I have searched the site and have seen some similar questions, but just not close enough. I am replacing an old track light in my family room. The old light system had 2 wires, white and black, with no ground wire. The new lights have 3 wires; white, black and green. There is no junction box in the ceiling where the lights are going. My questions are, should I install a junction box? If yes, should it be metal or can it be plastic? How do I insure that this new fixture will be grounded with only the one ground wire? Thank you for any response that you can give me.

Chris

One more thing, I was pulling the wire to see how much extra I had in the ceiling and it looks like there was an old fixture on this circuit prior to the installation of the track lighting, a 2 1/2" threaded nipple popped out and it feels as if there is a good size plate behind it. Thanks again.

Is the cable a two wire romex, or BX, or just two wires, which would be Knob & Tubing?

If the cable is BX, the sheating may be grounded, and this can be used as a ground. Test to see if there is 120 volts across the hot and the metal sheathing.

If there is no ground, you can still install the lights, they will work with out a ground.

It is two wire romex, I should have put that in the original post. So the lights will still work without the ground, will a wire nut on the end of the ground cap it off OK? Should I still put in a junction box or just follow the old installation, a couple of anchor bolts into the ceiling? Thank you again for your quick response.

Chris

The track should need a feed end that the cable , with a connector can be passed through to get to the terminals. Or may need a junction box to contain the splcise, and yes you can cap off the ground.