# Changing a light fixture



## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

All right, I'll be the first to admit, I'm just plain scared of electricity.
I've been zapped enough times (wet hands, wallpaper, razor blade, cutting around outlets, you get my drift) to have a healthy respect for it, and generally don't mess with it. But, when I do small stuff around the house, I usually kill the breaker in the fuse box so I don't prematurely straighten my hair out. 

This instance is different. This light fixture is in my workshop, which is basically a 12' X 24' public storage unit. My light has been out for several months now, and I'm tired of waiting for their dillhole maintenance guy to come replace it. My problem is I obviously can't kill the breaker on this. I pulled it down tonight an noticed its just 2 wires, I assume a hot and ground. Can I gently and carefully replace this myself without frying? Any tips like 'hook up hot before ground', or anything? Please help, I'm tired of looking for crap in the dark. TIA


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Well, let me first say that the breaker might already be tripped. The lights in these storage units are often all (or many) on the same breaker. Guys try to live (ie -cook with a microwave, watch TV, etc.) in these storage units. Some try to run power tools in them, like a table saw, all powered from their lone light fixture. This is why many public storage units don't have light fixtures at all. I say this to simply inform you that the fixture might not be the problem. 

Can you change it out, carefully, without getting shocked? Yes, you probably can. I certainly could, and do so on a regular basis. Could you also try to change it, being as careful as you can, and still end up shocking yourself anyhow? Yes, that is certainly a possibility.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

Well, I know the breaker isn't tripped as there is another fixture right down from it on the same conduit, and it works fine. The string pull mechanism in this one is broke, hence the need to replace. So, are you saying I should hire a licensed electrician to do this? :whistling


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

ProWallGuy said:


> So, are you saying I should hire a licensed electrician to do this? :whistling


No, I was just covering my butt. You saying you're scared of electric causes me to do so. I say get someone to change it out who's confident in their ability to do it safely. If this fixture was on a non-metallic box on a drywall ceiling, I might tell you to have a ball. This is on a metallic box, supported by a metal bar joist. That increases your chances of getting bit or throwing a little fire. 

Those plastic lampholders are crap anyhow. Get one made of porcelain for better service.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

That one is actually porcelain, but most likely the cheapest money can buy. 
And I am fairly confident to be able to do it, just looking for any heads up to look out for if I did decide to change it out with a live breaker.


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

Wear some leather gloves...get r' done.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Okay, here's how I change a lampholder when the circuit is hot...

1) remove the terminal screws on the old fixture the whole way and let them fall on the floor. This keeps you from wrangeling with the hooked wires to get them off the terminal screws. 

This type of fixture, since it has no receptacle in it, wiill only have a white and black. White to the silver screw, black to the gold screw.

3) Grasp the white wire by the insulation and hook it on the new fixture and tighten the screw, If the hook is closed too much, hold the wire by the insulation and open the hook a bit with a pair of insulated handle needle nosed pliers.
4) repeat process with black wire. 
5) reinstall fixture, being careful not to touch terminals to the box or any installed ground wire while you're lining the fixture up to the box.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

Thanks much, that's what I was lookin for.
If I don't come back, something went horribly wrong. :jester:


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## RobertWilber (Mar 5, 2006)

*oh yeah ...*

don't forget to use a fiberglass ladder to stand on ..


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## giddonah (Mar 3, 2005)

First, I'd make sure the wires were even hot. Use a volt meter or a non-contact voltage detector. You could have more than one circuit in the conduit. I doubt it's the case here, but you never know. It'd be frustrating to replace a perfectly good fixture only to have the new one not work too.


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## CE1 (Dec 30, 2005)

RobertWilber said:


> don't forget to use a fiberglass ladder to stand on ..


And don't forget your pair of muckluks AND

View attachment 2664



:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## ron schenker (Dec 11, 2005)

Hey PWG...How many painters does it take to change a porcelin light fixture in a workshop?

Just 1 if he calls an electrician:laughing:


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

ron schenker said:


> Hey PWG...How many painters does it take to change a porcelin light fixture in a workshop?
> 
> Just 1 if he calls an electrician:laughing:


I know the struggle. It's a hard pill to swallow to pay an electrician 50-60 bucks to spend 5 minutes changing a 3 dollar lampholder. But, that's business.


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## CE1 (Dec 30, 2005)

mdshunk said:


> I know the struggle. It's a hard pill to swallow to pay an electrician 50-60 bucks to spend 5 minutes changing a 3 dollar lampholder. But, that's business.


If I lived nearby I would have a cardboard sign that would say:

I work for beer!


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

CE1 said:


> And don't forget your pair of muckluks AND
> 
> View attachment 2664
> 
> ...


Good - Luck , And may the FORCE be with you!:laughing:


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## 415moto (Jun 6, 2006)

this is going to sound dumb, but on a live hot line, you can just unscrew it with a screwdriver..and not get shocked?
Like alot of other people I fear electric and I always cut the breakers if I do work.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

415moto said:


> this is going to sound dumb, but on a live hot line, you can just unscrew it with a screwdriver..and not get shocked?
> Like alot of other people I fear electric and I always cut the breakers if I do work.


Yeah, that's the basic way to do it. People often seem to brush against the hot wire and get shocked, or bump the skinned end of the hot wire on the metal box and throw a little fire. Doing hot work isn't exactly what makes OSHA happy.


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## 415moto (Jun 6, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Yeah, that's the basic way to do it. People often seem to brush against the hot wire and get shocked, or bump the skinned end of the hot wire on the metal box and throw a little fire. Doing hot work isn't exactly what makes OSHA happy.



How come electricty wont flow through the wire, into the screw, and up through the screwdriver and into me?

Heres another question MD, how do you disconnect a live feed wire between the Riser and main power feed? I figured youd have to have the power company turn it off before you can handle it. I asked one of our elec. subs, but he didnt know and said the boss always does it. Guess for good reason.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

415moto said:


> How come electricty wont flow through the wire, into the screw, and up through the screwdriver and into me?.


Because your screwdriver has a plastic handle. Plastic is an insulator. Are you seriously that puzzled about this? Or are you just tired? 



415moto said:


> Heres another question MD, how do you disconnect a live feed wire between the Riser and main power feed? I figured youd have to have the power company turn it off before you can handle it. I asked one of our elec. subs, but he didnt know and said the boss always does it. Guess for good reason.


How? With a pair of wire cutters. Seriously. One hot wire at a time, tape the cut end of the service drop hot wires as you cut them. Leave the neutral connected to the service bail so the drop doesn't fall. Far, far from a DIY task.


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## 415moto (Jun 6, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Because your screwdriver has a plastic handle. Plastic is an insulator. Are you seriously that puzzled about this? Or are you just tired?
> 
> How? With a pair of wire cutters. Seriously. One hot wire at a time, tape the cut end of the service drop hot wires as you cut them. Leave the neutral connected to the service bail so the drop doesn't fall. Far, far from a DIY task.



haha, that is simple enough. To be honest I never stopped to think about it. Ive always turned off power if I needed to work. But duh, the plastic insulates.:laughing:


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