So, I installed the first of three T8 fiuxtures in Mom's kitchen.
It wasn't so hard.
I found Aluminum wire in the fixture, directly spliced onto copper.
This is a no-no, correct?
http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00898ty8.jpg

My junction box, Have to use the NEW NM-B cable in the new fixture.
Note the lack of electrical tape.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00901js3.jpg

and the inside of the fixtrure before I buttoned it up.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00903xp5.jpg

Now... let me know what I have to correct.

On Jul 29, 8:38 pm, (Edward) wrote:
So, I installed the first of three T8 fiuxtures in Mom's kitchen.
It wasn't so hard.
I found Aluminum wire in the fixture, directly spliced onto copper.
This is a no-no, correct?http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00898ty8.jpg

My junction box, Have to use the NEW NM-B cable in the new fixture.
Note the lack of electrical tape.http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00901js3.jpg

and the inside of the fixtrure before I buttoned it up.http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00903xp5.jpg

Now... let me know what I have to correct.

Are you sure that it was aluminum wire? Could have been copper clad
in something else, but who cares, since you replaced it.

Your junction box looks good, except the insulation should have been
stripped back closer to the box connectors. Electrical tape is
totally unnecessary. Is that box not secured to anything? Didn't
look like it was screwed to anything. Your connection in the fixture
also needs the Romex insulation stripped back. Can't see where the
ground wire is connected, but I am assuming it is ok.

JK

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:38:45 GMT, (Edward)
wrote:

So, I installed the first of three T8 fiuxtures in Mom's kitchen.
It wasn't so hard.
I found Aluminum wire in the fixture, directly spliced onto copper.
This is a no-no, correct?
http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00898ty8.jpg

My junction box, Have to use the NEW NM-B cable in the new fixture.
Note the lack of electrical tape.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00901js3.jpg

and the inside of the fixtrure before I buttoned it up.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00903xp5.jpg

Now... let me know what I have to correct.

It probably wasn't aluminum wire, just tinned copper. Not unusual to
see. If you cut a strand and it's copper colored inside, it's copper.

A metal junction box must be grounded, so you need a jumper from the
box that ties into the bare ground wires, and they should be
wire-nutted together. And, BTW, the box must be mounted to something,
and it can't be completely covered up, as in buried inside a wall or
ceiling.

Ditto on the fixture; the housing must be tied to the ground. there
is usually a green screw provided for this.

HTH,

Paul

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 22:10:56 -0400, Paul Franklin
wrote:

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:38:45 GMT, (Edward)
wrote:

So, I installed the first of three T8 fiuxtures in Mom's kitchen.
It wasn't so hard.
I found Aluminum wire in the fixture, directly spliced onto copper.
This is a no-no, correct?
http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00898ty8.jpg

My junction box, Have to use the NEW NM-B cable in the new fixture.
Note the lack of electrical tape.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00901js3.jpg

and the inside of the fixtrure before I buttoned it up.
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00903xp5.jpg

Now... let me know what I have to correct.

It probably wasn't aluminum wire, just tinned copper. Not unusual to
see. If you cut a strand and it's copper colored inside, it's copper.

A metal junction box must be grounded, so you need a jumper from the
box that ties into the bare ground wires, and they should be
wire-nutted together. And, BTW, the box must be mounted to something,
and it can't be completely covered up, as in buried inside a wall or
ceiling.

Gotcha on the grounding. Won't be hard.
I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.
I'll get some grounding wire, I saw some of that at Lowes.


Ditto on the fixture; the housing must be tied to the ground. there
is usually a green screw provided for this.

Gotcha I'll take care of that.



HTH,

Paul

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:58:28 -0000, Big_Jake
wrote:

On Jul 29, 8:38 pm, (Edward) wrote:
So, I installed the first of three T8 fiuxtures in Mom's kitchen.
It wasn't so hard.
I found Aluminum wire in the fixture, directly spliced onto copper.
This is a no-no, correct?http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00898ty8.jpg

My junction box, Have to use the NEW NM-B cable in the new fixture.
Note the lack of electrical tape.http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00901js3.jpg

and the inside of the fixtrure before I buttoned it up.http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00903xp5.jpg

Now... let me know what I have to correct.

Are you sure that it was aluminum wire? Could have been copper clad
in something else, but who cares, since you replaced it.


It was probably tinned copper.

Your junction box looks good, except the insulation should have been
stripped back closer to the box connectors. Electrical tape is
totally unnecessary. Is that box not secured to anything? Didn't

Yes, it is screwed to a stud.

look like it was screwed to anything. Your connection in the fixture
also needs the Romex insulation stripped back. Can't see where the
ground wire is connected, but I am assuming it is ok.

JK


It isn't... I'll correct tomorrow after I get home from work.
Can I use grounding wire?

Edward wrote:
On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 22:10:56 -0400, Paul Franklin

Gotcha on the grounding. Won't be hard.
I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.
I'll get some grounding wire, I saw some of that at Lowes.

You don't need to buy grounding wire; if you've got an a piece of the
3-core about 4 inches long or so, just open it up and grab the bare
piece. If it's already been used, strip the insulation off a piece of
the white or black and use that. As another poster said, there should be
a screw in the box itself to attach the ground to, and use a wirenut to
connect all the ground wires together.

Yours aye,
W. Underhill

--
"Take sides! Always take sides! You may sometimes be wrong - but the man
who refuses to take sides must *always* be wrong! Heaven save us from
poltroons who fear to make a choice!" R.A. Heinlein, "Double Star"

I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:09:37 -0000, Big_Jake
wrote:


I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK

I surely don't want it on my living room wall or ceiling.

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:15:13 -0500, valvejob wrote:

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:09:37 -0000, Big_Jake
wrote:


I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK

I surely don't want it on my living room wall or ceiling.

So I guess longer wires and moving it to the attic or subfloor?

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:09:37 -0000, Big_Jake
wrote:


I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK


More or less.
Its in a big space above the fridge, there must be two cubic yards of
space in there.
Once I take out the grate the light I just installed shines through, I
can reach up there and grab the box.

On Jul 30, 3:30 pm, (Edward) wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:09:37 -0000, Big_Jake

wrote:

I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK

More or less.
Its in a big space above the fridge, there must be two cubic yards of
space in there.
Once I take out the grate the light I just installed shines through, I
can reach up there and grab the box.

As long as you can get at it (accessible) it is OK. This may sound
stupid, but it must have a cover too.

JK

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:14:24 -0000, Big_Jake
wrote:

On Jul 30, 3:30 pm, (Edward) wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:09:37 -0000, Big_Jake

wrote:

I have the boc screwed to a stud inside the wall, I didn't take a
picture of it.

Screwed to a stud inside the wall but still accessible, right? It's a
big no-no to "bury a box" in the wall. Please explain.

JK

More or less.
Its in a big space above the fridge, there must be two cubic yards of
space in there.
Once I take out the grate the light I just installed shines through, I
can reach up there and grab the box.

As long as you can get at it (accessible) it is OK. This may sound
stupid, but it must have a cover too.

JK


Yes, I can get to it.
I may hit my head, but a human can get ti it.
The fixture is grounded.
http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00912sk9.jpg

Here is the actual box - secured.
http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00913ok5.jpg

I go to look at the other lights I'm replacing? this is what I find.

http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00914vh4.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00915mp5.jpg