Decorative lighting adds style and function to room decor.
Styles and fashions change; the light fixture you once loved now looks dated and old. Upgrading to the latest style will give new life to your decor. You might be considering hiring an electrician to install the new fixture you picked out, but you don't have to. With the wiring already in place, the job is simple and safe if you follow just a few simple steps.
Instructions
Removing the Old Light Fixture
1. Turn the power to the fixture off. Locate the circuit breaker or fuse for the fixture and turn it off or remove the fuse.
2. Remove any light bulbs from the fixture and unfasten the fixture from its box. Carefully lower the fixture and observe which wires are connected. There should be three connections to the fixture: A hot wire that is any color but green or white, a white neutral wire, and a green or bare grounded wire. Use the no-contact voltage detector to ensure the power is off.
3. Remove the wire nuts connecting the fixture to the wires. Unwind the fixture wires from the house wires and you are ready to set the old fixture aside.
Installing the New Light Fixture
4. Connect the ground wire on the new fixture to the ground wire in the box or to the box itself if there is no ground wire. If there is no ground wire in the box, there should be a green screw to attach it to.
5. Connect the white neutral wire on the fixture to the white neutral wire in the box. Place the bare ends of the wires together and twist on a new wire nut until the nut is tight and a gentle tug won't pull the wire out.
6. Connect the black wire in the fixture to the hot, colored wire in the box. Hold the bare ends together and twist on a new wire nut until it is tight. A gentle tug should not remove the black wire from the connection.
7. Push the wire connections into the box and attach the new fixture according the manufacturer's directions. Make the nuts or screw snugly tight, but don't over tighten.
8. Install new light bulbs and turn the power back on. Test the new fixture to make sure it works properly with the switch.
Tags: ground wire, neutral wire, white neutral, white neutral wire, wire fixture