Click image to enlarge.
Every kitchen needs good lighting, so we’ll show you
how to use one of your weekends to install a low-voltage track lighting system
to brighten dimly lit countertops. The system we chose is expensive, about
$2,000, but is one of the few that has a flexible track that you can customize
to fit your kitchen. In addition, its ceiling mount transformer mounts on an
existing ceiling light box, eliminating the need to run additional wires. The
low-voltage halogen fixtures mount anywhere along the track and supply bright
white light that’s easy to focus on any countertop. The system is easy to
install with basic tools, and you’ll be done in less than a
day.
Full-service lighting showrooms are the best place to find
a large selection of track lighting systems. Take a dimensioned sketch of your
kitchen to the lighting showroom. A lighting specialist will help you decide on
the number and placement of light fixtures and put together an order complete
with all the parts and accessories you’ll need. Ask for an installation
instruction sheet to familiarize yourself with the system and double-check the
order.
The Track System Eliminates Complicated Electrical
Wiring
The track system is easy to install with basic hand tools
in less than one day, even if you don’t have any electrical
experience.
Besides basic hand tools like a set of screwdrivers, tape
measure, etc., you’ll need a wire stripper, voltage tester (Photo 8), plumb bob or weight and string
(Photo 10), 6-ft. stepladder and a drill and
bits. Our track lighting system included the Allen wrenches required to tighten
the fittings. Check your system’s instructions to see if you need any
special tools.
Before starting any electrical work, contact your local
building department to find out if a permit is required. Then double-check to
make sure the power is off before handling the wires (Photo 8). Don’t hesitate to call an
electrician if you’re unsure.
When you get the lighting system, unpack it and make sure
you have all the parts. Then turn off the power to the light fixture
you’ll be removing and take it down (Photo 8).
Photo 9 shows how to hook up the new transformer
that fits over the existing ceiling box. With this system, you custom-bend the
track to position the lights where you want them, and then suspend it from the
ceiling with the metal standoffs.
Before bending the track, use masking tape to create a
full-scale plan of your kitchen, including cabinets, on the floor of your
garage or workshop. Now mark the location of the existing ceiling light and
cabinet door swings and plan the path of the track with masking tape. Bend the
track to match your layout. We bent the track by hand using a 5-gal. bucket as
a form to get smooth curves. Carefully move the track to the kitchen and
support it on the countertop (Photo 10). Then get help to
mount the track to the ceiling (Photos 10 and 11) and install
the fixtures (Photo 12).
Caution: Make sure all connections are tight. Loose
low-voltage connections will heat up, creating a fire hazard.
8. Test for live
wires. Switch off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse at the main electrical
panel to shut off the power to the light. Then remove the screws that hold the
old light fixture, pull it down and disconnect the wires. Doublecheck that the
electricity is off by placing the two leads of a voltage tester between every
possible pair of wires. If the tester lights up, the power is still on. Do not
continue until you find and turn off the correct circuit
breaker.
9. Attach the new
fixture to the electrical box using the hardware and instructions provided.
You’ll need a helper. Connect the white wire to the neutral white wire,
the black or red wire to the black or red hot wire and the bare or green
grounding wires together. If you’re connecting stranded wire to solid
wire, let the stranded wire stick past the solid about 1/8 in. Size the wire
connectors according to the connector manufacturer’s directions. Align
the threaded stud on the fixture strap with the hole in the fixture and slide
the fixture up to the ceiling. Secure it by tightening the nut onto the
threaded stud.
Click image to enlarge.
10. Bend the track to
the desired shape. Follow the instructions included with the track system.
Support the track on the countertop directly under its eventual position on the
ceiling. Mark the standoff locations no more than 4 ft. apart and wherever two
track sections are joined. Then use a string and plumb bob to transfer these
locations to the ceiling. Attach a standoff at each location with the mounting
hardware provided.
Note: Position the track far enough from
cabinets so open doors don’t hit the light fixtures.
Click image to enlarge.
11. Hang the track
from the standoff tubes according to the instructions included with the system.
Get help lifting the track.
12. Attach the
fixtures to the track by sliding the U-shaped connector over the track and
screwing the light fixture to it.
Caution:
Aluminum wiring requires special
handling. If you have aluminum wiring, call in a licensed pro who’s
certified to work with it. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange
that’s characteristic of copper.
