How To Install Dramatic Recessed Lighting: Plans and Instructions (page 2 of 4)

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DIY Plans to Install Dramatic Recessed Lighting: Tips for Planning and Getting Started

Draw a Lighting Plan
Planning ahead is the key to getting the lights in the right spot. Begin by measuring your room. Using graph paper, make a scale drawing in which 1/4 in. equals 1 ft. Sketch in the furniture arrangement and any wall-mounted feature you’d like to accent. Decide what you want to accomplish with the lights. For example, you may want to provide accent lighting for a favorite piece of art, add task lighting over your hobby area and improve the general room lighting. Take your drawing to a lighting showroom for help with the design. A knowledgeable lighting salesperson will help you choose the right combination of recessed light housings, trims and lamps and help figure out the ideal locations on the ceiling. If you feel confident in your planning ability, buy the lights from a home center instead. You’ll save a little money but have a smaller selection of fixtures to choose from.

Make sure to obtain an electrical permit from your local building department and have the work inspected when you’re done.

Figure A: Cable routing

Click image to enlarge.

Find a Circuit to Provide Power
To power your new lights, find an existing receptacle or switch box that contains a “hot” wire on a suitable circuit. The National Electrical Code prohibits any connections to “dedicated” circuits such as 20-amp small-appliance circuits in kitchens or dining areas, 20-amp laundry room circuits and 20-amp bathroom circuits. Also make sure the circuit you choose won’t be overloaded by the additional lights. To determine this, first shut off the circuit in the main panel. Then go through the house turning on lights and other electrical items to find what is already on the circuit. Add up the wattage of everything that doesn’t go on. Add to this total the wattage of the lights you’ll be installing. We recommend a maximum connected load of 1,440 watts for a 15-amp circuit and 1,920 for a 20-amp circuit. (The amps are printed on the circuit breaker or fuse.) If the total amperage exceeds these amounts, you’ll have to find a new circuit.

Try to find a power source for your new switch that’s convenient to fish wires from, preferably in the same wall (in either the same room or the room opposite, or a basement or attic).

After you’ve chosen the electrical box to tie in to, turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse that controls the circuit. Some electrical boxes contain more than one circuit. Before doing any work in the box, test all the wires with a non-contact voltage tester to make sure they’re “dead.”

CAUTION:
If you have aluminum wiring, call in a licensed pro who is certified to work with it. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange that’s characteristic of copper.