Written by Cecilia Harsch; Updated December 17, 2018
Related Articles. Turn off the power to the light fixture at your home's main electrical panel. Test the circuit by flipping the light switch for the ceiling fixture on and off. If the light goes on, return to the main panel and turn off the correct circuit.
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Renovation recessed lights, also known as remodel recessed fixtures or old work recessed lights, are installed in the ceiling after construction is complete and usually while remodeling a room or area. Remodel recessed light fixtures clamp to the drywall in the ceiling rather than connect to the ceiling joists, allowing you to do most of the installation work from inside the room rather than the attic. You must unclamp the renovation recessed lights to remove them from the ceiling.
Turn the circuit breaker off that supplies electricity to the recessed lighting fixtures or remove the fuse from the fuse box. Use a noncontact voltage tester to ensure the power is disconnected. Hold the tester next to the recessed light switch on the wall and next to each fixture in the ceiling. If the power is disconnected correctly, the tester will not react.
Remove all the light bulbs from the recessed lighting fixtures if applicable. Look inside each fixture for two small coiled springs. Unhook these springs from the fixture to release recessed lighting trims. Some trim designs do not use the small springs. To release these trims from the fixture, grab the outside edge of the trim and pull it away from the ceiling to expose the two spring wires. Use your fingers to squeeze these two spring wires together to release the trim from the fixture.
Look inside the recessed light fixtures once you remove the trims for four black strips of metal about 2 to 3 inches long. These black pieces of metal, or clamps, lie flush against the interior wall of the fixture.
Position a flat-blade screwdriver against one of the notches cut into the black metal clamp. Push up on the metal clamp with the screwdriver to release it from the slots holding it in position. When you remove the screwdriver, the clamp will fall away from the side of the fixture. Release the metal clamps inside each recessed fixture to release each fixture from the ceiling.
Pull the recessed fixture from the ceiling until you expose the junction box attached to the end of the fixture. Take the cover off the junction box by pressing on the tab holding the cover in place. Pull the cover off to expose the wiring inside.
Untwist each connector holding a set of wires together. Pull each set of wires apart.
Look for locknuts surrounding the electrical cables where they enter the recessed lighting junction box. Turn the locknuts counterclockwise to release the cable connectors holding the electrical cables inside the junction box. Once you release the cable connectors, you can pull the fixture from the ceiling.
Wrap electrical tape around each individual wire left in the ceiling to protect the ends if you do not intend on installing a new fixture immediately. Tape the breaker in the off position or cover the fuse opening with tape to avoid turning on the circuit.
Things You Will Need
Noncontact voltage tester
Flat-blade screwdriver
Electrical tape
References (1)
About the Author
Cecilia Harsch has been writing professionally since 2009. She writes mainly home improvement, health and travel articles for various online publications. She has several years of experience in the home-improvement industry, focusing on gardening, and a background in group exercise instruction. Harsch received her Certified Nurses Assistant license in 2004. She attended Tarrant County College and studied English composition.
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Harsch, Cecilia. 'How to Remove Renovation Recessed Lights.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/remove-renovation-recessed-lights-44586.html. 17 December 2018.
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Residential ceiling fixtures come in many different shapes, and people have devised many ways to attach them to the ceiling. Most of the time, a central threaded hollow rod holds a chandelier in place. Ceiling fixtures hang by two screws that attach the fixture base to the outlet box or to a mounting strap in the outlet box.
No matter how you suspend a fixture from the ceiling, the wiring is simple. Other wires may pass through the box, but you have to deal with only three wires: a colored wire (usually black), a white wire, and a green ground wire. These three wires are joined together with twist-on wire connectors.
Get someone to help you replace a ceiling fixture. After you loosen the screws that hold the existing fixture to the ceiling box, you have your hands full holding the fixture and trying to work on the wires. You may be able to pull off this juggling act with a light fixture, but if you’re messing with a chandelier, you need another pair of hands to help.
To replace a ceiling light fixture, follow these steps:
Turn off the power.
You may find several pairs of wires in the ceiling box. Some of these wires may be wired to different circuits than the fixture you’re working on. Be safe: Use a circuit tester or turn off the power to the whole house to ensure that all the wires in the box are dead.
Remove the light bulb cover and bulbs from the fixture.
Unscrew the screws or nuts holding the fixture base to the ceiling box.
Lower the fixture base and remove the electrical tape or wire nuts from the black (hot) wire, white (neutral) wire, and, if present, green (ground) wire.
Attach the wires from the new fixture with wire nuts to the corresponding wires in the electrical box.
Raise and position the new base plate so that you can screw the new bolts through it to attach it to the mounting strap.
Screw in new light bulbs, install the cover, and turn on the power.