Our basement has a high ceiling, and somebody fancied it up with a drop ceiling.
The lighting is the common 4' 2-lamp fluorescent shop lights that are cord-and-plug connected, and hung from the drop ceiling stringers. The cords go up into a corner of a drop ceiling panel and disappear… above the drop ceiling they plug into receptacles along the joists. I believe cords above drop ceilings are not allowed.
What's the most expedient way to fix that? How do I properly connect cord-and-plug connected lights in a drop ceiling?
If the voltage of the fixtures was much lower (say 24V) would that make the wiring scheme OK?
Best Answer
I'm looking at NEC Article 410.62 (1) conditions (1) & (2) Cord Connected Lampholders and Luminaires. It basically says you can't connect up the fluorescents the way you have them. I suggest the best way is to eliminate the receptacles you can use the boxes for junctions since they are accessible. Then use standard wiring practices and connect into the top of the fixture and junction inside the fluorescent.