How To Repair Light Bulb Socket

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Replacing an old or worn-out lite socket is an important way of keeping your dwelling house upwards to lawmaking. One-time sockets can exist burn down hazards, making this a skillful skill for apprentice and pro electricians alike. By learning to remove and replace old sockets, you can assist keep your home condom, following a few elementary steps.

1. one

   Assemble the necessary tools and parts. To replace a light socket in the ceiling, you'll demand some basic electrician'due south tools to complete the job safely. Information technology's good to take:

   • A razor, to cut effectually fixture if there's paint
   • Lineman'southward pliers
   • Screwdriver
   • Non-contact voltage tester^[i]
   • Wire strippers
   • Extra wire basics

2. 2

   Disconnect the power by flipping the breaker. Any time you lot'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 power by flipping the light switch and making sure that it doesn't turn on. It's also a good idea to use a non-contact voltage tester to brand sure the fixture isn't getting power.

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3. 3

   Remove any glass covers or shades. Decorative fixtures like globes will need to be removed starting time, gently unscrewing or unfastening the connections and putting the piece aside. Yous might demand to use a screwdriver, merely near fixtures volition probably merely use thumbscrews that you can remove by hand. Remove the lightbulb or bulbs, as well to expose the socket itself for examination.^[3]

4. 4

   Lower the fixture and permit it hang to examine the connections. You need to figure out how the fixture is fastened to the ceiling, before you become unscrewing it. Most fixtures are attached in one of two ways. The kickoff method involves simple screws that go through the fixture into the junction box in the ceiling. The 2d involves a threaded mail service that extends through the fixture from behind and attaches with a decorative cap nut, usually a small knob in the heart of the fixture.^[four]

5. 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 downward, exposing the wire connections. In one case the fixture is downwardly, utilize your hands or pliers to undo the wire nuts.

   • Wire basics are the plastic cone-looking pieces covering the ends of where the wires come together, connecting the black and white wires coming from the fixture to the wires coming from the ceiling. There might too be a ground wire from the fixture fastened to the metal of the junction box in the ceiling by a screw.

6. 6

   Separate the wires coming out of the ceiling and exit 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. Normally there will exist white and black wires.

7. vii

   Write down which wires are connected to which and label them. Not all fixtures are a simple gear up 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 connected to wires of the same color coming from the ceiling. In some countries, different color codes apply to wires, especially in older installations.^[5]

8. 8

   Make sure the ends of the wires from the fixture are stripped about 1/2". If they are not, carefully remove the rubber roofing from the 1/2" of the ends of the wires using wire strippers.^[six]

   • Some of the wires may be loose, or you may demand to use pliers to untwist them. If ends of wires are damaged or bent, yous may demand to clip them and strip them again.

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1. 1

   Prep the new fixture by removing drinking glass cover and bulbs. The wiring from the fixture should exist exposed and ready to be attached. It's sometimes helpful to gear up the new fixture on something to permit you to work on information technology without it hanging down, if possible, like the tiptop of a ladder.

   • The length of the exposed wire should match the manufacturer's recommendation for the wire nuts, unremarkably around three/8ths to ½ in of exposed wire.

2. two

   Connect the wires to the new fixture. The wires should be reattached in the same places every bit the old fixture, usually white to white, blackness to black, and ground (blank copper) to the metal junction box. Neutral wire–usually white–should be attached to neutral wire. Twist the wires two or iii times together clockwise, or the same direction you lot turn the wire nuts.

   • You can utilize either the old wire basics or the new ones provided with the fixture. To employ the wire nut, identify the stripped ends of each wire next to each other, with their points facing the same direction. Then place the wire nut over the ends and twist clockwise until the wires are secured inside the wire nut.

3. iii

   Brand certain no exposed wire is sticking out beneath the wire nuts. If there is, either remove the nut, trim the exposed cease, and replace the nut, or embrace with electrician's tape. Give a quick tug on each wire to make sure they're non going to come loose.^[7]

4. 4

   Fold all the wires dorsum gently into the junction box. Once all connections are made, gently tuck them back into the box as you're lifting the fixture upwards. Yous don't want to overstuff. Once the majority of your wires are in the box, you can loosely spiral in the fixture to the bracket. Once it's installed but not fully tightened, make sure you won't pinch any wires and tighten the fixture.^[8]

5. five

   Exam your piece of work. Once your fixture is installed to the bracket, you'll install the bulb following manufacturer's recommendations about the wattage.^[nine] Then you can flip on the circuit and check your work.

   • If information technology doesn't turn on, most likely culprit is a loose connexion. Check to make certain that the wires didn't come loose while you were tucking them into the box. As well, check that bulb is the proper blazon or that another switch isn't interfering with anything.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Don't you demand basis wires?

  

  Yeah. If they are not there, there are are screw mounts inside the box you may utilise, provided the box is grounded.

• Question

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

  

  In that location is no "right watt" for any light socket. Usually they take whatsoever watt bulb, you just decide what watt bulb to put in based on how bright y'all want the room to be.

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• E'er follow the instructions (if any) provided with the fixture.

• Most home comeback stores will show yous step by step in the store how to install any fixture, and some even have ready-ups to allow you try it yourself. 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, outside the US, brown and black.).

• Utilize pliers to twist the ends of the wires together earlier trying to spiral the wire nut on. This is specially helpful for houses with smaller judge (thicker) wires. Don't over-tighten because the wire-nuts will twist the wires fifty-fifty more and will run a risk breaking the wires if they are too tight.

• Always use the new hardware (if any) provided with the fixture. Don't utilize wire-nuts that are too loose or the wires will short and you will accept to set the faulty fixture later. Try keeping all the old wire-basics in your electric tool kit and using tighter wire basics than those that come up with the fixture when needed.

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• Use a step stool or a ladder to avert having to concord your easily above your head to work or your shoulders will get tired quickly.

• Take someone help you to hold the fixtures while you are working on the wiring. It is never a expert thought to have the apparatus hanging past the wires alone.

• Always turn off the excursion breakers to any apparatus you are working on. 120V (230V in the EU) can exist a nasty surprise when you grab a wire.

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Things You lot'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Electrician's record
• Step stool or ladder

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Commodity Summary 10

If you have a little electrical experience and a basic toolkit, y'all can supervene upon your quondam ceiling light socket yourself. E'er disconnect the power by flipping the room's circuit breaker before 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 it. 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 nuts. You don't want whatsoever exposed wires, since these tin be a hazard. Finally, screw your new fixture into the ceiling and exam it. For more than tips, including how to undo stiff wire basics, read on!

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Replace-a-Ceiling-Light-Socket

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