Adjusting the Chain on Hanging Light Fixtures

Find the power breaker that supplies electricity to the hanging light fixture and turn it off. Test the fixture's toggle switch to make sure that the light does not turn on.

Reach the upper portion of the fixture's chain using a ladder or step stool to determine how many links of chain you need to remove. Wrap pieces of black tape around the chain links to mark them or use a marker.

Loosen the fasteners that secure the decorative cap over the hanging bracket and electrical wiring. Unscrew the wing nuts that attach the spliced light fixture to the home wiring. Detach the ground wire from the electrical box using either a slotted or phillips screwdriver.

Unhook the chain from the threaded rod that is attached to the hanging bracket on the ceiling. Bring the chain up to the desired link and reattach it, allowing the length of chain that you're removing to hang to the side.

Inspect the link that attaches the access chain to see if it has a break that will allow you to bend it apart for removal. Cut the link using medium-duty wire cutters or a hacksaw, but do not cut the fixture wiring. Bend the chain link using pliers to widen the cut portion for easier access.

Pull the wire out from the threaded rod that is attached to the hanging bracket in the ceiling. Slide the access chain links that you are removing from the wire off. Feed the wire back through the threaded rod so that it is taught. Cut off any access wire with wire cutters. Strip off a half-inch of the protective sheathing from the positive, negative and ground wires to expose the wire underneath.

Splice the positive and negative ground wires to the correct home wiring using the same wing nuts. Reattach the ground wire to the electrical box.Turn the power breaker on and check that the light is working before placing the decorative cover back onto the ceiling bracket.