Tightening a Chandelier

Shut off the electrical supply to your lighting fixture prior to making any adjustments. Switch the appropriate fuse in your fuse box and test any exposed wires with your voltage tester as soon as they are visible. Return to the fuse box and locate the proper fuse if your voltage tester indicates positive electricity in your exposed wires.

Tighten the chain on your chandelier to decrease the drop of the lighting fixture from the ceiling, which can also raise the height of the fixture from the floor. Remove the base of the chandelier to reveal the junction box in the ceiling. Remove both wire nuts to expose the electrical wire ends. Untwist the ceiling wire from the chandelier wire, thus completely separating the black and white wires.

Use pliers to open one link of the chain near the ceiling, wrapping the link on a rag to protect the surface. Separate the chain from the open link and determine how many links you want to remove. Remove the desired number of links by prying open a link further down the chain and then joining the two opened links. Close the links using your pliers.

Pull the excess wire through the base of the chandelier and trim to the desired length using your wire cutters. Strip the last inch of the wire end to expose the wire beneath the coating. Twist the black end of the wire with the black wire in the junction box and match the white wires similarly. Wrap the wire nuts around the wire ends and reapply the chandelier base to the ceiling.

Add a medallion around your chandelier base to accommodate a shallow junction box or ill-fitting hardware. Install the medallion prior to applying your chandelier by screwing into the ceiling around the junction box. Center the medallion and drill pilot hole through the ceiling if necessary. Reapply the lighting fixture over the medallion to make your lighting fixture appear flush with the ceiling.