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Installing Lights And ChandeliersBy Jim Sulski Summary: There are all kinds of new and interesting light fixtures and chandeliers on the market. This is a great do-it-yourself project and Jim gives you all the information you need. New lighting fixtures light up rooms not only in an illumination sense but
from an aesthetic sense as well. An opulent hanging lamp or a brilliant chandelier can be the showcase of a dining room, living room or even a kitchen. In addition, the work it takes to add such a new fixture can be a simple task for the average do-it-yourselfer. With a bit of preparation and the right tools (pliers, screwdriver, wire strippers and a ladder), the installation of a new lighting fixture can be handled in an afternoon. All lighting fixtures are connected simply with two circuit wires. The hard part is the hardware used to mount the fixture to the ceiling. That can differ depending on the age of the home, the type of outlet box in the ceiling and the type of light. If you're in a home that was built after 1970, replacing a light fixture is simple in that you should have a full size outlet box with lots of room for wiring connections. With older homes, you can't depend on the mounting hardware they provide with the fixtures. You'll probably need some sort of adapters or couplings to make it work. And every installation will be a little bit different. For example, in a home that is more than 60 years old, you can be almost certain that the outlet box is going to be a round ceiling pan that's only a half-inch deep and it will be stuffed with wires with old insulation. Preparing your home for new lighting fixtures Before purchasing a new light, take apart the old fixture to see what type of ceiling outlet you have to work with. As with any type of electrical work, disconnect the power source (at the circuit breaker or fuse box) to the existing light and test the light to make sure it's not receiving power. Then, remove the canopy or the fixture plate - usually a round plate that hugs
the ceiling - and expose the connection of the light wires and the power source.
A small capnut or locknut at the bottom center of the plate is what usually
secures it. More importantly, note how the fixture is secured to the outlet box. The fixture may be attached to the box in a number of ways: A hickey may be screwed on to a stud - a pipe - protruding from the center of the top of the outlet box. The bottom of the hickey than is attached to the fixture. A mounting strap or bracket may also be connected to the stud and screws from the fixture into the mounting strap. A mounting strap may also be connected via screws into the ears of the ceiling box, with fixture pipe than screwed up into the center of the mounting strap. Finally, a nipple - a long threaded piece of pipe - may be attached to the stud via a connection such as a reducing nut. You may need to buy several sizes of adaptors and hickeys to see which one fits. And you may need to even drill new holes into the outlet box to attach a mounting bracket with screws to securely attach a new fixture. Once you've determined how the current fixture is attached, you'll be able to better buy additional hardware to attach the new light. And if the outlet box is crammed full of wiring and there is no additional space for new wires, then a fixture extension may be in order. New adapters and hickeys may also require the additional space. Old light fixtures had deep canopies to bury wiring in. New ones don't, and they also assume you've got a new outlet box that's two and one-half inches deep. What you can do to squeak out new space is add a fixture extension, which fits between the canopy and the box and gives you an extra one and one-quarter inch in depth. Then you have some room to work. A ceiling medallion, a sort of upside down decorative plate, can also be added between the canopy and the ceiling to cover any gaps. Ceiling medallions can also be used to cover any cracks around the outlet box
opening. © by Jim Sulski. All rights reserved. February 3, 2005. NOTE: This column is distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate, PO Box 366, Glencoe, Illinois, 60022. This column may not be resold, reprinted, resyndicated or redistributed without written permission from the publisher. © 2005 by Ilyce R. Glink. Distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate. |
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