How To Add A Light Fixture To A Closet

The good news is you can update the lighting with wireless closet lighting.

How to add a light fixture to a closet.

Connect the hot to one side of the switch. Brief overview of standard closet wiring as well as ideas for motion sensor and strip lighting in a master bedroom closet. A year or so ago i installed a motion sensing led closet light onto the closet ceiling and it s been pardon the pun like night and day. Connect the hot in the new cable to the hot in the fixture box.

Of sheathing from the wires and push the cable through the knockout leaving 1 4 in. Hang rope lights or christmas lights in your closet mounting them along shelves or around doorways. Use an extension cord to connect them to outlet nearest your closet. Perhaps the easiest and cheapest way is to get a motion detecting light socket adapter like this one from ge 16.

Then strip the ends of the wires. You screw it into the light socket and then screw any light bulb into the adapter. Connect the white neutral wires with a wire connector. Adding a light to a circuit an end of run fixture is one that goes after the existing fixture in the circuit.

This is also connected to the hot going to the old switch loop. Some sets of lights have easy to use off and on switches for use indoors. Trim the black and white wires to the same length as the wires they will connect to. If your hole is too close to the edge add a nail plate to the stud to prevent any nails or screws from going into the wiring.

If your wiring is long enough you can use it to run to the switch. Where i once had to rely on ambient lighting from the bedroom or somewhat comically a flashlight now an automatic ceiling light turns on overhead as soon as i pop my head through the closet door. Disconnect the wiring from the light fixture and outlet. Install the new light fixture and fish the wires down to the switch box.

In the new switch box connect the neutral to the neutral in a new cable going to the new closet fixture. Or more sheathing visible inside the box. Make sure the cable you use is the same gauge as the one powering the existing fixture. From there make sure to keep the light switch turned on and whenever motion is detected the light will kick on.

This isn t just for overhead. Older closets may have a single light fixture that doesn t put out enough light. Connect the neutral in the new cable to the neutral in the old fixture box.