can you put pull chain on fluorescent light?

14 years ago

I have a lake house that has one of those old porcelain base light bulb sockets with a pull chain--it is always hot as it does not have a wall switch other than the pull chain.

I want to put up a 4 foot fluorescent 2 tube light in place of this. This light is in the small lake house kitchen above the sink.

I cannot find any 4' lights with a pull chain other than those at Lowe's or HD that are "SHOP" lights--I want one that is for a small lake house kitchen with a diffuser--not a shop light.

My question, can one of those pull chain switches from a shop light be installed in a standard 4 foot 2-tube fluorescent by drilling a hole out of the end of the fluorescent fixture for the switch to protrude?

Running a wire for a wall switch is out of the question. Do they make pull chain fluorescent tube lights with a pull chain that is NOT a "shop" light& NOT the small "under the cabinet" lights with a rocker switch--this will be on the ceiling and has to be a pull chain.

Thank you!

jeanie beth

Featured Answer

Dean Stewart

8 years ago

Greetings all,

I know this is an old thread, however the question still exists and the question needs to be directly answered.

I find the number of available pull-switch available lights to be very rare, so I've learned to do this without issue.

A fluorescent fixture is an excellent choice in many cases such as this as it delivers a better coverage of light and looks much better. There are a couple of things to be aware of here.

1. Find a place in the light where the light and the mounting of the light will not be effected by the pull chain and the actual act of pulling down on the chain. You are better off having to make an extension to the pull-chain line if necessary, than mounting it to a flimsy area of the light. Near a corner or a reinforced area of the metal housing, usually are stronger mounting places. A 5/16 drill bit will be needed to make the hole in the housing (check your switch for exact size, and usually you will need to drill at least 1 pilot hole because of the thin material. My "step" drill bit works very well here.

2. The switch interrupts the hot line and needs to be located where both you can work and the switch can be mounted. Sometimes the ends of the light are too far away.Be careful on the ladder while wiring.

Tape, Label & Be safe.

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Comments (7)

Ron Natalie
14 years ago
Well the cheapest solution would be to use CF's in the existing pull chain fixture.

I've never seen a long tube with a pull chain either. They do make circular tube fluorescent fixtures with pull chains (specifically designed for situations like this. Just google fluorescent and pull chain and you'll find them.

It probably violates the UL listing, but I see no reason why you can't add a switch to the LINE side of the ballast like you are suggesting.
tim45z10
14 years ago
sure you can. Be extra careful when drilling through that thin sheet metal. Make sure you get a 2 position switch. Not one for ther ceiling fan.
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andrelaplume2
14 years ago
why not get a 150W equivalent cfl and a globe fixture?
manchild
14 years ago
yes you can buy the pull chain seperate and install it yourself. Very easy to do.
gardurnit
14 years ago
You can screw in a bulb to socket converter for $2.00
and plug in the fluorescent fixture.

If the fixture is where it could shock someone .. ie
it's near water and you're barefoot.. then put a ground
wire to the fixture since 2 wires in the coverter won't
give you a ground. But adding a ground to the fixture
is 'OK' as long as you keep it on the fixture.

I don't know your setup but it's rare to have a ground
problem with fluorescent fixtures. You could also add
to the wire / socket / a GFI that plugs into an extension
cord (I think they exist) that would shut off if anyone
touched the light and was about to get a shock.

Its not exactly up to code but it's also not unsafe if
you put a ground wire to the fixture. A cold water pipe
will serve as a ground.
brickeyee
14 years ago
"I don't know your setup but it's rare to have a ground
problem with fluorescent fixtures. "

One of the leading ground problems is that without a decent ground near the tube they can be slow to start.
The newer electronic ballasts have a higher strike voltage, but is still shows up.

can you put pull chain on fluorescent light?

Dean Stewart

Comments (7)

Ron Natalie

tim45z10

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