How to Install a Light Fixture That Is Wired for a Ceiling Fan

Turn off electricity to the ceiling fan at the circuit-breaker panel.

Remove the ceiling fan from the ceiling. The fan will have a base held securely with screws. The base hides the mounting plate, which uses two screws per side. Remove all the screws, and lower the fan a few inches to access the wiring.

Clip the wires with wire cutters where the ceiling fan wires meet the main wiring. Clip the wires from the main wiring, leaving the ceiling fan wires connected to the plastic wire connectors. Lower the ceiling fan fully and set to the side. The main wiring has a black wire that will connect to black and blue wires from the ceiling fan, a white wire, and a ground wire. The ground wire may be screwed into the mounting plate for the ceiling fan. Clip the black, white, and green or brass grounding wire.

Remove any mounting hardware for the ceiling fan and install the mounting hardware for the light fixture following manufacturer's directions.

Trim 1/4 inch of plastic sheathing from the end of the black, white and green ground wires. Leave the ground wire alone if it is an exposed brass wire. Trim 1/4 inch of sheathing off the ends of the wiring for the ceiling fixture. The light should only have a black and white wire. The fixture may also have a green or blue ground wire.

Twist the ends of the like-colored wires together. Twist black to black and white to white. Twist the ground wires together if the light has a ground wire. Twist a plastic wire connector onto the end of each connection. Wrap the ground wire around one of the mounting screws and tighten the screw down, if the light does not have a corresponding ground wire.

Wrap each connection with electrical tape to mask any exposed wires. Ground wires do not need to be wrapped. Finish installing the light according to the manufacturer's directions.