How to Change a Conventional Shower Light to a Recessed Light

Having a conventional light fixture above your shower can cause issues with the fixture and the light bulbs because of the moisture created by the steam from the shower. The moisture can invade the sockets of the light fixture, causing the fixture to short or trip the breaker. The moisture can also cause corrosion in the light socket, making it difficult to remove a light bulb. Changing a conventional shower light to the recessed light requires some basic electrical knowledge.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips screwdriver
• Remodel recessed lighting fixture
• Keyhole saw
• Piece of wood
• Hammer
• Orange wire connectors
• Slotted screwdriver
• 60-watt light bulb
• Moisture resistant recessed shower trim

Instructions

1. Turn off the power to the conventional shower light by turning off the breaker at the main service panel.

2. Remove the existing shower light fixture by taking the light shade off, exposing the light bulbs and the screws holding it to the ceiling. Remove the light bulbs and unscrew the screws that hold the conventional shower light to the electrical box.

3. Pull the conventional shower light from the ceiling to expose the wiring. Untwist the wire connectors holding the white wires together and pull the wires apart. Untwist the connectors holding the black wires together and pull the wires apart. Remove the conventional shower light from the ceiling.

4. Place the template provided with the remodel recessed lighting fixture over the existing electrical box in the ceiling and trace around it. Carefully cut along the trace line using a keyhole saw and remove the drywall from the ceiling.

5. Insert a piece of wood into the existing electrical box in the ceiling and strike the wood with a hammer to knock the electrical box from the ceiling joist. Pull the original black and white house wires from the electrical box in the ceiling and remove the box.

6. Remove the cover from the junction box on the remodel recessed lighting fixture by pressing on the tab holding the cover to the box, thus releasing it. Pull the existing house wires through a knockout in the back of the junction box on the recessed light fixture.

7. Connect the black wire from the house wire to the black wire inside the recessed lighting junction box by twisting an orange wire connector onto both wires. Repeat this connection for the white wire from the house wiring and the white wire from the junction box. Connect the bare copper wire from the original house wiring to the green ground wire inside the recessed light junction box using another orange wire connector.

8. Push the remodel recessed lighting fixture into the hole you cut in the ceiling. Hold the fixture in the ceiling with one hand while pressing a slotted screwdriver against the black clips inside the lighting fixture. Push up and out on each black clip with the screwdriver until the clip clicks into place, securing the fixture to the ceiling.

9. Install a 60-watt light bulb into the recessed lighting fixture. Attach a moisture resistant recessed shower trim onto the fixture by squeezing the butterfly clips together on each side of the trim and slipping the clips into the L-brackets inside the recessed can. Turn on the power to the recessed shower light by turning on the breaker at the main service panel.

References

• Aubuchon Hardware: How to Install a Light Fixture
• Easy 2 DIY: Installing Recessed Lights
• CornerHardware.com: How to Install Recessed Lighting
• "Wiring 1-2-3"; Steve Cory; 2005