Installing a New Chandelier

Chandeliers can bring a lovely ambiance to any home, vaulted-ceiling or not. They add class, style, and an attractive hint to any room. If you are working with an old fixture the process can be a little easier than if you are installing a new chandelier.

Begin with safety in mind. As with any project that is involving electricity, you will want to disconnect the power at the circuit breaker and place a piece of tape over the switch to ensure no one flips it by accident. Use a circuit tester to ensure the power is fully disconnected. If there is an old fixture in place you will want to remove the canopy to expose the electrical box, and then disconnect the wires. There should be an electrical box present to proceed further (if not, look up instructions for installing an electrical box before continuing).

If you do not have a helper handy, you can create a temporary hook using a wire coat hanger. This will serve as a temporary hanger for the new light fixture, and will hold and stabilize the fixture while you are working around it. Otherwise, the positioning will be terribly awkward. The act of wiring the light fixture is rather simple. You will want to pass the electrical wires of a new fixture through the threaded nipple, then pass them through the strap on the electrical box and bring them back down. You will want to identify the wires once you have separated them and strip about one inch of the insulation from the end of each wire.

Identify the ground wire, then bring it around the grounding screw so it is attached to the fixture. Now, all you have to do is to make a connection between the wires coming out of the ceiling, and the ones going to the lamp. Connect the white lines, followed by the black. Take a wire nut and add it to cover each connection and then fold the wires and tuck them inside the box. Finally, tighten and slide the canopy into place.

Most chandeliers have chains and if properly assembled the weight of the chandelier will be on the chain itself. Now, sometimes when the chandelier has been assembled incorrectly, the tension can become dependant on the electrical wires instead of the fixture’s connecting chain. So be sure to check the chains appearance. If there is noticeable slack in the chain, then there is a good possibility the weight is on the electrical wires. To remedy this, you just need to pull the intertwining wire downward through the chain until the slack loosens and firmly grasps onto the chain.

By following the simple steps you will have a glorious chandelier ready for display in no time at all. Everyone will love the new addition to your room.