Pot Light

Lighting/Fan Control
Switch
Receptacle
Wallplate
Energy Save
Safty
Automation
Cable / Wire
Plug / Connector
Locking / corrosion
Pin / Sleeve
Grip
Surge Protection
Lamp
Lamp Holder
Structured Media
Accessory
Conduit
Boxes

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Ballast
Pot Light
Track Light
Exit Light
Fluorescent
Incandescent
Halogen

How to install pot light?

Kitchens require good lighting. That¡¯s why installing recessed lighting or pot lights, as they are often called, makes such a good kitchen lighting project. In fact, even if the only kitchen remodeling you do is to install pot lights, you will notice a dramatic difference.

The other advantage of pot lighting in the kitchen is the clean, uncluttered look they provide. Unlike other lighting fixtures they are installed in the ceiling itself, inconspicuous until they are turned on.

Pot lights create a wash of light that brighten the space and can be positioned to highlight specific features, such as a plate collection or kitchen island. Pinpoint pot lights can be used in conjunction with regular units to light a specific area as well.

The basic components of recessed lights are: the housing fixture, the trim and the bulb. Most have a highly polished can, or interior, to reflect as much light as possible down into the room. Halogen or compact fluorescent bulbs work best to create a clean, bright light.

Pot lights are popular in new construction, but well suited for renovators also as most manufacturers make special fixtures specifically designed for that market. These units only require a small hole to be made in the ceiling for the fixture to go in and are rated for safe contact with insulation.

Pot lights in the kitchen should be placed no more than two feet from the cabinets and spaced four to six feet apart, otherwise shadows may become a problem. Most people find a row, or two, of lights works best. The best amount to install in the kitchen depends largely on the space.

Although installing pot lights in the kitchen is not too difficult a project, without sufficient electrical experience it can certainly become a bit complicated. In most cases a new wall switch will need to be installed for each set or grouping of pot lights, with wires running from the switch to each fixture - one at a time and in sequence.

For retrofit:

1. Cut an opening and wire the light. Turn off the power. Use the electronic stud finder to locate ceiling joists. Trace the outline of the fixture onto the ceiling. Then, with a tarp beneath, use a drywall saw to cut the opening (or enlarge an existing opening) for the recessed light between the joists. A jigsaw with a plaster-cutting blade will make the job easier, but be careful not to cut through existing cables hidden in the ceiling. Another handy tool, especially if you're putting in several recessed lights, is a drywall circle cutter. It's precise and easy to use.

Insert the electrical cable into the fixture's junction box and fasten it with a cable clamp. Strip the wires as needed, then splice them to the fixture wires with twist-on wire connectors. Connect the fixture's black wire to the black house wire, then white to white and ground to ground (green or bare wire). Stuff the wires into the box and fasten its cover.

2. Install the fixture housing. Rotate the fixture housing into place in the ceiling until the mounting tabs engage the ceiling and the fixture is secure. Because the housing and its integral junction box are lightweight, there's no need to secure the junction box to a joist.

3. Install inner baffle and trim. Once the housing clips are snug, attach the inner baffle and any other trim to the fixture housing, according to manufacturer's instructions. The baffle is typical of recessed fixtures: it attaches with springs. Install the bulb, restore power and enjoy your new light.