Things You'll Need:
- Screw Driver
- Wire Cutters
- Wire Pliers
- Electrical Tape
- Possibly 2 New Wire nuts
- New Light Fixture
- Step Ladder
- Nerve to play with Electricity
- Maybe a pair of tight rubber gloves
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Step 1
Identify and Turn Off the Circuit Breaker that Operates the Room Light
This is Found in the Breaker Box and Possibly Marked on the Panel.
Bedroom, Kitchen, Laundry Room. etc.
You could turn on the light in the room if possible and flip switches until the light goes off...you'll end up resetting all the clocks in the house -
Step 2
Make sure the light switch is turned off, unscrew the two screws in the fixture, and gently pull in down from the mounting box. take note of the connection and the color of the wires. remember the white wire is the neutral wire and might be bunched with other wires, the black wire is the load wire, the copper wire is the ground wire. usually twisted around other copper wires, and fastened to fixture ground with a green screw. Remove the wire nuts by twisting them to the left. remember lefty loosely, righty tighty
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Step 3
if you have a volt meter set it to ac, and put one probe on each wire, if you get a 110-120 reading the voltage is NOT off. REPEAT the first step.
If there is no voltage reading, at this point i usually put on a pair of tight rubber gloves. -
Step 4
with the pliers untwist the white wire off or from the light fixture, after doing so i screw the wire nut on it loosely, do the same with the black wire. ( Keep Wire Separated ), now undo the ground wire and remove the fixture. check the new fixture to make sure it will mount the same as the old one. with the new fixture in hand, attach the ground wire to the green screw or twist to the right onto the copper existing wires, place a wire nut on it by twisting it to the right to tighten, next attach the white wire to the existing wire, turning with pliers until snug wrapped place wire nut on it. do the same to the black wire. I recommend placing a little black tape around the wire nut for the black and white. gently bend or push wires back into ceiling box. DON'T pinch any wires. replace screws in fixture until tight. Turn on the Circuit Breaker, if it dosn't trip you did it right. place bulb in fixture and flip the switch.
Comments
mmcc310 said
on 7/31/2009 Thank you
sanderdoe said
on 7/30/2009 My husband usually changes a room ceiling light fixture for me, but it's a good thing to know! Great instructions! It scares me to death! 5*