Replacing an old light fixture is an easy way to change the look of an entire room. Ron's wife Lynn did not like the dated look of the old light fixture and persuaded Ron to replace it with a new timeless classic.
Click Here For a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
Click here to view a full video of this segment.
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1. Turn off power
The first step for any project involving live electricity is to disconnect the power at the circuit breaker. As an added safety precaution, put a piece of tape over the switch to ensure that no one else in the household will accidentally flip the switch while you are working. Use a circuit tester at the location where the new fixture will go, to make sure that there is no power to the circuit before proceeding.
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2. Remove old fixture
Remove the canopy to expose the electrical box, and disconnect the wires.
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| Note: There should be an electrical box attached to either the ceiling joist or a piece of bracing. In this example, no electrical box was present and one needed to be installed. The following steps are also useful if you need to move the location of a light fixture. |
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3. Install new electrical box
Trace a circle on the ceiling where you would like to place the new fixture. Use a drywall saw to cut a new opening in the ceiling.
To attach the box securely, use a special expandable bracket (generally used for ceiling fans), which installs firmly between the ceiling joists.
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Pass the bracket up through the hole, position it perpendicular to the joists on either side, and then rotate the expansion bar. The ends of the bracket will expand outward and the sharp pointed ends of the bracket will dig into the sides of the ceiling joists, holding it securely in place.
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| Pass the small bracket (with two bolts attached) up through the hole and position it over the bar.
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| Slide the electrical box up through the hole in the ceiling and tighten the bolts to fasten the electrical box securely in place.
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| Tip: Create a temporary hook out of a piece of wire coat hanger so that you can hang the new light fixture up where you are working. This will leave your hands free to make the electrical connections. |
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4. Wire connections
Wiring a light fixture is fairly simple. First, pass the electrical wires of the new fixture through the threaded nipple, then pass them through the strap on the electrical box and bring them back down. Separate and identify the wires and strip about an inch of the insulation from the end of each of the wires.
Bring the ground wire (usually, this wire is exposed copper, or has green insulation) around the grounding screw so that it is attached to the fixture. All that remains is to make a connection between the wires coming out of the ceiling and the ones going to the lamp. Usually the black wire is the "hot" line, and white is neutral. Connect the white lines, then the black. Add a wire nut to cover each connection, fold the wires and tuck them up inside the box. Finally, slide the canopy up and tighten it in place. |
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5. Patch the hole
To patch the hole in the ceiling, use a small strip of wood about as wide as the hole. Drill two holes in the center of the strip of wood and then apply glue to the side of the strip that will face down. Pass a piece of wire through the holes in the piece of wood. Carefully push the wood up through the hole in the ceiling and pull down on the wire so that the glue comes into contact with the ceiling sheetrock.
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| Apply pressure while the glue dries by tightening the wire around a dowel or pencil and twisting it tightly against the ceiling.
Once the glue dries, the hole can be patched. For shallow repairs, spackle could be used, but for a deeper hole like this one, it is better to use joint compound. Some compounds set very quickly, anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. Use a putty knife to fill the hole. The wood strip will serve as a backing to hold the compound in place. Make several passes with the putty knife until the surface is smooth. |
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| The new light fixture changes the whole look of the room... and this one is much more secure! |
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