Strip Light Fixture Installation

Evening all,

I am installing a few LED strip light fixtures in my garage. Here is the model: https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/192389/PLT-20015.html

I have a couple of questions:

1) The wire in these things is surprisingly chintzy. Probably 18 ga if I had to guess. They run off of 120 so I have 14 ga running to the fixtures. Any issue going from 14 to 18? Are these made to go directly to the 120 line?

2) These will hang from the ceiling about 6". I have EMT running on the ceiling carrying the load for the fixtures. My plan is to just run the conduit to boxes right above the connection point of each fixture and then a short strip of wire from the box to the fixture. What's the best/code compliant type of cable/wire to run there? I have some 14/2 romex on hand, can I run that from the box to the fixture or do I need to use something like armored cable?

Thanks

 

1) Most cases fixture wires are smaller then the "building wire" feeding it. Fixture wires are covered in another section of the NEC. No issues there.

2) As long as the cable going from the box and the fixture is not subject to physical damage, you should be OK to run Romex, cord (SO or SJO), or armored cable. My choice would be SJO cord as it is much more flexible then the other two cables.

SJO cord is typically black, 300 volt rated and about 3/8" in diameter. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cerrowir...403A/202564771

 

1. That is normal. Almost all devices from light fixtures to space heaters and dishwashers use smaller wire inside the device. One reason is wire heating. The cable in your wall contains several conductors very close together wrapped in an outer sheath and then often run through insulation. So, a larger wire size is called for to avoid the wire getting hot which could cause a fire. In a device the conductors are usually separate and have air space around them so they can cool and the wiring runs within a device are much shorter.

2. Why are you not mounting the fixtures directly to the ceiling? The fixture has knock outs so you can run your conduit directly to them. It would be an easier installation and much cleaner looking to avoid the box at the end of your conduit then a dinky short section of SJ cord connecting to the fixture.

 

Thanks for the info, everyone.

I am hanging them because I have conduit running on the ceiling and need to get the lights below the conduit.