How to Convert Two Recessed Lights Into One Pendant Light

Lighting can have a major impact on the style of your home. Different trends in lighting styles may cause you to want to update an older look with something more contemporary. If your sense of style makes you want to change two recessed lights to a single pendant light, you're in luck -- the fact that the wiring is already in place in your ceiling will make the task somewhat less complicated than it would be without the wiring.

Screwdriver
Keyhole saw
Wire cutters/strippers
Light fixture box
Wire nuts

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the power to the circuit you'll be working on at the home's circuit breaker panel. Don't ever attempt to work on a live electrical circuit.
- 2
  Pull off the trim ring at the bottom of the recessed lights. Remove the bulbs from the lights. Loosen the screws on the inside of the recessed light holding the recessed light housings to the ceiling joists. Lower the lights out of the ceiling. Untwist the wire nuts that connect the home wiring to the light fixtures.
- 3
  Cut a hole in the ceiling halfway between the two recessed light fixture openings. Cut the electrical cable behind the ceiling panel. Remove 1/2 inch of insulation from the black and white wires of the cable.
- 4
  Place a light outlet box into the ceiling opening and feed the end of the wires into the opening on the side of the box. Turn the screws holding the mounting tabs of the box until they lock the box into position.
- 5
  Attach the pendant light's mounting hardware to the lighting box. Match the wires of the pendant light to the electrical cable wires -- black to black, white to white. Place white nuts over the ends of the wires and twist until they're tight.
- 6
  Place the pendant light onto the mounting hardware and secure it with the thumbscrews of the mounting hardware.

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