How to Convert a Ceiling Light Box to a Hanging Light

Shut down power to the existing box light fixture at the house fuse box.

Remove the fixture by extracting the screws around the perimeter of it so you can lower it from the ceiling. Disconnect the wires above it, leaving them hanging out of the ceiling electrical box. There should be a white wire, a black wire and a bare copper ground wire.

Hold the mounting plate that came with your new fixture up to the electrical box. (It will be a metal disk or strip with holes in it.) Attach it with the screws that came with it.

Connect the copper grounding wire to the green ground screw on the mounting plate. Tighten the screw.

Assemble the hanging fixture on the floor according to the directions. There should be a long tube, rope or chain coming off the top of the fixture and ending at a canopy that will fit over the ceiling electrical box.

Set the fixture on the top of the ladder. Lift the canopy portion to the ceiling. Attach the wires from the canopy to the wires from the electrical box, twisting wire nuts over black to black and white to white.

Set the canopy against the electrical box, pushing the wires up into the box as you do. Secure it to the mounting plate with the provided screws.

Adjust the height of the fixture according to the instructions, which will vary according to the style of hanging light. Generally, the light should hang at least seven feet off the ground unless it's over a table.

Turn on the power and test the light.