Hanging a Chandelier in an Old Fixture

Turn off the power to the light fixture you're replacing with the chandelier at your home's main electrical box. Turn the light on and off to test the circuit. If the light still goes on, return to the electrical box and turn off the correct circuit, then test the light again until it stays off.

Unscrew and remove the canopy, and lower it away from the ceiling. The canopy is the metal plate that covers the wiring and the hole in the ceiling where the wires are located.

Untwist the plastic connector caps that connect the wiring for the light to the electrical cable leading from the ceiling. Test the wires by touching them with the probes of a voltage tester to double-check that the circuit is dead. If you get a reading, return to the main box and turn off the correct breaker and test the circuit again until you don't get a reading.

Separate the wires from the light fixture from the wires in the electrical cable from the ceiling, and slowly lower the fixture.

Remove the electrical box in the ceiling by unscrewing it or prying it off of the ceiling joist. Loosen the cable connector and pull the cable out of the box. The cable connector prevents the cable from sliding around inside the fixture, which can potentially damage it.

Install the fan brace into the ceiling. This is a metal bar that spans two ceiling joists and provides support for the weight of the chandelier. Most smaller light fixtures do not require a fan brace. To install it, twist the brace to shorten it as far as it goes, then slide it into the ceiling through the hole. Place the feet on top of the ceiling, then twist it to expand it out until the teeth on the side of the feet reach the ceiling joists. Tighten it with an adjustable wrench, but don't overtighten it or you could damage the ceiling.

Remove the knockout hole from the electrical box, and slide the cable through the hole. Thread the cable through the cable connector, and tighten the screw on the connector.

Attach the electrical box to the fan brace by placing the provided U-bolt onto the fan brace, with the ends hanging down. Screw two nuts onto the end of the U-bolt, then slide the electrical box over the ends. Screw a nut onto each end of the U-bolt to lock the electrical box in place.

Lift the chandelier up to the ceiling with the help of an assistant. Lower it to the desired height, then remove extra chain links and cut off extra wiring from the chandelier so it will hang from the proper height.

Lift the chandelier back up to the ceiling to connect the wiring. Connect the black wire from the cable in the ceiling to the black wire on the chandelier, twisting them together with a connector cap. Repeat this with the white wires. Wrap the bare copper wire from the ceiling around the ground screw on the chandelier, then connect it to the green wire from the chandelier.

Tuck the wiring into the electrical box, then slide the canopy up against the ceiling. Screw the canopy to the ceiling to secure it.

Screw the light bulbs into the sockets on the chandelier, and restore power to the circuit at the main box.