How to Hard-Wire a Fluorescent Light Fixture to a Garage Door Opener

Most garage door openers come with a single light bulb that lights up when you activate the garage door. This bulb is better than no light, but it usually doesn't provide enough light to see the entire garage. You might benefit from hanging a shop-style fluorescent light fixture behind the garage door opener and attaching the fixture to the opener so the new light is activated when the door is opened. This is a very simple wiring project that should take less than an hour for most homeowners.

Lamp socket converter
Fluorescent fixture with plug end
Screws
Screwdriver
Wall anchors

Instructions

- 1
  Unscrew the light bulb in the garage door opener. Screw in a light bulb converter with a plug-in feature. With some converters you can have both an outlet and a screw-in for the bulb.
- 2
  Move a stud finder along the ceiling behind the garage door opener to find the ceiling joists. Mark the location of each joist.
- 3
  Hold the fluorescent lamp housing against the ceiling and perpendicular to the joists. Screw the housing into the joists using the mounting holes in the housing and long wood screws. Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws. Attach the lamp to at least two ceiling joists using two screws at each joist.
- 4
  Insert the light bulbs. Attach the lamp shade plastic. Insert the plug end of the wire into the plug-in on the light bulb adapter. Make sure your wires aren't dangling; they can be bundled with a twist tie.

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