So you’ve decided to make the jump, you went out and picked up a brand new LED fixture and you’re ready to install it. What now? Well it probably came with instructions that you already placed in the trash, so I’ll try cover the main points.
Disclaimer: This guide is not meant to be a substitute for common sense or the manual that came with the fixture, use those first. I am not a licensed electrician.
Tools Needed:
- Ladder
- Screwdriver (I like to use an all-in-one so I can switch between Philips and a nut driver, this one in particular Klein Tools 32500 11-in-1
)
- Optional: Wire Strippers (I use the precursor to these Klein 11055 Klein-Kurve Wire Stripper/Cutter
)
- Optional: Extra Wire Nuts (Orange, Yellow, or Red depending on how many wires you are working with)
Step 1: Disconnect The Power
This is critical, you’ll need to locate the circuit breaker feeding the fixture and turn it off. Verify that it is off by turning the light switch on and with a known good light bulb in the original fixture. If it doesn’t turn on, the power should be off.
Step 2: Remove The Globe
The globe may be attached using multiple set screws at the top, or a large single nut at the bottom. (Or any other number of ways, but the is a general guide.)
Here the globe is attached and powered on as an example.
I left the power on a bit longer here to show the bulb inside the fixture.
Step 3: Remove The Light Bulb
Caution: The bulb may still be hot if the light was recently on. Give it some time to cool down before you grab it.
Step 4: Remove The Fixture Base
You can see this one was mounted with 2 straight bit screws in the picture above. Below I have removed those screws.
Then I removed the wire nuts connecting the old fixture and placed it aside. Even though the old bracket and new bracket were the same in this case, I replaced the old with the new and properly bonded it to the ground wire (Green or bare copper wire).
Step 5: Lay Out The New LED Fixture
We’re halfway there!
Step 6: Wire Up The Fixture And Mount
Follow the manual for your specific fixture here. Wire it up, ground to ground, black to black, white to white. (Assuming standard wiring colors, polarity, and that your house is up to code…) Make sure the wire nuts are tight! Then simply complete the mounting of the new fixture.
Step 7: Turn The Power Back On And Celebrate
I have a graveyard of old light fixtures sitting on my floor now!
