What You’ll Need:

new light fixture

stripping tool or knife

keyhole saw (if cutting new hole or enlarging existing hole)

wire nuts

needle-nosed pliers

electrical tape

circuit tester or voltmeter

screwdriver

step ladder

Steps:

1.  Usually you’ll see a white wire (neutral), a black wire (“hot” or power source), and a bare copper wire (ground). If your wiring has different colors than this, or you are not sure which one is “hot”, test them first. Using your circuit tester or voltmeter, test the wires.  Touch one probe to the bare copper ground and the other probe to the bare end of each of the other wires, one at a time.  For a hot wire that is any color but black, wrap a piece of black electrical tape around it to mark it.

2.  Once you’re sure which one is hot, flip the breaker off in the electrical panel – then double check with your tester to ensure the power is off.

3.  Remove the old light fixture.

4.  Set out all of the hardware that came with the new light fixture.  Read over the instructions that came with the new light.

5.  Install the mounting hardware, usually a flat bracket, with the screws that came with it.  If there is a threaded nipple (or tube), screw it into the center of the mounting bracket.  Just barely screw it in – leave most of it sticking down – you may need to adjust the length of this later once you get your fixture up.

6.  Use a stripping tool (or knife) to strip off about ¾” of insulation from the end of each wire.

7.  Use the wire nuts to connect the wires – white to white and black to black.  Twist the bare wire ends together, then twist the wire nuts onto each connection until they are tight.  If your wiring has different colors than that, then connect the neutral (usually white) wires together, and the hot (usually black) wires together.  Optionally, you can wrap electrical tape tightly around each connection to further secure the wire nuts to the ends of the wires.

8.  Connect the ground wires together, either with a wire nut, or by securing the ground wire from the fixture to an existing ground screw inside the mounting box.

9.  Follow the instructions that came with your light to mount it properly.  Typically, there will be two longer mounting screws.  These screws usually will screw straight into the mounting bracket.  Screw these mounting screws only as far as needed – you want them to stick out far enough to go through the mounting holes in the fixture in order to hold it up.  The manufacturer’s instructions may tell you how much to leave sticking out.

10.  Carefully push the new fixture into place over the heads of the mounting screws and then rotate it (if applicable) so that the screw heads hold the fixture in place.

11.  Gradually tighten the mounting screws if necessary.  Be careful not to over-tighten.  You don’t want to damage the new light fixture.

12.  Install light bulbs.  Put the glass globe or globes (or the remainder of light fixture) into place – secure it with the cap nut or whatever hardware came with it.  If necessary, adjust the threaded nipple to the right length.

13.  Flip the breaker switch back on.  Turn on the light to test.

14.  Stand back and admire your work!