Good morning,
We decided to replace our track lighting with new tracks that we bought at IKEA. When we took down the old tracks, there was only a hole in the ceiling with three wires. The instructions from IKEA didn’t say where to attach the ground wire. Is there a standard rule for this that they didn’t include because everyone knows this (except me)?
Thanks.
Jocelyn
Replies
Isn't there a green screw inside the electrical connection compartment of the track?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
No :-(
Maybe the track is designed for a two-wire connection. Is there any clue in the instructions?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I think you are right. The instructions show a picture that has two wires coming through the ceiling and connecting to the two wires that are connected to the transformer. Isn't there always a grounding wire? At least there is in this case. Don't we have to attach it to something on the transformer?
Thanks.
Jocelyn
I'm not an electrician, but whenever I get a 2-wire fixture, I try to find some way to land the circuit ground insode the device. If that's not possible, I just leave it coiled inside the box.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
If that's not possible, I just leave it coiled inside the box.
If there is a box, can't the box be grounded? I mean a little metal tab and grounding screw to ground the bare wire?
assuming the box is metal just attach the circuit ground to the box.
There isn't anything to attach it to (like a screw). It is a smooth round box on the inside.
Thanks.
Jocelyn
Is the box metal? Are there knockouts in the box? If so, see if you can push one of the knockouts slightly out so that you can wedge the wire in between. Some might frown at this, however the bottom line is that you want to ground the box. Sometimes you have to rig it as well as possible. If the circuit ground is making contact with the box then at least you know the box is grounded.
I took another look at the ring that connects the transformer to the ceiling. It has slots for the screws and an extra hole that isn't used in the installation. Can I push the ground wire through the hole? If that would be enough to ground it, can I just twist the wire under the whole to keep it from coming out?
Thanks.
Jocelyn
Edited 6/1/2004 2:42 pm ET by jocelyng
Can I push the ground wire through the hole? Yes, as long as you're not pushing the wire inside the transformer...might contact something you don't want to. How does the transformer mount to the ceiling? Does it screw to the ceiling joist or to a metal box? No, you said there's just a hole in the ceiling with wires poking out. You could wrap the ground wire around the screw that holds the transformer to the ceiling...at least that way the transformer case is grounded.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I've attached a picture from the instructions for the track. What it doesn't show on the top picture is a small hole. That's what I want to push the ground wire through. Hope that clarifies.
Thanks for your help.
Jocelyn
The diagram shows a ring with four slotted holes and two ears, and it is fastened to the box in the ceiling with two screws. Wrap the ground wire around one of those screws. Just pushing the wire into a hole in the transformer doesn't assure you of good electrical contact.
You should consider downloading a program called Irfanview, and use it to modify your pictures. Do a search here for it (good luck) or just search the web. free program. Converts files from any format to any other, and decreases the file size of digital pics so they load faster. For us dinosaurs, file sizes under 100K work best.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I agree with Ed. Just wrap it around the screw so that it has some sort of stable connection to the junction box. I think Eds correct too in saying that most of these ceiling mounted fixtures don't have a ground because it must not be considered necessary. That doesn't solve what you do with the circuit ground though so I always try to attach it to the box in some way so for example if your hot wires come apart there is a way for the electticity to get to ground.
On the other hand you could always drill a small hole on the inside of the box into which you could put a self-tapping sheet metal screw to which you could attach the ground wire.
Rip, I agree with what you are saying, and I was tempted to follow that same trail, but from a realistic approach, it seems that the mfgr has determined that the device (the light track) does not need to be grounded. I wonder if that's because they feel that having the fixture on the ceiling greatly reduces the chance of human contact. But with the exposed hot & neutral rails, it would seem to be more of a risk than many other fixtures.
Anyway, I get the impression that jocelyn is a weekend DIY and might have trouble tapping threads into a thin cast zinc box. No offense intended jocelyn.Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
No offense taken. My husband has the task of calling IKEA and talking to their lighting department. There was a gal there the other day who was really helpful. Of course, I can't remember her name!
Anyway, thanks to all.
Jocelyn