I want to improve dark lighting in my basement, which currently has 5
bare incandescent bulbs with old porcelain fixtures.

I'm not very handy--electrically "challenged"--but would like to try
replacing these myself with larger fluorescents.

Unfortunately the ceiling is low and I don't have access to the joists,
because the previous owner covered the entire ceiling with half-inch
oak planks (except where the incandescent fixtures protrude). I would
prefer not to remove.

Is it easy to replace the standard incandescent fixtures with flush
flourescent fixtures? Any particular type/style better than another?

Thanks for advice.

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I want to improve dark lighting in my basement, which currently has 5
bare incandescent bulbs with old porcelain fixtures.

I'm not very handy--electrically "challenged"--but would like to try
replacing these myself with larger fluorescents.

Unfortunately the ceiling is low and I don't have access to the joists,
because the previous owner covered the entire ceiling with half-inch
oak planks (except where the incandescent fixtures protrude). I would
prefer not to remove.

Is it easy to replace the standard incandescent fixtures with flush
flourescent fixtures? Any particular type/style better than another?

It may cause a problem with headroom, but for cheap light with no wiring
needed, some cheap corded shop lights screwed to the plank ceiling, and
plugged into a decent quality of bulb-to-outlet converters, will be the
simplest. Removing the the porcelin fixtures, and replacing them with a
duplex outlet in a 4" octogon cover, would be a better solution, but would
require knowing a little about wiring. Next cheapest solution would be to
replace the porcelin with kitchen ceiling fixtures that are designed for low
headroom- the light sockets go sideways so you can use the curlicue
florescent bulbs. If ceiling is really low, there aren't any great solutions
that don't require cutting the wood ceiling, and having some idea what you
are doing. Retrofitting flush fixtures in a hard ceiling is often not
trivial- anything surface-mounted will be much easier for a newbie.

aem sends....

ameijers wrote:

Removing the the porcelin fixtures, and replacing them with a
duplex outlet in a 4" octogon cover, would be a better solution, but would
require knowing a little about wiring.

I think I could do this. Are there fixtures that fit right over this,
or do I still need to use a corded shop light with a plug?

Thanks!

Try a few compact flourescents the screw in type that replace regular
bulbs, some out put 160w and take only 40 watts. For more light dual
tube flourescent T12 40 watt output 320 watts. The fixtures you can
buy with cords attached for apx 6$ , just get a screw in adaptor, you
will have lights in 5 minutes.

wrote:
I want to improve dark lighting in my basement, which currently has 5
bare incandescent bulbs with old porcelain fixtures.

I'm not very handy--electrically "challenged"--but would like to try
replacing these myself with larger fluorescents.

Unfortunately the ceiling is low and I don't have access to the
joists, because the previous owner covered the entire ceiling with
half-inch oak planks (except where the incandescent fixtures
protrude). I would prefer not to remove.

Is it easy to replace the standard incandescent fixtures with flush
flourescent fixtures? Any particular type/style better than another?

Thanks for advice.

Just for fun, get the brightest (highest wattage) spiral type screw in
CF (compact fluorescent) lamp you can find and try it out. Does that take
care of the problem?

Other than that, try a shop light, but unlike the others suggested, I
suggest you try a quality model. The cheap ones are really cheap and do not
function as well on a number of areas.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit