How to Hang an Outdoor Pendant Light

Make the exterior of your home distinctive with outdoor lighting.

Outdoor lighting can make the exterior of your home very distinctive. Walk through any home improvement center's lighting showroom and you will find an array of outdoor pendant lights to choose from. Knowing how to hang an outdoor pendant light can save you money by not hiring a professional electrician. You will also be able to make the changes to your exterior lighting, making your home stand out from the crowd. Change your lights and change the exterior façade of your home.

Things You'll Need

• Safety goggles
• Step ladder
• Screw driver
• Orange wire nuts

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Instructions

1. Turn off the electricity to the area you are hanging the outdoor pendant light by turning off the breaker in the main electrical panel.

2. Assemble your outdoor pendant light according to the manufacturer's directions.

3. Attach the fixture cross bar to the electrical box in the ceiling. The fixture crossbar is furnished with the mounting hardware that came with your outdoor pendant light. It will attach with two screws to the electrical box.

4. Locate the power supply wires in the outdoor electrical box. The power supply wires connect back to the electrical panel box and are black, white and bare copper.

5. Connect the bare copper wire to the fixture cross bar. Connect the bare copper wire to the green ground screw located on the fixture cross bar. Tighten the screw to hold the wire securely.

6. Wire the outdoor pendant light to the power supply. Connect the black wire from the pendant to the black wire from the electrical box by twisting an orange wire nut onto both wires. Connect the white wire from the pendant to the white wire from the electrical box by twisting an orange wire nut onto them as well. Push all wires into the electrical ceiling box.

7. Mount the outdoor pendant light to the ceiling according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8. Turn on the electricity to the area you hung the outdoor pendant light by turning on the breaker in the main electrical panel.

Tips & Warnings

• Always make sure the electricity is off to the area you are working in to avoid electric shock.

References

• Lowes: Install Decorative Outdoor Lighting
• This Old House: How to Install a Pendant Light