How To Repair Ceiling Fan Light Socket

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Replacing an old or worn-out light socket is an of import way of keeping your home up to code. Old sockets can be fire hazards, making this a good skill for amateur and pro electricians alike. By learning to remove and supplant old sockets, yous can assistance continue your home safe, following a few simple steps.

1
Assemble the necessary tools and parts. To supervene upon a light socket in the ceiling, you'll need some bones electrician's tools to consummate the task safely. It's expert to accept:
- A razor, to cut effectually fixture if at that place's paint
- Lineman's pliers
- Screwdriver
- Not-contact voltage tester^[1]
- Wire strippers
- Extra wire nuts
two

Disconnect the power past flipping the breaker. Any fourth dimension you're working with electricity, you need to locate the breaker that corresponds to that particular fixture and shut it off.^[2] You can test the ability past flipping the calorie-free switch and making sure that it doesn't plow on. It'southward also a good idea to use a non-contact voltage tester to make certain the fixture isn't getting ability.

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3

Remove whatever glass covers or shades. Decorative fixtures like globes will need to be removed first, gently unscrewing or unfastening the connections and putting the slice aside. You might need to employ a screwdriver, but most fixtures volition probably just utilise thumbscrews that y'all can remove by paw. Remove the lightbulb or bulbs, as well to expose the socket itself for examination.^[iii]
4

Lower the fixture and let it hang to examine the connections. You need to figure out how the fixture is attached to the ceiling, before you lot get unscrewing it. Most fixtures are attached in one of two ways. The first method involves simple screws that get through the fixture into the junction box in the ceiling. The second involves a threaded post that extends through the fixture from behind and attaches with a decorative cap nut, usually a pocket-size knob in the eye of the fixture.^[four]
5
Remove the screws or post connecting the socket. There are typically two or iii screws holding the fixture itself to the bracket. Lower the fixture downwardly, exposing the wire connections. Once the fixture is downwards, use your hands or pliers to undo the wire nuts.
- Wire nuts are the plastic cone-looking pieces covering the ends of where the wires come up together, connecting the black and white wires coming from the fixture to the wires coming from the ceiling. At that place might also be a footing wire from the fixture fastened to the metallic of the junction box in the ceiling by a screw.
6

Dissever the wires coming out of the ceiling and get out the junction box alone. The junction box is a round, square or octagonal box, usually made of plastic, in the ceiling nether where the fixture used to be. Usually at that place will be white and blackness wires.
7

Write down which wires are continued to which and label them. Not all fixtures are a simple set of wires coming into the box, especially in large houses. Some fixtures are wired in parallel with others, making the tangle somewhat confusing. The wires from the fixture will the continued to wires of the same color coming from the ceiling. In some countries, unlike color codes apply to wires, especially in older installations.^[5]
8
Brand certain the ends of the wires from the fixture are stripped about ane/2". If they are non, carefully remove the rubber roofing from the 1/2" of the ends of the wires using wire strippers.^[6]
- Some of the wires may exist loose, or you may need to apply pliers to untwist them. If ends of wires are damaged or bent, you may need to clip them and strip them again.
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1
Prep the new fixture past removing drinking glass encompass and bulbs. The wiring from the fixture should be exposed and ready to be attached. It'south sometimes helpful to set the new fixture on something to allow you to work on information technology without it hanging down, if possible, like the superlative of a ladder.
- The length of the exposed wire should match the manufacturer'southward recommendation for the wire basics, commonly around three/8ths to ½ in of exposed wire.
two
Connect the wires to the new fixture. The wires should be reattached in the same places as the old fixture, usually white to white, black to black, and ground (bare copper) to the metallic junction box. Neutral wire–usually white–should be attached to neutral wire. Twist the wires 2 or 3 times together clockwise, or the aforementioned direction you turn the wire nuts.
- You can use either the old wire nuts or the new ones provided with the fixture. To use the wire nut, identify the stripped ends of each wire next to each other, with their points facing the same direction. And so place the wire nut over the ends and twist clockwise until the wires are secured within the wire nut.
3

Make sure no exposed wire is sticking out beneath the wire nuts. If in that location is, either remove the nut, trim the exposed cease, and supervene upon the nut, or cover with electrician's record. Give a quick tug on each wire to make sure they're non going to come loose.^[7]
4

Fold all the wires back gently into the junction box. One time all connections are fabricated, gently tuck them back into the box as you're lifting the fixture upward. You don't desire to overstuff. Once the majority of your wires are in the box, you can loosely spiral in the fixture to the bracket. In one case information technology's installed but not fully tightened, make sure you won't pinch any wires and tighten the fixture.^[8]
5
Test your work. Once your fixture is installed to the bracket, you'll install the bulb following manufacturer's recommendations about the wattage.^[nine] Then y'all can flip on the circuit and bank check your work.
- If it doesn't turn on, most likely culprit is a loose connection. Check to make sure that the wires didn't come up loose while y'all were tucking them into the box. Also, check that seedling is the proper blazon or that another switch isn't interfering with anything.
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Question

Don't you need ground wires?

Yes. If they are not there, there are are screw mounts within the box you lot may use, provided the box is grounded.
Question

How do I pick the correct watt bulb for my light socket?

There is no "right watt" for whatsoever light socket. Ordinarily they take any watt bulb, yous just decide what watt bulb to put in based on how brilliant y'all want the room to be.

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Always follow the instructions (if any) provided with the fixture.
Nigh home improvement stores will show you footstep past step in the shop how to install any fixture, and some fifty-fifty have set-ups to let you try information technology yourself. Telephone call ahead and ask.
Don't be intimidated. With the electricity off, the wires are harmless, and everything is color coded (black and white, or, exterior the US, brown and black.).
Use pliers to twist the ends of the wires together earlier trying to screw the wire nut on. This is especially helpful for houses with smaller gauge (thicker) wires. Don't over-tighten because the wire-nuts volition twist the wires fifty-fifty more and will gamble breaking the wires if they are too tight.
Always use the new hardware (if whatsoever) provided with the fixture. Don't use wire-basics that are too loose or the wires will brusque and y'all will have to fix the faulty fixture later. Attempt keeping all the old wire-nuts in your electrical tool kit and using tighter wire nuts than those that come with the fixture when needed.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Use a step stool or a ladder to avoid having to hold your hands above your head to work or your shoulders will go tired quickly.
Take someone aid you to agree the fixtures while you are working on the wiring. It is never a skillful idea to have the appliance hanging past the wires alone.
ALWAYS plow off the circuit breakers to whatsoever apparatus yous are working on. 120V (230V in the EU) can be a nasty surprise when yous grab a wire.

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Things You'll Demand

Screwdriver
Pliers
Electrician'due south record
Step stool or ladder

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Article Summary 10

If you lot have a little electrical experience and a bones toolkit, you can supersede your old ceiling light socket yourself. Always disconnect the power by flipping the room'south circuit breaker earlier working with electricity. Then, unscrew the current light fixture and separate its wires from the ones in the ceiling. Leave the junction box in the ceiling, since you'll demand to connect your new socket to information technology. If the ends of the ceiling wires aren't already stripped, strip them ½ inch with wire strippers. Twist the wires for your new socket together with these and cover them with wire basics. You don't want any exposed wires, since these can be a hazard. Finally, spiral your new fixture into the ceiling and test information technology. For more tips, including how to undo stiff wire nuts, read on!

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