Installing flood lights outside of your home or place of business is an easy way to enhance security and provide an aesthetically pleasing nighttime element to the property. Common areas where flood lights are found include doorways, patios, and garages, but they are also sometimes used in dark corners of a yard or near driveways or parking lots to keep visitors and employees safe.
There are a wide variety of options when choosing flood lights, including different colors and finishes that can complement the architecture of a home or business, or they can be positioned to illuminate front entrances or even aspects of a building’s landscape design. Halogen lights are still available, but LED versions have become increasingly popular because of their durability and low heat emission. When combined with motion sensors that light up when triggered, flood lights serve as helpful deterrents for wildlife or potential intruders.
When considering where to install flood lights, keep in mind that the lights should be placed up high—like on the roofline or above a garage door—to provide the most light coverage. Also, it’s important to factor in the location of the nearest power source. This might be an inside outlet or switch in your home or garage that you can run wiring from to reach your outside flood lights.
When choosing the circuit to tap into, consider what other fixtures and switches may already be powered through that circuit so it doesn’t maximize its load capacity. Once you’ve selected a circuit and determined it can safely handle the output of your new flood light, turn off the electricity at the main panel and you can begin the installation.
Installation Steps
Step 1: Extension box
If you’re working with an outdoor outlet or an outlet in the garage, remove the existing outlet and place the extension box mounting plate over the electrical box. Note: You’re going to want to be sure the extension box is the same shape as the outlet.
Using a screwdriver, knock out the round plate from the top of the extension box to reveal a circular hole.
Insert a ½” metal conduit connector to the top of the box.
Attach the extension box to the mounting plate using the provided screws.
Step 2: Connecting the conduit pipe
Measure the distance from the top of the conduit box to the garage ceiling, making sure to subtract 1½” to avoid having the conduit pipe go all the way up to the ceiling.
Saw the metal conduit pipe with a hacksaw and file down any jagged edges—they could be dangerous or make further connections difficult.
Put a right-angle connector on one end of the pipe and insert the other end into the extension box. Make sure the piping is straight using a level or tape measure.
About halfway up the pipe, screw a conduit hanger into the wall. You’ll need to move the conduit out of the way first to put the hanger between the wall and the pipe. Then, replace the conduit into the hanger and tighten the hanger screws to keep it secure.
Step 3: Right-angle and elbow connectors
Chances are you’ll need to extend the conduit piping from one wall to another. This is especially common if installing flood lights above a garage door. To do this, measure from the right-angle connector to the end of the wall at the corner closest to where the light is being installed.
To determine the amount of conduit piping needed here, hold an elbow connector at the corner and measure from the right-angle connector to the elbow connector.
Cut the necessary piping similar to before and insert the piping into the right-angle connector. If the piping extends more than 12″, you’ll want to install another conduit hanger to keep it in place.
Now, add the elbow connector to the other end of the newly cut conduit.
Continue adding more conduit until you reach the center of the garage door, making sure you secure it with a conduit hanger every 12″.
Step 4: Junction box and outlet box
Get on a ladder inside the garage and, at the center of the door, measure from the top of the garage doorway to the ceiling, subtracting 1″. Go outside and take the measurement, marking it on your wood or siding.
Place a ⅞” diameter spade bit onto your drill and drill a hole in the garage from the outside. (You can also use a hole saw.)
Go back inside the garage and connect a junction box to the end of the conduit and screw it into the ceiling.
Using your screwdriver, knock out another hole plug from the junction box.
Push some 14/2 non-metallic cable through the junction box to the hole outside.
Feed the non-metallic cable through a cable connector secured with a screw in the center of an outlet box.
Fill the outside hole with silicone caulk and push the outlet box flush against the siding, securing it with the provided screws.
Step 5: Pulling wires
Take off the right-angle conduit connector cover plate and push fish tape (a hook on a cord used for pulling wire) down until it comes out at the extension box.
Use electrical tape to connect three strands of copper wire (one white, one black, and one green) and bind the wire to the hook-end of the fish tape.
Go back to the right-angle connector and pull the taped wires back up and undo the fish tape.
Head to the junction box and repeat the same step, pushing the fish tape through and then pulling the wires out at the junction box.
Step 6: Assembling and securing the flood lights
Follow the instructions on the packaging to assemble the flood light fixture.
Trim the wiring at the outlet box to about 6″ and use a utility knife to remove the plastic from the wires. Strip about ½” from the end of the now-exposed black and white wires.
Connect the wires black-to-black and white-to-white using wire nuts.
Attach the flood light fixture to the wall. If you haven’t already, screw the bulbs and motion detector (if applicable) into place.
Go back inside and connect the wires at the junction box, matching the colors and securing with wire nuts and electric tape.
Connect the wires to the correct plugs on a switch at the extension box and secure with screws.
After the above steps, simply turn the electricity back on at the circuit breaker and test your new flood lights to make sure the lights go on and, if they include a motion detector, that the sensors are working properly. If they aren’t working, you can use an electrical testing device to check for voltage.
Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.