Ceiling Light Installation Directions

Updating old light fixtures can be a big job, especially if there are a lot of ceiling lights. Ceiling-mount lights, however, are simple to replace and can cost as little as $25. When working with electricity, it is important to follow some basic rules:

1) Always make sure that the power is off before starting the work on the fixture you are replacing.

2) Follow all manufacturer's instructions exactly.

3) Make sure that all wire connections are secure to the fixture before mounting the fixture to the ceiling.

Following these simple rules will make this project a safe and successful venture.

Step ladder
Phillips screwdriver
Straight screwdriver
Wire strippers
Electrical tape

Instructions

- 1
  
  Turn off the breaker at your main service panel.
  
  Turn the ceiling light on that you are going to replace. Go to you main service panel and find the breaker that controls the electricity for that section of your home. Switch it to the "Off" position. Go back to the light fixture to make sure that the light is off.
- 2
  Set up your ladder underneath the old light fixture and climb up to where you can comfortably reach the fixture. If the fixture is a bowl type, you will need to unscrew the small, decorative knob that holds the bowl in place. Do so carefully while holding the bowl, so that you don't break the fixture. After you have removed the bowl, set it aside.
- 3
  Examine the mounting plate where the fixture is attached to the ceiling. You will see two screws on the sides of the plate. Remove the screws with one of your screw drivers to expose the wiring.
- 4
  
  Wire nuts connect the house wiring to the fixture's wires.
  
  Use electrical tape to mark the hot wire. The fixture has three wires -- the black one is the hot wire, the white one is the neutral wire, and the green or bare wire is the ground wire. If you have an older home, all the wires will be black. Then detach the house wires from the fixture by unscrewing the wire nuts.
- 5
  Read the installation instructions that help you assemble it the new fixture. Once the fixture is assembled, screw the mounting bar into the ceiling fixture box with the screws provided. The bar is about 3 1/2 inches long and usually has a green grounding screw attached to it.
- 6
  Strip the ends of the wires so that the copper is exposed about 1/2 inch. Attach the black wire of the fixture to the hot wire in the ceiling box, which also should be black. Use a wire nut to secure the wires together. Do the same for the white wire of the fixture and the neutral wire from the ceiling box. Make sure that the connections are tight by lightly tugging on the wires.
- 7
  Attach the green ground wire to the green ground screw on the mounting bar. This will ground the fixture in case of arcing, or sparking. If a bare copper wire is in the ceiling box, attach the green wire of the fixture to the bare copper wire from the ceiling box with a wire nut. This will ground the fixture back to the panel; in this case, ignore the green ground screw on the mounting bar. It is very important to make sure that the fixture is grounded, so use the ground wires.
- 8
  Use the decorative screws to attach the mounting plate of the ceiling light to the mounting bar of the ceiling box. This will support the entire fixture. Attach any other accessories for the light fixture according to the manufacturer's specifications. Turn the power to the light back on. The light should turn on and off when you flip the switch.

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