Do it Yourself Fluorescent Lighting

Fluorescent lights are more desirable than incandescent because they are more efficient: they last longer and use less electricity than the common incandescent bulb. To install fluorescent lighting yourself, replace an incandescent bulb fixture with a fluorescent lighting fixture. The fluorescent lighting fixture houses the components needed to to illuminate a fluorescent light. Household tools are needed.

Fluorescent lighting fixture
Ruler
Wire cutter
Utility knife
Ladder
Phillips screwdriver
Flashlight
Wood screws

Instructions

- 1
  Place the fluorescent lighting fixture on a work surface face down. Using a wire cutter, strip a 1/2 inch of insulation off the ends of the black and red wires attached to the fixture. Scrape the exposed ends of each wire with the blade of a utility knife until the copper is shiny.
- 2
  Go to the fuse box and flip the circuit breaker to "Off" to turn off the electricity going to the light fixture that will be replaced by the fluorescent light. Flip the light switch to ensure that the electricity has been turned off. Return the light switch to its "Off" position.
- 3
  Place a ladder beneath the light fixture. Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove the screws from around the light fixture. Pull the fixture off the ceiling. Remove the electric nut connectors from each pair of twisted wires that can now be seen.
- 4
  Unwind the wires from each other so that you can remove the light fixture. Place the light fixture aside.
- 5
  Twist the end of the black wire from the fluorescent light fixture around the end of the black wire coming out of the hole in the ceiling. Twist the end of the red wire around the white wire coming out of the hole in the ceiling. Screw an electric nut connector over each pair of wires.
- 6
  Aim a flashlight into the hole. Locate a wooden joust beam inside the ceiling to the left of the hole. Draw an imaginary line between the beam and the ceiling.
- 7
  Push the wires into the hole. Place the fluorescent light fixture on the ceiling, with one end lined up beneath the wooden joust beam that is inside the ceiling. Using the Phillips screwdriver, screw wood screws through the end of the fixture, through the ceiling and into the beam.
- 8
  Look into the hole using the flashlight. Locate the wooden joust beam inside the ceiling to the right of the hole. Place the free end of the fluorescent lighting fixture against the ceiling, and beneath the beam. Using the Phillips screwdriver, screw wood screws through the holes in the end of the fixture, through the ceiling and into the beam.
- 9
  Remove the ladder away. Flip the circuit breaker back to "On" at the fuse box.

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