- 1). Remove the front panel from your electrical panel. Check the breakers inside to see if you have a 15 amp breaker that is not being used. If you do, turn the breaker off.
- 2). Plan out your lighting requirements and decide where you are going to be installing the 3 light fixtures.
- 3). Run a length of the NM cable from the electrical panel to the switch box, then another length from the switch box to the first light, then another length from the first light to the second and lastly, from the second to the third.
- 4). Disassemble the first light fixture and punch out one of the knockouts on the back of the fixture. Insert a Romex connector into the knockout and secure it in place with the locknut. Loosen the screws on the Romex connector to open it up.
- 5). Remove about 6 to 8 inches of outer sheathing from each length of NM cable. Use the Romex stripper to first slice it and then cut away the excess. Insert both lengths of cable through the Romex connector and tighten the clamp down over the sheathed section of the cables.
- 6). Attach the light fixture to the ceiling by using wood screws and screwing them into a ceiling joist or by using toggle bolts if installing directly to the drywall between joists.
- 7). Follow Steps 5 and 6 for the next two light fixtures. Once all 3 light fixtures are attached to the ceiling, go back to each fixture and strip about 3/4 inches of insulation from each wire.
- 8). At light fixture #1, connect the two black wires from the NM cables with the black wire from the fixture's ballast, connect the two white wires with the white wire from the ballast and connect the two bare copper wires with the ground wire on the fixture. Use wire connectors to secure each set of wires and wrap them with a strip of electrical tape. Follow this same process for fixture #2.
- 9). At fixture #3, simply connect black to black, white to white and ground to ground. Close up all 3 light fixtures and install the fluorescent tubes when finished.
- 10
At the switch, strip the Romex outer sheaths like you did earlier and insert the cables into the old-work box. Install the old-work box into the wall. - 11
Strip about 3/4 inches of insulation from each wire. Connect the 2 white wires together with a wire connector and gently tuck them into the back of the box. - 12
Take a scrap piece of bare copper wire and connect it to the ground screw on the switch. Then, connect the other end to the two ground wires inside the box. Connect them with a wire connector and tuck them inside the box. - 13
Connect the black wire that is coming from the panel to the bottom screw on the switch. The black wire that goes to the fixture will get connected to the top screw on the switch. Wrap electrical tape around the terminals and secure the switch to the switch box. Install the switch plate. - 14
Knock out one of the knockouts on the electrical panel, preferably one near the breaker you are going to be using. Once the knockout is removed, install a Romex connector with the locknut going on the inside of the panel. - 15
Loosen the clamp screws and guide the cable through the connector and in to the panel. Once you have enough wire to work with, tighten the clamp screws to hold the cable in place. - 16
Strip away the sheath insulation from the entire length of cable on the inside of the panel. Remove all of the paper insulation so all you are left with is the 3 individual wires. - 17
Strip 3/4 inches of insulation away from the ends of each wire. - 18
Loosen a screw on the ground bar (the bar where all of the other grounds are connected) and a screw on the neutral bar (where all of the white wires are connected). Insert the ground wire into the terminal and tighten the screw down. Insert the white wire into its terminal and tighten it as well. Bend and tuck the wires out of the way and neatly inside the panel. - 19
Double check that the breaker you are using is in the "off" position. Loosen the terminal screw on the breaker using an insulated screwdriver. Slide the black wire into the terminal and tighten the terminal screw to secure it in place. Give it a slight tug to ensure that it is secure. - 20
Reinstall the panel cover and turn the breaker on. - 21
Test your garage lights by turning the light switch on.
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