Written
by Justin Lesch
In a
recent survey conducted by the Foundation of the Fabricators and Manufacturers
Association, 60 % of the 1,000 people surveyed stated that they avoided
installing light fixtures. Homeowners surveyed also avoided unclogging a drain
& replacing a window pane, among other things. To see all of the projects
homeowners avoided, read
Survey
Says: Homeowners Avoid Simple Repairs..!
Over the next few months,
the At Home channel will provide how-to articles covering all projects on the
list. Our main goal is to show how easy the repairs actually are and that
homeowners can do the work themselves.
How - To Replace A Light
Fixture...!
As a general rule of thumb,
always review the manufacturer’s instructions prior to installation. All light
fixtures are a little different. The type of mounting bracket used and how the
light fixture is attached to the mounting bracket can differ between manufacturers.
If installing a new light
fixture without an existing electrical box, you will need to install a new
electrical box and run power to it prior to following the steps below.
a
Turn power off. Locate your home’s breaker box and turn off the appropriate
circuit breaker that powers the light fixture you are replacing. If unaware as
to which circuit breaker provides power, turn the existing light fixture on and
turn off each circuit breaker until the light goes out. If the existing light
fixture is broken, you can use a voltage meter (see step 2) to determine if the
wires are “live”.
a
Remove existing light fixture. Most light fixtures are attached with decorative
screws or nuts. Unscrew them and pull the existing light fixture away from the
wall. You should see a mounting bracket, a black or red wire, a white wire, and
a green or exposed copper ground wire. After removing the mounting bracket,
disconnect the wires by removing the wire nuts and/or electrical tape. Be sure
not to touch the exposed wires (bare wire with no insulation). At this point,
if unable to determine which circuit breaker powers the electrical box, use a
voltage meter. Do not proceed until you are sure the power is off.
a
Connect the wires of the new light fixture to the wires in the electrical box.
Most light fixtures require you to feed the wires of the light fixture through
the mounting bracket prior to connecting them to the wires in the electrical
box. The black wire of the new light
fixture is connected to the black or red wire in the electrical box and the
white wire is connected to the white wire. Wrap the exposed portion of each
same colored wire together and screw on the wire nut. If there is not enough
exposed wire for a good connection (1/2” is a good rule of thumb), you may need
to use a wire stripper to remove excess wire insulation. Exposed wire below the
wire nut should be wrapped with electrical tape.
a
Connect the ground wire (green or exposed copper wire) to the ground screw or
ground wire in the electrical box. The ground screw is typically green and
located on the mounting bracket. Verify with the manufacturer’s instructions to
ensure you are grounding the light fixture correctly.
a
Tuck all wires into the electrical box. After all wires are connected and the
ground wire is secured, tuck the wires into the electrical box.
a
Attach the mounting bracket to the electrical box. The mounting bracket will be
used to attach the new light fixture to the wall. If a mounting bracket was not
provided, your light fixture is probably attached directly to the electrical
box. Verify the mounting method with the manufacturer’s instructions.
a
Attach the light fixture to the mounting bracket. Depending on the type of mounting
bracket supplied, this step will vary. Verify with manufacturer’s
instructions.
a
Attach globe. If a globe was provided, attach it to the light fixture. Be
careful when tightening the screws that hold the globe in place.
Over-tightening the screws could cause the globe to crack.
a
Screw in light bulb.
a
Turn power on. Turn the circuit breaker back on and turn on the power to your
new light fixture.
Tools Needed...!
a
Screwdriver
a
Wire Nuts
a
Electrical Tape
a Wire Stripper / Cutter
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