the lamp has a metal frame, and the box is metal, it can ground itself through the mounting screws. Otherwise you’ll need a 3-way pigtail between a pigtail off the box, the supply wire, and the lamp’s ground.

Can you use any screw as a grounding screw?

Ground screws must be -32 thread pitch or finer, and must be threaded into the metal box. 10-32 is the “conventional” size. And most metal boxes have a hole tapped for a #10-32 screw for precisely that purpose. This is visible as a hole slightly smaller than the normal mounting holes.