One of the best DIY projects you can complete at home is to install a new ceiling light fixture. This simple update can transform the entire way your room looks and feels.
New light fixtures can add richness and drama to a staircase, improve the illumination in a living room, or offer more safety in hallways and corridors.
Following these steps can help you to complete this update successfully. Because you’re working with electrical components, follow all safety precautions. Turn the power off to the circuit, test the fixture before working on it, and wear all proper safety equipment.
If you’re unsure about any of the steps, it is better to call an experienced electrical installer to complete it.
1. Remove the Old Fixture
After turning off the fixture’s power in question, you must remove the screws or nut that secures the canopy to the box in the ceiling. You’ll see 2-4 in the dome that supports the chandelier or hanging components. If the light is recessed, you’ll still need to pop out the hardware that attaches the parts to the box.
As you lower the fixture, remove the screws that secure the crossbar to the electrical box. This process helps you to disconnect it safely.
2. Verify the Power Is Off
Test your wires at the box to ensure no electricity is still reaching it. A non-contact voltage detector can do this work for you. If you get a positive result, switch off all of your circuit breakers instead of the indicated one. You can also loosen the fuses individually until you get a negative reading.
Disconnect the wires from the old light fixture. Leave al of the other ones connected and tucked into the electrical box. If your home was built before 1985, you should avoid a new fixture that requires 90°-rated supply wires.
3. Check the Box for Strength
A heavy light fixture requires a strong box. Anything that weighs up to 50 pounds is allowable under the National Electrical Code if the installation has threading for No. 8-32 machine screws for the crossbar.
Check the label on the box to see if it supports 35 pounds. If it looks small, you may need to have a deeper one installed before continuing with the new fixture work.
4. Test for a Ground Wire
Turn the power back on. Use the non-contact test to see if power is available to the colored wire.
5. Test for Ground
You can verify this step by touching the leads of an appropriate voltage tester between the metal box and the hot wire. If you get a light, the box is grounded and ready to receive the new fixture. If not, you’ll need to call in a professional to supply a ground.
Either way, you’ll need to turn the power off at the main circuit panel.
6. Assemble Your Parts
When you assemble your parts on the ground, the time spent reduces the levels of overhead work you must complete. Assemble and adjust your mounting hardware for getting up on the chair or ladder.
Align the crossbar with the canopy’s back, adjusting the screw or rod length so that you have about 1/4-inch clearance. You can go up to 3/8 inches on most installations. Tighten the locknuts to hold the position.
This step is the time to remove any links and extra wire necessary to achieve the appropriate length.
7. Reconnect the Wires
Once your new fixture is ready to attach, reconnect the wires in the same way you disconnected them in the first step. Position all of them on one side of the crossbar for the best result. Once finished, you can screw it to the electrical box with the appropriate hardware.
You’ll likely need another set of hands to finish the work in this step.
The neutral wires are typically white, the hot fixture wire is usually red or black, and your ground is generally green. These rules are not universal.
8. Close the Box.
Once all of the wires are appropriately connected, you can close the box by installing the canopy dome. Test the wires first to ensure that none of them are hot. If the canopy doesn’t fit tight to the ceiling, you may need to adjust the threaded rod or screws.
Once you have everything in place, add your bulbs, and enjoy your work!
A NOTE OF CAUTION: Do not follow these steps if you have aluminum wiring in your home. It is dull gray instead of the orange coloration that copper offers. You’ll need someone certified with this setup to work on your project.
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