WARNING: Always turn off the electricity to the circuit you're working on at the main electrical panel. Never attempt to work on live wires. (Click "enlarge this image" to read illustration labels). Take down the Old Fixture Go to your house's main electrical panel and turn off the circuit breaker that controls the room where you'll be working. Flip the light switch in the room on and then off again to confirm that the power is off. Next, unscrew and lower the old fixture's canopy (the decorative, bowl-shaped disk against the ceiling) to access the electrical box. Carefully remove the twist-on connectors from the wiring. Check again to be sure there is no current by connecting the two leads with a simple electrical tester. If the tester's light doesn't come on, detach all the wiring to free the fixture. Tip: Hand the old fixture to a helper; don't attempt to climb down the ladder with it in your hands. Remove the Electrical Box Remove the screws that hold the electrical box to its metal hanger bar.

If there are no screws, the box is probably nailed to a joist. Use a flat bar to pry the box free. If it's a metal box, loosen the screws on the cable connector, then slide out the cable. For a plastic box, use a slotted screwdriver to pry up the flexible fin that pinches down on the cable, then pull the cable free. If the box was attached to a metal hanger bar, cut the bar in half using a close-quarter hacksaw. Remove the pieces of the bar and discard them. Install the Fan Brace Take the fan brace from its box and spin the hexagonal bar to reduce the brace to its shortest length. Next, slip the brace up through the hole and set it on top of the ceiling. Be sure that both of its feet are resting flat on top of the drywall or plaster. Rotate the hexagonal brace by hand until you feel its sharp prongs dig into the joists. Tip: Don't overtighten the fan brace; the tension it puts on the joists can cause nail pops in the drywall below. Tighten the Fan Brace

When you can't hand-tighten the brace any more, use an adjustable wrench for another few turns to fully embed the prongs in the joists. Prepare the New Electrical BoxHeritage Lace Curtains Australia Use a slotted screwdriver to pry one of the pre-punched knockout plugs from the side of the metal electrical box that comes with the fan brace.Hunting Dogs For Sale Hawaii If you're using a box that doesn't have an integral cable connector, fasten an NM (nonmetallic) connector to the knockout hole.Vinyl Tile Backsplash Sheets Hold the box close to the ceiling and feed the end of the cable through the cable connector. Pull about 6 inches of cable into the box, then tighten the connector screws to lock the cable in place.

Be sure the connector pinches down on the cable's exterior sheathing, not onto the individual wires. Tip: Never put cable into a metal box that doesn't have a cable connector. The sharp edge of the knockout hole can slice into the wires and short them out. Bolt on the Box Locate the U-bolt, metal support flange, and hex nuts that come with the fan brace. Slip the U-bolt over the fan brace, then slide the support flange onto the threaded ends of the bolt. Thread a nut onto each side of the U-bolt and tighten each to lock it in position. Next, align the two holes in the top of the electrical box with the threaded ends of the bolt. Push the box up into the ceiling and secure it to the U-bolt with two hex nuts; tighten them with a nut driver. Remove any shades from the chandelier before installing it. Shorten the wires and remove chain links so the chandelier will hang at the right height. Thread the nipple first into the chandelier's chain holder, then into the fixture-mounting bar.

Feed the chandelier wires through the nipple. Lift the fixture and screw the mounting bar to the electrical box. Wrap the cable's copper ground wire around the grounding screw, tighten it, then connect the wire's end to the chandelier's ground wire. Next, strip ½ inch of insulation off the chandelier's wiring. Use a twist-on connector to join the chandelier's white wire to the cable's white wire. Do the same with the chandelier's and the cable's black wires. Carefully fold and tuck the wires up into the electrical box. Slide the chandelier's canopy up the chain and press it tight against the ceiling, making sure the wires aren't poking out from the canopy. Push the retaining collar up the chain and thread it onto the chain holder. Hand-tighten the collar to hold the canopy tight against the ceiling. Install the lightbulbs and glass shades, then restore the power to the room. Tip: If your replace your standard toggle wall switch with a dimmer switch, you'll have precise control over the light level.

Older chandeliers often need repair. Many were manufactured with little regard to the heat the bulbs produce, and larger bulbs than recommended have often been installed. Overheating makes the wire insulation brittle. A typical fixture has cord running through tubes to the bulb sockets, allowing several opportunities for malfunctions. Because sockets and the wires attached to them are near a hot bulb and often enclosed, they deteriorate. If all the lights do not work, the stem wire probably needs to be replaced. If some wiring needs to be replaced, consider rewiring the entire fixture -- it won't take much longer. If only one light fails to come on, try pulling up the contact tab inside the socket. Vacuum dust from the socket. If the bulb still does not light, remove the socket and test it. A chandelier is often suspended by a chain, which must be securely anchored to the box hardware. The main wires run from the box down through the chain to a junction box. There they connect to wires that lead to individual light sockets.

About 3 hours to dismantle, test, and run new wires in a chandelier Phillips screwdriver, voltage tester, continuity tester, wire strippers, long-nose pliers Testing for power and continuity, stripping and connecting wires Line up a helper to assist with removing the fixture. Lay a drop cloth on a work surface to cushion the fixture as you work on it. Cord wire, electrician's tape Shut off power to the circuit (in addition to flipping off the light switch). Loosen the screws or screw collar holding the canopy in place and slide it down. Pull the wires apart, restore the power temporarily, and test for power. Shut off the power again. Attach a continuity tester clip to the metal threads inside the socket and touch the neutral (silver) terminal with the probe. Then clip onto the brass screw and touch the probe to the contact tab inside the socket. If the tester light does not come on for both tests, replace the socket. Disconnect the wires in the box, remove the chandelier, and place it on a work surface.