How To Install a Ceiling Flush Mount Lighting Fixture
June 1, 2008
I received a service call last week to replace old ceiling flush mount lighting fixtures with a newer style. I took my camera with me and photographed each step. So, today’s article is going to discuss replacing an old ceiling flush mount lighting fixture with a newer style. Click each of the images below to enlarge them.
| Step 1 – Turn off the power to this circuit before beginning any work. Be sure to read, follow and understand all installation and assembly instructions included with your new lighting fixture. If you have already removed you old light fixture or you are installing a light for the first time at this location, then you may skip ahead to Step 9. |  |
| Step 2 – Remove the shade from your existing light fixture. |  |
| Step 3 – Remove the lamps (light bulbs) from your existing light fixture. |  |
| Step 4 – Remove the cap nuts or bolts from your existing light fixture. |  |
| Step 5 – After removing the cap nuts, pull the light down and expose the wires. |  |
| Step 6 – Disconnect the hot (black) wire first. Place the wirenut back on the wire and tuck it up out of the way. |  |
| Step 7 – Disconnect the neutral (white) wire next. Place the wirenut back on the wires and tuck them up out of the way. |  |
| Step 8 – Finally, disconnect the ground (bare copper) wire. |  |
| Step 9 – Now, get the new light fixture and connect the ground wires first. |  |
| Step 10 – Next, connect the neutral wires. |  |
| Step 11 – Finally, connect the hot wires. |  |
| Step 12 – Now, install the light using the cap nuts or bolts included. |  |
| Step 13 – Install the nipple for the shade next. |  |
| Step 14 – Next, install the lamps. I recommend compact fluorescent or LED over regular incandescent lamps. |  |
| Step 15 – Now install the shade. |  |
| Step 16 – Finally, turn on the circuit and test the light. |  |
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I want to install a new light fixture. The fixture itself has 1 white wire, 1 black wire and the ground wire. However the wiring from the house has an aditional red wire. When I wired it, I left the red wire capped, but when I turned the switch on, the circuit breaker flipped. How should I connect the wires?
I want to install a new ceiling flush mount lighting fixture that has two cans for two separate bulbs. I have completed the first 8 steps, however, the wiring from the house (1976) has only one white wire and one black wire coming down and the new fixture has a white and black wire for each attached can. How would I attach the two house wires to the new four wires or do I need extra house wiring?
Thank you, Denise
Wayne,
Thank you for the great illustrated how-to. I am replaing my fixtures with compact flourescent fixtures and have a question about the ground wires. It is very important to me to ground the fixtures properly to keep my family safe.
The electrical boxes in my 1993 house are not metal or plastic, they appear to be porcelain. At the bottom of each box, there is a mounting bar with a green ground screw.
I attached the ground wire from the box to the ground wire from the fixture as illustrated in your how-to explanation. Am I supposed to attach either or both of the ground wires to the green ground screw on the mounting bar? What else do I need to do with the ground wires to properly install them in this type of box?
Thank you,
Jeanmarie
I want to install a ceiling fixture and when I removed the cap from the ceiling box, there were 4 wires in it. –a black, white, red and the ground wire. I’m not sure which wires to connect to the fixture. I know that i usually the white, black and ground wire get connected. The red wire is confusing me. Please help me, so I can hang the fixture properly.
I want to add an additional flush mount ceiling fixture to my bathroom ceiling. I already have a combo exhaust fan/ceiling fixture. Can I connect onto this for my new fixture? If so, can you tell me the steps? Thank you.
I want to install a new light fixture. The fixture itself has 1 white wire, 1 black wire and the ground wire. However the wiring from the house has an aditional red wire. When I wired it, I left the red wire capped, but when I turned the switch on, the circuit breaker flipped. How should I connect the wires?
I’m in the same situation Matt is/was in. What was the answer to this/his question?
I am having the exact same problem as matt except my four wires coming from the ceiling are a bare wire a green wire a red wire and a white wire i thought the green was the ground so i used that instead of the bare wire..the light works but my wall panel has three swithces and when i use the third switch it trips the breaker…what should i do?
I am having the same problem with the red wire. I know the black goes to black, white goes to white, ground goes to ground, but what is the red? The new light fixture I bought does not have red. Please help, Thanks