Reload bench lighting no no?

[stoky]

You could cut a piece of dry wall and sandwich it between the light and the cabinet. The slightly thicker kitchen/bathroom variety is specifically fire retardant.
IMO, you have another problem. I learned (the hard way ) not to run uncovered florescent bulbs. Most big box hardware stores have inexpensive plastic covers that offer some impact resistance. I've taken an impromptu glass shard and phosphorus shower, and I highly NOT recommend it.

 

[meesterdon]

Once again if the ballast in the fixture is UL listed it must have thermal protection. This is a thermal cutout that is integral to the ballast. This is designed to shut the ballast off (and keep it off) if the ballast gets too hot.

Should you have a problem (you won't) with your fixture getting too hot and shutting off at inopportune times then I would suggest drilling a few holes in the sides of the channel to increase air flow.

When a fixture manufacturer warns against mounting a fixture directly against a surface they are referring to a ceiling. They are not worried about the thermally protected (correctly wired) fixture causing a fire. They are worried about an installation where the fixtures get hot and shut off when light is needed. Fixtures that shut off by themselves tend to cause very irate end users who have just spend big money on a professional lighting job.

 

[Nature Boy]

Nice looking benches fellas

 

[mdi]

As an electrician I can tell you that the problem is heat buildup if the ballast goes bad. You will catch the ceiling/wall on fire if it contacts the light housing and fails. You need at a minimum 1/2 inch for spacers at either end where the mounting holes are. It should tell you how much space to leave in the instructions per the NEC.

Here you go. Heat is the enemy of electrical/electronic stuff...
__________________

 

[Bula]

Ran it for several hours, no noticeable heat. Added a few more spacers and a 1/4 galvanized bulb protection grate. I think I'm good to go. Thanks all. I will absolutely keep an eye out for anything that feels jinky. Thanks everyone for the help, much appreciated.

 

[Bula]

New pic

 

[stubbicatt]

Having just Saturday survived an office fire where my whole building burned, I am immediately and completely attentive to the risk of fire, and would suggest that OP either hang the fixture, or replace it with something suitable. From my perspective right now, any short term savings from jury rigging the present fixture to make it work in an application where it may not be suitable is a false savings. All that powder, wood, primers, all that if it goes up in flames?.....



I'm also rethinking my storage options for these things here at home.

It was a frightening experience. I missed a fireball that came out behind me as I fled the building by about 20 seconds. One guy we dragged from the building was smoldering, another is unaccounted for and presumed lost, as he had a prosthetic leg and we believe he couldn't navigate the stairs in the smoke and flame.

OP. Please. Think this through very carefully. Fire is very real and very scary.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I agree with the two electricians on the 1/2" air gap. It's the flush mount that transfers heat. Just to be on the safe side don't place primers or powder on the bottom shelf.

 

[Reloadron]

If running it several hours does not produce any excessive heat to the touch or any hot spots I wouldn't worry about it.

Ron

 

[boom boom]

FWIW, both Home Depot and Lowes now stock LED tube lights designed to retrofit older florescent fixtures. They fit in the old tube slots--I believe that you have to disconnect the ballast and appropriately directly rewire the fixtures--prices were about $25 or so per tube.