Expanding Existing Recessed Lighting


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Old 03-19-17, 06:42 PM
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Expanding Existing Recessed Lighting

Hello Everyone –

I’m hoping to add additional recessed lights to some existing lights that I have in my basement. I would like to use the same switch that controls the current light and simply have that switch control all of the lights. When I open up the housing on the old light, it look fairly simple – there are two wires; one from the fixture, and the other goes to a junction box, and then I assume it goes to the switch. That part is not clear as the junction box has 4 BX cables converging - but it would make sense. Power goes to the fixture first. My question is, can I simply run ROMEX from my new fixture to the old fixture and attach the new wire black to black – white to white ?

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I attached some pictures – not sure if this provides enough information to answer the question. Thank you
 
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Old 03-19-17, 06:48 PM
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Yes, you can use the existing fixture box to make the connection. Black to black, white to white as you mentioned. It's strange to not see any ground wires though.

Another possible issue - that 4x4 junction box, make sure it's still accessible with whatever ceiling covering you use!
 
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Old 03-19-17, 07:01 PM
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Thanks for the reply - I will be making access panels for all of the buried junction boxes. With regards to the ground, all of the BX wire is two wire, none of it has a ground wire. I have been pig-tailing ground wires as I replace receptacles. The new Halo recessed light does have a ground - can I run a ground wire to the metal housing? I mean to ask about that. Thank you
 
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Old 03-19-17, 07:14 PM
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More than likely that house was wired back in the day when BX armor was acceptable as a ground. It is no longer, because the spiral jacket has a lot of resistance, and when it conducts fault current it tends to heat up like a toaster element rather than tripping the breaker. I had a house fire that started that way.

Can you trace where any of the other cables go? If it were me I'd rip it out and replace it with Romex as far as you could.

Rather than an access panel, simply mount a mud ring to the box, mount it so that it will be flush with the ceiling material, and put a blank plastic plate over it.
 
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Old 03-20-17, 03:42 PM
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Thanks again. Yes the house was built in the mid-60's and all of the cable is BX. It would be a massive effort to rid the entire house of it, but I have replaced some that is very accessible with 3-wire romex. I actually like having the armored cable, just wish it had a ground wire. thanks again for taking the time to respond.
 
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Old 03-20-17, 03:46 PM
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You can still get armored cable. The difference is it is now made from aluminum instead of steel (lighter, no rusting) and it has a ground wire.
 
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Old 03-20-17, 03:47 PM
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Armored cable with a thin bond wire uses the sheath as the ground. Look near any of the ends to see if the bond is wrapped in the spiral grooves.
 
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Old 03-20-17, 04:29 PM
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Retracted this post pending response from the OP.
 
 

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