How to Disable a Flood Light

Disable your flood lights.

If you have a flood light that you want to keep in place, but you don't want it to operate anymore, you can take the proper safety precautions and effectively disable flood lights so they won't turn on. The process requires you to disconnect light wiring, because that's the only way to guarantee your flood light is disabled, and adequately protect each wire after you disconnect it.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Wire nuts
• Electrical tape
• Blank light switch faceplate

Instructions

1. Unscrew the screws holding your flood light fixture to the wall, then pull the light fixture base away from the wall so you can see the wiring.

2. Disconnect the wiring between your flood light and your electrical box. Rotate each of the wire nuts counter clockwise to remove the wire nuts, then pull the wires apart. This will detach your light fixture from the wall.

3. Screw a wire nut over each individual wire in both the home's electrical box and the light fixture to protect the bare ends of the wiring of both your flood light and the lights in the electrical box. Wrap electrical tape around the base of the wire nut and the electrical wiring to keep the wire nut in place.

4. Tuck the home's electrical wiring into the electrical box. Mount your flood light back on the wall by screwing the base into the home's electrical box. The wire nuts on all of your electrical wiring will protect all of your wires, so the flood light is still on the wall, but it is disabled.

5. Remove the face plate of the light switch that controls the flood light fixture and disconnect all of the wiring between the electrical box and the light switch to disable flood lights. Place wire nuts on the ends of all your wires, then install a blank faceplate over the light switch electrical box. A blank faceplate ensures that no one will accidentally flip the light switch to your disabled flood lights.

References

• This Old House: How to Install a Garage Floodlight