Question about updating garage lighting.

[Jreuscher]

Hello everyone , new guy here.
My house is an old one and my garage has very poor lighting, no windows, only light other than opening my garage door is via old fixture with one bulb. My neighbor, before he moved gave me a 8ft commercial strip fixture that is pretty much brand new open box with no manual. I done minor electrical work, wall sockets, ceiling fans and I'm some -what overly cautious with this.

The Ballas say's 120v to 277v. However, the wiring coming from the old light fixture only has black/white wires with no ground wire. Should I not use this this strip fixture without earth wire?

The pic with the wires are running into the old fixture, into the bulb from my attic

 

[littlespark]

I’m not sure if any codes in America but in uk a “double insulated” fitting wouldn’t need a ground.... although rewiring the cable with a ground would be better option.

your fitting seems to have a hotspot on the ballast. And the white wire looks discoloured with heat..... So I don’t think it would last very long.

 

[SJD]

While I'm also not too familiar with US wiring code, the ballast does say "Ballast case must be grounded" so I'm assuming you should not use this without a ground/earth.

Here in the UK, you can get LED battens (that replace fluorescent ones) that are double insulated and need no earth. I can't think of a reason why I'd want to fit an old fluorescent one, even if it came free.

 

[Jreuscher]

Thanks Gents for the reply.

I delved a little deeper to see where the wires were coming from. Thoughts of maybe running a ground to the fixture. This is what they run into. Bottom left corner. The green paint is showing the white & black wires from the fixture the yellow paint show another but not from the fixture.



Anyway, this beyond me. I may just hire a electriction. I can use the fixture i my basement. I already replaced a light fixture down there and it had a ground. (W/B/G) wires. Thanks again guys.