How to Convert a Hanging Chandelier to Electricity

Unscrew the bolts or screws that hold the chandelier in place, and remove it from the ceiling. Have an assistant help you lower the chandelier to the ground or work table, as it is most likely heavy.

Use a stud finder to locate the two ceiling joists near the spot where the chandelier was located. Hold an electrical box against the ceiling between the two joists, and trace it onto the ceiling, using a pencil. Cut a hole in the ceiling with a reciprocating saw. Wear safety goggles and a mask while you're using the saw.

Use the stud finder to locate the wall studs near the place where you plan to install the light switch. Hold an old-work electrical box against the wall between the studs, and trace the box onto the wall, using a pencil. This box will hold the switch and wires that connect it to the fixture. Cut a hole in the wall with the reciprocating saw.

Install a fan brace, which will support the weight of the chandelier, in the ceiling over the hole you cut. Shorten the brace by twisting it, and then lift it into the ceiling through the hole. Set the feet of the fan brace on top of the ceiling, and then twist it to lengthen it until the teeth on the outer edges of the feet reach the ceiling joists. Give the fan brace a turn with an adjustable wrench to tighten it. Don't overtighten, as you could damage the ceiling.

Feed electrician's fish tape into the hole in the wall for the light switch. Send the fish tape to the attic, and have your assistant take the end of the tape to the hole in the ceiling while you continue to feed it. Wrap the wires inside a 12/2 electrical cable around the hook on the fish tape, and secure it with electrical tape. A 12/2 cable has three 12-gauge wires, one covered in black insulation, one covered in white insulation, and one that is bare. Fish tape is steel wire used to pull cable through inaccessible locations.

Reel the fish tape in, carrying the cable with it. Pull the end of the cable out of the hole in the wall, and detach it from the fish tape. Repeat this process to run cable between the hole in the wall and the main electrical box. If the attic isn't directly above the room that has the chandelier, run the cable through the basement instead.

Cut 2 inches of sheathing off the cable and an inch of insulation from the wires inside the cable, using wire strippers.

Punch out the knockout hole on the back of the electrical box for the chandelier. Insert the cable through the knockout hole, and slide it under the tab inside the box. This is the cable connector, and it keeps the wire from moving. Tighten the screw on the cable connector.

Hook the U-bolt onto the fan brace, and screw a nut onto each end of the bolt. Slide the electrical box onto the U-bolt, and secure the box by screwing a second nut onto each end of the U-bolt.

Raise the chandelier to the ceiling with your assistant's help, placing it at the height you want. Cut extra wiring, and remove extra chain links from the chandelier.

Wire the chandelier to the 12/2 cable with plastic connector caps. When you're working with electrical wiring, always connect matching colors. In this case, connect the black wire from the cable to the black wire from the chandelier, followed by the white wires. Wrap the bare copper ground wire around the ground screw on the chandelier, and connect the end of it to the green ground wire on the chandelier with a connector cap.

Slide the wiring inside the electrical box, and then screw the canopy into position. This is the metal plate that covers the wiring.

Slide the cables in the wall through the knockout holes on the old-work electrical box. Slide the box into the wall, and screw it to the wall with the mounting screws.

Bend the ends of the black and white wires into hooks, using pliers. Hook the black wires onto the brass terminal screws on the side of the light switch, and tighten the screws. Connect the white wires to the silver terminal screws.

Cut a piece of copper ground wire that is 3 inches long, and connect one end of it to the ground screw at the bottom of the light switch. Connect the ground wires from the cables to the open end of the 3-inch ground wire with a plastic connector cap.

Place the wiring and light switch into the electrical box, and screw it to the wall. Screw the plate cover to the wall.

Hire an electrician to inspect the wiring and connect the circuit to the main electrical box if the building codes in your community require it. In most municipalities a licensed professional must make the connection.