Follow These Steps

Steps 1 - 5 of 5Print Project SheetEmail a Friend

• Step One

  

  RUN CABLE
  Be sure power is shut off to the circuit supplying the fixture. Plan a cable path that crosses as few studs or joists as possible. You may have to cut an access hole to run cable through framing [see below for how to cut your access hole].

• Step Two

  

  RUN CABLE TO THE SWITCH BOX
  Add nailing plates wherever you bore holes in the framing. Cut a hole for a remodel switch box and pull the cable through. Strip the wires.

• Step Three

  CONNECT THE GROUND
  Ground the fixture by connecting it to a grounding wire. This wire should lead to a neutral bar in the service panel. From the service panel, heavy-gauge copper grounding wire should run to one or a combination of the following: cold water pipe, grounding rods driven at least 10 feet in the ground, or a metal plate sink in a footing.

• Step Four

  

  WIRE THE FIXTURE
  Remove the black wire from the fixture lead, splice it to the new white wire to the switch, and mark it black. Splice the new black wire to the fixture’s black lead.

• Step Five

  

  CONNECT THE GROUND AT THE SWITCH
  Attach both wires to the terminals and mark the white wire black. Restore power to the circuit and test. If necessary, repair the access hole in the drywall.
  
  CUTTING A HOLE IN DRYWALL
  Use a pencil to mark the location of the hole (check for studs) and score the paper surface with a utility knife. Cut along the inside of the knife cut with a drywall saw. The resulting hole will be free of ragged edges. You can also cut drywall with a spiral cutting tool or a saber saw.