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How
to Mount Track Lighting
Your five-year-old son is going to be the
next Picasso, you can already tell. You want to hang his latest
masterpiece on the wall and make it the focal point of the
room, but how to achieve the effect?
Track lighting, of course! Track
lighting offers the opportunity to much better control
the mood and emphasis of a room’s lighting. With so many colors and styles, it is just as beautiful as
it is functional.
If wiring through a junction box would tax your electrical
skills past their limit, track lighting kits are available
that simply plug in to the wall. They can’t be beat for ease
of installation, but they do not look as professional and unobtrusive
as those that are actually mounted through the ceiling.
If you are ready for installation that is a
little more challenging, follow these easy steps to mount
track lighting and give Junior’s
pièce de résistance the attention it deserves!
Materials
Needed:
- Drill / screwdriver
- Electrical cable and tape
- Ladder or stepstool
- Long-nose or electrician’s pliers
- Neon tester / voltage meter
- Tape measure
- Toggle bolts
- Track light kit
- Wire nuts
1.
Turn off the power. Turn off electrical power to appropriate
junction box through the breaker box or service panel. Ensure
that the circuit is dead with a neon tester or voltage meter.
Once you are certain the power is off, remove the existing
fixture and carefully disconnect wires, keeping exposed ends
separate from each other.
2.
Wire the live end. Put live end into the track and secure
it by tightening the setscrew. Attach the live end to the mounting
bracket.
Use pigtail leads to finish wiring the live end. “Pigtail”
leads are short wires connected to terminals. Wire nuts are
then used to connect the pigtail leads to the home wiring.
Secure the black pigtail lead to the brass screw, the white
pigtail to the silver screw, and the green (or bare) pigtail
to the green grounding screw.
3.
Lay out the track location. Decide on track location based
on the existing junction box and which areas you’d like the
lights to bring focus to. You can purchase fittings for Ts
or angles; but double check that the fittings you want are
offered by the manufacturer of your chosen track light system.
Mark mounting holes to indicate position. Ensure
the track runs parallel to a wall by measuring out an equal
distance
from the wall to either end of the track. Remember to place
tracks an appropriate distance (at least 6") from potentially
flammable materials. On the marked places, drill holes for
toggle bolts or screws.
4.
Mount the track. Place circuit and fixture wires in junction
box and install the mounting plate on the box. Snap the track
into place on the junction box by following instructions provided
for your specific track lighting system.
Put toggle bolts/screws through new track mounting and lift
the track to the ceiling. (Recruit helpers’ beforehand if the
track if very heavy or unwieldy.) Into the mounting holes,
insert toggle wings but do not tighten. Attach any fittings
(Ts or angles) and additional track sections desired, and insert
end pieces at the end of the completed track.
Insert the electrical adapter into the track and twist to
attach it. Install the cover over the mounting plate assembly
and adapter. Place fixtures into the track and twist to secure.
Screw in appropriate bulbs as recommended by the manufacturer.
Make connections to house wiring. Twist wire connectors onto
the matching colored house and pigtail wires to lock them together.
Secure the mounting plate to the ceiling box with the screws
provided. Tighten toggle bolts/screws.
Apply the finishing touches. Turn the power back on and test
the lights. If they fail, turn off and double check the current
with a neon tester or voltage meter. Also check your work for
missing connections.
Once power has been restored, adjust head angle and position
to shine light where you want it. For added versatility, consider
purchasing a dimmer to make subtle changes in the strength
of the lighting. Relax and enjoy your next dinner party when
Junior’s masterpiece is lavishly complimented, thanks to the
superior showcasing. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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