Do you want to install an overhead light but there is no existing wiring for your ceiling? In such a situation, you might be wondering if you can be able to wire a ceiling light to a plug. Choosing the right ceiling light will not only provide the right illumination to the room but will also add a stylish and timeless ambiance.
Can you wire a ceiling light to a plug? You can wire a ceiling light to a plug. It can be done by re-wiring the light with the use of an extension cord and plugging it into the available wall outlet. This is an easy DIY solution if there is no hardwire available on the ceiling.
How do I convert the ceiling light to a plug-in? What is the difference between hard wired and plug-in? How do you wire an extension cord to a light switch? These are some of the questions that we will answer in this article. For more tips and information, you can check out the rest of the article below.
How to Hardwire a Ceiling Light into a Plug
Wiring the fixture and mounting the fixture are two of the methods that you need to do to hardwire a ceiling light into a plug-in. Below is the step-by-step instruction that you can refer to for more ideas.
Wire the Fixture
- First, check if there is a grounding wire for the fixture. This is usually a bare wire or one that is coated with green plastic. If you find one, you need to have a three-wire extension cord with a grounding pin. You can also use a two-wire cord.
- With the use of a utility knife, cut the female plug off of the extension cord and cut about 4 inches of sheathing from the cord. Expose about ½ inch at the ends of both black and white wires.
- Place the ends of the white wire cord and light fixture together in a parallel order and twist them clockwise. Once they are secured, screw the wire nut and make sure that all wire is covered by the nut. You can also wrap it with electrical tape for safety purposes.
- For fixtures that have a ground wire, twist it together with the ground wire found on the cord.
Mount the Fixture
- Check the ceiling for a stud or rafter. If you find one, screw the adaptor into the plate to the wooden piece by using the outermost hole of the plate. In cases where there is no stud, you can drill small holes into the drywall so that screw anchors into it.
- Place the fixture to the place with the use of machine screws
- Next, make a small notch in the fixture or the wall for the cord to exit. Run the cord to the nearest outlet and plug it in so that you can test the light.
Can You Make a Plug-In Light Hardwired?
You can convert plug-in lights to a wired fixture. To do this, you need to cut the plug off and then connect both the wires into the wires found in the junction box. We have also written this article that discusses if you can hang a chandelier without wiring. You can check out the article for more information and ideas about the topic.
How do I Convert a Ceiling Light into a Plug-In?
To convert the ceiling light to a plug-in, you need to choose a plug and attach the two wires from the cord to the ground pins of the plug. Strip off some of the insulation at the end of the cord. Next, open the plug and attach the wires to their proper pins. Once that is done, close the plug and clamp the cord in place.
Video – How to Turn Any Hardwired Light Fixture into a Plug-in
Jessica Brigham shared the video below on her YouTube channel. She demonstrates how to turn any hardwired light fixture into a plug-in. Using a few supplies, you can be able to do this DIY project easily. Check out the video below for the materials that you will need and the step-by-step instruction on how to do it.
What’s the Difference between Hard Wired and Plug-In Appliances?
The difference between hardwired and plug-in appliances is that hardwired ones have a higher installation cost because they are hardwired into your home by a professional. On the other hand, plug-in devices are more affordable because they are easy to install and do not need the services of a professional. You can also check out this article that we have written titled, what is a swag plug-in chandelier? We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Can I Put a Socket on a Lighting Circuit?
This will have to depend on the kind of socket and lighting circuit. For instance, you can put a 13A socket on a lighting circuit but there are some things that you need to consider before doing this. Take note that lighting circuits are usually on a 6A breaker and plugging in a large appliance can cause the breaker to trip. Moreover, sockets that are for general use with a current rating should be RCD protected.
How to Wire a Wall Light to a Plug
Below are the steps on how to wire a wall light to a plug.
- Open the light fixture and remove the metal brackets used to attach the light to the wall after hardwiring it into an electrical box.
- Connect the light fixture hardware into the metal plate.
- Light fixtures usually have three wires and two of these will be wired to the plug. Match the wires and hold the ends together so that they are parallel. Twist the wires clockwise with the use of pliers.
- Thread the wires into a twist-on wire connector. See to it that all of the exposed wires are covered. Repeat this process with the remaining wires.
- Make sure that no wire is exposed by placing another twist-on connector over the two wrapped wires. You can also wrap electrical tape around the wires for added security.
- Place the metal place to the ceiling and plug in the cord to test the light.
Video- How to Convert a Hardwire Light Fixture to Plug-In
Jennifer Cline aka Miss DeWalt shared the video below on YouTube. In the video, Jennifer shared instructions on how to convert a hardwired pendant light fixture to a plug-in. You can watch the video below for tips and information that you can use when planning to convert a hardwired light fixture into a plug-in one.
How to Wire an Extension Cord to a Light Switch
To wire and extension the cord to a light switch, make sure that you only cut the hot wire on the cord switch. The remaining wires will be left uncut and will pass through the channel in the switch. The switch will act as the circuit interrupter. In the off position, it will not complete the connection through the hot wires while in the on position, the switch enables the circuit to be completed.
Think about the location of the switch. When wiring a light fixture that needs a lot of cord internally, see to it that you have the right length of cord. The switch is usually placed 1 to 2 feet from the base of the light fixture. On the other hand, some would prefer to have the switch a few feet from the plug-in so that it is much closer to the wall. Are you thinking of hanging a chandelier fixture in your home? Check out this article titled, can you hand a chandelier anywhere for tips and ideas.
Video – Extension Cord with Switch
For more information, you can check out this video that is shared by Chris Rubei on YouTube. It demonstrates how to make an extension cord with a switch. Watch the video below for more ideas and step-by-step instructions.
Conclusion
You have reached the end of this article that discusses if you can wire a ceiling light to a plug. We have discussed the different ways on how to wire ceiling lights to a plug. If you want to have a light fixture in your ceiling but you do not have the proper wiring, you can opt to use a plug-in switch. The process of wiring a light fixture to a plug is easy and there are many tutorial videos that you can follow. On the other hand, if you do not have time to do it or if you are not that confident in working with electrical wires, you can always hire the services of a professional to do the wiring for you. Thank you for reading!