Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Think you need an electrician? Find qualified, vetted professionals in your area and receive free, no-commitment estimates for your project.
Find a Pro. Some jobs are better left to the pros. Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed electricians near you. Find Pros Now. More From Bob Vila. Determine voltage and current requirements for the fixture. The fixture must operate on a voltage available at the location. Nearly all fixtures available at home centers in North America will be the volt variety or have the ability to choose from two or more voltages by connecting specific wires and leaving others disconnected.
Current requirements for volt incandescent fixtures this includes tungsten, quartz, halogen is. A watt fixture can usually be added to existing circuits without incident.
Most fixtures will list a wattage or amperage requirement to avoid overloading the circuit. Locate a suitable power source. Find a nearby outlet or an existing junction box in the ceiling that's close enough to branch out from. It's important to find suitable power sources that are close by. It's unlikely that you'll be able to use the basement electrical source to feed a switch on the third floor to operate a fixture that illuminates the front sidewalk.
That's a lot of wiring. Plan the wiring route. Power to switch, power to fixture and installing the power and load point at same switch. The three points, source, switch and fixture need to be connected together all with simple two-wire Romex cable when there is one switch controlling the fixture. If you're wiring multiple switches to multiple fixtures, it's important to separate your wring systems to keep them straight. The fixtures need to be wired to each other with a two-wire cable, and the switches need to be wired to each other with a three-wire cable.
The power source can be brought to either of the three-way switch boxes, or any fixture box with two-wire cable. The cable between the switch and fixture s is also 2 wire type, but must be run from either three way switch box to the fixture box that has the power source.
Do not deviate from the requirement. Part 2. Cut openings for the wiring. Cut openings into the ceiling, or wall surfaces for the boxes, for the switch es , and for the fixture support by first tracing around the box on the wall or ceiling surface. If a fixture is to be installed in the ceiling, the box should be a 4" octagon box. It is important to note that even if a small light fixture is planned to be installed here, consider installing a fan-rated box , as a paddle fan might be installed here in the future.
If installing recessed light fixtures, no box is installed as a wiring compartment is provided on the fixture itself. The open to be cut in the ceiling is provided by the template included with the fixture by most manufacturers or by tracing around the rough-in housing opening.
Install the wiring. Install the Romex or other cable between the power source and boxes in the voids of the walls, ceilings, and floors with a snake or fish tape. If running a new circuit directly from the electrical panel, the new wire should be sized according to the fuse or circuit breaker size.
Make sure your wiring is up to code. National Electrical Code Requirements for wiring need to be followed closely when you're installing a new fixture. When you're selecting wire for the job, make sure it fits the following constraints: A wire smaller than 14 copper is not permitted for power wiring.
These wires never enter electrical panels. A 15 amp circuit breaker or fuse should have no less than a 14 gauge copper wire connected. A 15 amp circuit is designed to safely carry up to 12 amps continuously on a 14 copper wire. Intermittent loads of up to 15 amps can be carrier for up to several hours. A 20 amp circuit breaker or fuse should have no less than a 12 gauge copper wire connected.
A 20 amp circuit is designed to safely carry up to 16 amps continuously on a 12 copper wire. If the load of any device or appliance is greater than 16 amps, a larger wire and circuit breaker is required. Connect the devices as shown in the diagram that matches your application. If you'd prefer to follow detailed instructions to wire the fixture to just two 3-way switches, please see the 3-way switch how-to guide. Hold the new fixture against the ceiling and secure it to the ceiling using the screws, screw-on ring, or other fastener it comes with.
Screw a lightbulb into the fixture. Turn the power back on at the breaker box and test the new fixture. Turn off power again, remove the canopy, and check the connections. DIY tips are for informational purposes only. Please be sure to take the appropriate safety precautions and ensure your project complies with any applicable federal, state, or local laws and regulations. AHS assumes no responsibility, and specifically disclaims all liability, for your use of any and all information contained herein.
Search the blog. Remove the Old Fixture With the power safely off, you can begin by removing your old light fixture from the ceiling. Install the New Bracket or Faceplate Before you can wire up the new fixture, you may need to install a new bracket or base plate on your light fixture electrical box. Wire Up the New Fixture Twist the exposed ends of the wires in your new fixture together with the exposed ends of the wires in your ceiling, and secure them with wire connectors.
Secure the New Fixture If your fixture has a pull chain, adjust it to the right length and tuck any extra chain or cord into the canopy for safekeeping. Restore the Power Turn the power back on at the breaker box and test the new fixture.
0コメント