Suspended Ceiling Lighting Installation

A suspended ceiling light, such as a chandelier, can add a little flair to a room. Installing a suspended light from the ceiling generally requires a little muscle since these lights are sometimes heavier or more awkward to handle while trying to wire them to the ceiling. The wire connections are not complicated, and with some help, you can have the light installed in an hour or less.

Ladder
Screwdriver
Wire strippers
Wire nuts

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the power at the circuit breaker to the room where you are installing the suspended light fixture.
- 2
  Take down the old light if there is one. Use a screwdriver to remove the light at its base and partially lower it. If no light has been installed yet, skip this step and go to Step 4.
- 3
  Hold the old fixture in one hand and untwist the wires to completely disconnect it from the ceiling.
- 4
  Screw the cross-bar to the end of the light fixture mounting bolt. The cross-bar comes with the fixture.
- 5
  Pull 1/2-inch of the coating off of the ends of the wires on the new light fixture with a pair of wire strippers.
- 6
  Raise the fixture to the ceiling and twist the like-colored wires together from the existing wiring onto those of the new light fixture. Typically, these wires are black and white. If you have a grounding wire, it is copper or green. If you do not have a grounding wire running from the existing home wiring, twist the one from the light fixture around a piece of metal inside the housing.
- 7
  Secure the connected wires with wire nuts.
- 8
  Position the suspended fixture's cross-bar flush to the ceiling and screw it into place over the wire housing.
- 9
  Raise the decorative plate to the ceiling and over the wiring plate. Secure the decorative screws with the screwdriver.

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Lighting