wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Sat, Oct 9, 10 at 12:47

I would like to undermount a two-bulb fluorescent fixture under the shelf over my workbench in the garage. I have an outlet on the wall under the shelf that is connected to a 20-amp GFI circuit with 12 gauge wiring. My plan is to convert that single gang to a double with the original outlet plus a switch to control the fluorescent. I'm going to pigtail to the switch using 12 gauge and run 12 gauge directly to the fixture. Are there any issues with this? The 20-amp circuit is one of two powering the outlets in my garage and there is no issue with overloading the circuit. Thanks for your help!

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RE: wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Posted by weedmeister (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 10, 10 at 14:28

I don't see why you need to use something as large as 12/2 to wire a single lamp.

RE: wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Posted by steve_fl (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 10, 10 at 16:13

OP is using 12/2 as this is being tapped off a 20 amp circuit!

RE: wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Posted by mike_kaiser (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 10, 10 at 22:14

OP is using 12/2 as this is being tapped off a 20 amp circuit!

Can one use 14/2 and call it a fixture whip?

RE: wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Posted by spencer_electrician (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 10, 10 at 23:41

nope, it is part of the branch circuit wiring until it hits that fixture. The exceptions for fixture wiring are more for the cords of pendant lights, fixture wire to a chandelier, or wiring within a sconce. I once ran across an electrician that believed the fixture wiring applied to wire feeding a track light and chose to run 18 gauge on a 20 amp circuit for the whips to the tracks! That is definitely the worse place to interpret that rule wrong, especially since the track could be loaded up with 20 amps of lights potentially. Although in the case of the OP, one little light using about 20 watts, 12/2 is still needed.

RE: wiring fluorescent fixture in garage

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Posted by smithy123 (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 13, 10 at 21:45

why not just plug the light in and have a switch on the fixture?

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