In the following article you will learn the basic steps to install a light fixture. For this example we will assume that you are replacing an existing light fixture. Tools you may need include the following: a ladder, Phillips screwdriver, flat or slotted screwdriver, razor knife or box cutter, electrical tape, voltage tester, and some wire nuts. The first and most important step is safety. You should always make sure the power to the electrical box you are working on is turned off. Do this by locating the home’s breaker box and turning off the appropriate breaker. Never assume that the labels in the breaker box are correct; they could have been changed over the years. The best method would be to turn the light fixture to be replaced on and then to turn off breakers one at a time until the light goes out. If the fixture is broken and will not work we will have to use the voltage meter to determine if the electricity is actually off. We will discuss this further in the following steps.
Now we are ready to remove the old fixture. Examine the edge of the light fixture where it meets the ceiling. Some painters like to caulk around light fixtures to one, provide a seal and two, to enhance the appearance of their work. If your light fixture appears to be caulked in you will need to use your razor knife to score the caulk around the light fixture. If you don’t, when you remove the light fixture it will probably peel off some of the ceiling paint and/or ceiling texture. We would not want this to happen as it will cause more work. There are hundreds of different types of light fixtures, and it would be impossible for me to write about how to remove each different kind. So in general the steps would be as follows.
First remove any glass globes that might be covering the light bulbs, then remove the bulbs themselves. Now examine the light fixture and look for any decorative screws or nuts. Some lights like chandeliers will prove to be more difficult in locating the actual screws; others like the ones where most of the fixture is covered with a glass globe are a lot easier. We will assume the easier type for this example. After removing the glass globe you should see two screws that hold the light fixture to the ceiling. You will want to remove these screws. If the light fixture did not hang down after the removal of said screws, you can carefully pull down on it taking note to watch for any caulking that might be damaging your ceiling. Once the light is hanging down by its wires we can proceed to the next step. You should see at least three wires. A black or red “common,” a white, and a green or bare grounding wire. If you do not see a grounding wire, do not be alarmed; some older homes and/or fixtures do not have them. Now carefully remove the wire nuts that cover the wires, being careful not to touch the bare end of the wires or allowing them to touch each other. The old light fixture should be free of the outlet box and can be discarded. If you are not sure if the electric is off you should use the voltage tester at this time. Do this by touching the probes to the bare end of the wires.
We are now ready to install your new fixture. We will assume it is a globe type fixture for this example. Remove the fixture from its packaging and lay the contents out in an orderly fashion. It should have come with mounting instructions that you will need to follow. If not, there is probably a bracket that needs to be attached to the ceiling box. The new light fixture will screw to this bracket once the wiring is complete. It will have either two screws on the bracket that will protrude through the light fixture that nuts will be tightened to. Or the bracket will have screw holes in which two screws will go through the new light fixture and screw into the bracket. If there is no bracket the new light fixture will screw into the actual ceiling box. Before attaching the fixture to the ceiling we still have to reconnect the wires. Using new wire nuts connect the black wire of the fixture to the black or red wire of the ceiling box, the white wire to the white wire and the green ground wire to the green ground or bare wire. If a bracket was used, there probably is a green grounding screw on the bracket itself. You should wrap the ground wire of the ceiling box around this screw and tighten, being sure to leave enough wire to still be able to attach it to the grounding wire of the new light fixture.
Before attaching the light fixture to the ceiling inspect the wires making sure there is not any bare spots showing that could short out. If you notice one take the electrical tape mentioned earlier and apply some to the wire. Carefully tuck the wires back into the ceiling box and attach fixture to ceiling box/bracket. Now you are ready to install the lights bulbs and any globes that may have come with it. Turn the appropriate breaker back on and hit the switch. Your light should be working properly.
