Thread: Is There An Electrician In The House ?

Simple job really. Condo built in 1980. Kitchen cabinets L shape, a 6' fluorescent 2 bulb on the short leg, 8' fluorescent fixture on the long leg, not working, and I don't want that long thing up there anyway. These are laying bulbs up, on top of the cabinets.

A concrete ceiling, so I just as soon replace the long one with a 4' T8 fluorescent fixture, I don't want LED. So googling around I found an outfit called 'American Fluorescent, assembled in USA. I had gone to home depot and the lithonia made in Mexico fixture got poor reviews on amazon.

The installation instructions say that buildings before 1985 have wire rated at 60C, and this fixture needs feed wire rated at 90C. So how do I know what I have ? How much does it matter ?

I've wired outlets, ceiling fans, odds and ends. So I'm not clueless about it, and feel competent to do a simple thing like this. Any info would be appreciated.

I would guess Ed Hewitt would know this.

Hook it up and roll with it!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Hook it up and roll with it!

I just got done reading another PDF installation guide from another manufacturer. Both said use minimum 90C rated feed wire. I don't know what the heck I have. Running the old standard 2 bulb fluorescents. One fixture 6 ft bulbs, the other, that I want to replace 8 ft bulbs. Maybe I'll just get some 8' bulbs for the longer one and forget it.

From what I'm reading of reviews on the fixtures @ home depot, amazon, lowes, they are all mostly disposable junk now. The ones I've got, USA made, have been in this dump for over 30 years ! That's progress Clinton style. NAFTA strikes again.

Ya, the old T-12 and similar 1 1/2 inch diameter bulbs are being phased out to the skinnys.
If they are truly more efficient, it seems that less current would be part of that.
Copper wiring to handle the old should be more than adequate to handle the new.

Like refrigerants, they are simply creating a new, expanded market.

Greedy bastiges!

I am a registered unlicensed electrician.........

In MN we need to pay them another $20 a year to be a maintenance man.

I would personally go to LED if I was going to change the fixture. T-8's are dang near obsolete now.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

From what I'm reading of reviews on the fixtures @ home depot, amazon, lowes, they are all mostly disposable junk now. The ones I've got, USA made, have been in this dump for over 30 years ! That's progress Clinton style. NAFTA strikes again.

The ballast they use are garbage and will last a year or two. I had fixtures in my shop that I changed out the ballast with commercial rated units and they have been trouble free for the last 10 years.

The fixtures the big box stores sell are trash unless you spend the $18 on a new ballast.

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Originally Posted by Cincinnatus

The ballast they use are garbage and will last a year or two. I had fixtures in my shop that I changed out the ballast with commercial rated units and they have been trouble free for the last 10 years.

The fixtures the big box stores sell are trash unless you spend the $18 on a new ballast.

Yeppers

Exactly my experience, mine lasted about 3 years, been replacing ballasts as I go

I have 5 fixtures 4 have new ballasts

90 degrees is the temp rating on the wire insullation which can also be found in the NEC.

The wire should either be marked by an embossing method or printed and the rating should be there. Most modern wire is 90 degree. It might be marked like THHN or THX and that can be looked up.

I agree that the new fixture and electronic ballast should be fine with the wiring there.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Simple job really. Condo built in 1980. Kitchen cabinets L shape, a 6' fluorescent 2 bulb on the short leg, 8' fluorescent fixture on the long leg, not working, and I don't want that long thing up there anyway. These are laying bulbs up, on top of the cabinets.

A concrete ceiling, so I just as soon replace the long one with a 4' T8 fluorescent fixture, I don't want LED. So googling around I found an outfit called 'American Fluorescent, assembled in USA. I had gone to home depot and the lithonia made in Mexico fixture got poor reviews on amazon.

The installation instructions say that buildings before 1985 have wire rated at 60C, and this fixture needs feed wire rated at 90C. So how do I know what I have ? How much does it matter ?

I've wired outlets, ceiling fans, odds and ends. So I'm not clueless about it, and feel competent to do a simple thing like this. Any info would be appreciated.

What wire do you have? Pic, if nothing else.


I know you said you don't want LED. But, in case you didn't know, they have LED bulbs that are direct replacement for fluorescent fixture newer than 5-ish years old. Basically, any T-8 or T-12 fixture you buy off the shelf nowadays will accept LED tubes. The LED tubes are 17W vs 32W (T-8) or 40W (T-12). They are about $1.50 high than T-8 tubes, but they're worth it, IMO.

As some know, I'm building a new gun shop and I just finished wiring all of the lights (20 fixtures) and put the LED tubes in. This was the 1st time I have used them and was impressed with them. Super fast on.