How to Wire for a New Ceiling Light | All About Lights | Ask This Old House
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- Ask This Old House electrician Scott Caron installs a new switch and ceiling fixture for a homeowner.
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Time: 2 hours
Cost: $100
Skill Level: Expert
Tools List for Wiring a New Ceiling Light:
Oscillating saw
Pliers
Drill
Shopping List:
LED light fixture
Electrical mounting box
Electrical single gang box
Electrical wire
Wire nuts
Electric staples
Fish tape
Electrical tape
Madison bars
Light switch
Light switch cover
Steps:
1. Before doing any electrical work, always shut off power to the house at the main breaker.
2. Trace the mounting box on the ceiling where the light fixture will be mounted.
3. Cut out the traced hole with an oscillating saw.
4. Determine a location for the light switch. It should be 48” from the floor.
5. Trace the electrical box for the switch and cut it out the same way as the mounting box.
6. Locate a source of power for the switch, either at a junction box or at the main electrical panel.
7. Connect the electrical wire to your source of power using the pliers and wire nuts and fish it through the joists until it reaches the light switch. Secure the wire to the joists with electric staples.
8. Drill through the floor in the correct stud bay and send the wires for the switch and the light up to the switch using the fish tape.
9. Mount the electrical box with Madison bars in the wall and wire the switch.
10. Screw the switch into the box and then cover it with the cover plate.
11. Cut a temporary access hole in the wall and fish wires from the fixture mount in the ceiling to the temporary hole, and then from the temporary hole through the joist back down to the basement where the switch was wired.
12. Mount the electrical box in the ceiling with more Madison bars and screws.
13. Wire the new fixture in the box and mount it to the ceiling.
14. Patch the wall where the temporary hole was cut.
15. Turn the power back on.
Resources:
Scott installed the "Boxie" ceiling-mounted LED fixture, manufactured by Tech Lighting (www.techlightin....
Basic electrical items like switch boxes, ceiling boxes, 14 gauge Romex wire, and switches can be found at a home center or electrical supply house.
Expert assistance with this project was provided by Caron Electric (www.caronelectr...) and Wolfers Lighting (www.wolfers.com/).
Keywords: This Old House, How-to, home improvement, DIY, Scott Caron, electrical, Ask This Old House, repair, lighting
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How to Wire for a New Ceiling Light | All About Lights | Ask This Old House
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Now for the first time she doesn't have to stumble through a dark room to turn the light on. A electrical feature the rest of us have enjoyed for about 70 years.
speak for yourself! I have three light switches in my four bedroom two bathroom home. pull cords everywhere!
1:31-1:41 Anyone else heard the beautiful music played by the oscillating saw?
Haha awesome 👏 I was thinking the same thing....like did homeboy just make a song?
In a warehouse where i used to work they had a pneumatic wrench, which had a little speed lever. Could kind of play guitar on it with that aggresive pneumatics noise LOL
It sounded like it was singing!
Sounds like a Disney cruise horn battle
Igorov Maior deadass came down here to type 😂😂😂😂😂
Scott's saw was a musical instrument!
I like how he just puts the box on the ceiling without any measuring,
it's already been pre-marked you can see some pencil lines on there
Yeah, he just happened to stick it on the ceiling and it was perfectly centered, just like that!
@@johnames6430 i surely hope so. Id be pissed to have a light installed off center. OCD activate.
I love this old house! I watched it when I was 5 and I still watch it at age 19!
God I feel old, same thing, watched them when I was 5 and now that I’m 30 in my first home. :p
Watched as a kid, and am now in my 30's. Those were great mornings every weekend. Miss the Yankee Workshop too.
@nick sawv same here except i am in my 20s
Same here
Nick Sawv same but I'm ten
The way he is just snaking wires so easy I wish it was like that in real life ...
I bet they spent an hour or two investigating the best way. It also helps that they have basements in that part of the country. In my world, there are no basements so it's either attic or cut holes.
@Abdul Rahman lmao use a battery operated closet light dumbo. They last a longggggggggggg time. I change mine once or twice a year.
Ronan B what’s the brand/kind you use?
Abdul Rahman lol right
Abdul Rahman whoa
How to install a ceiling light in a room in a house that is from the 40's. Step one make a hole in your ceiling that is probably not the center of the room or lined up with anything. Cut in a switch box anywhere on a wall and not locate the studs first. Make sure you use commercial box's with F tabs they make it really easy. Get power from just any random junction box that does not supply power to that room, which makes finding the breaker fun. Run your switch and hot wires after you make them up in a box so you can waste more wire. Don't worry about removing the switch tabs 6:04 , so on a pop-in box your plate will just stick off the wall. Don't worry about finding a way to run the switch leg through a attic or other access, just cut a hole in your wall. Use a pop-in box in your ceiling, it will hold a ceiling fan when they decide they hate the ugly light. Last thing make sure your electrician fixes the hole he cut in the drywall, you'll never notice the patch!
My point is for gods sake if your going to make "How to Videos" and your a "Professional", at least do things correctly and don't leave out important details!
As a residential electrician with ten plus years of experience, as well as a professional troll on the internet, I can tell you that it is ALWAYS this easy and no skill is required. You could literally wire your whole house after watching this video. Just remember to have fun doing it. Your kids will be pulling wire in no time! Good luck! 👍
StrangerOf The206 Amazing how easy fishing wires is in old houses.
you forgot /S
@@johnholfelder6724 Yes if nobody has blown the walls and attic full of insulation then it becomes a much harder job to do .
I'm pretty sure the second half of this tutorial can be found on the Hub 🙃
Lmfao
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING
"I love it - how do I get it up" - lady -- LOL love it! (1:15)
are you 9 years old?
He ain't no lady. And I am not talking about Scott.
😀
good thing he checked for joists in the ceiling before he cut!!
He can use a pancake box if he ends up hitting a joist.
Matthew Wong no pancake can hold that little square he puts in last
Antonio villa they can
I wish the video showed more about the shutting down the electricity and the actual wiring done to connect things.
Nice install. Never heard of "madison bars" before. We have 3 external lights that are really LED panels--we like them (though they do have an industrial/commercial look, which wouldn't suit everyone).
Take a shot everytime she says "that sounds great"
Not trying to die of alcohol poisoning over here
@@AndyMartin51 LMAAOOOOO
Of coarse, they did not mention this-----turn the power off before you do this. This should always be made as step 1.
My man definitely looked at it and 100% said "You got a light bulb"
Lmao what’s with T-Pain at 1:30
Good video as always but don't like that he cuts through the main beam to pass wires. The beam already showing signs of wear and tear and lost strength over the years.
Next home owner installs a ceiling fan from that box.
to be honest this is dumbest light installation ever seen.
They are gonna get a hair cut with that roof hight if they add a fan
That's their problem.
😂😂😂😂😂
Haha that would suck
Pro Tips: NEVER use a power tool to cut blindly into sheetrock. You could easily cut through a concealed wire. Instead, use a hand held keyhole saw. Also, do not use those metal boxes with those flimsy metal mounting straps. It is much better to use "old work" plastic boxes that will mount securely to the sheetrock. .
No always use metal boxes for fans but using f clips for ceiling box is dumb cause some one who don’t know could install a fan there so either find a stud and screw ur box onto that or use the box I forget what it’s called where you can unscrew the side to bit it in the wood
That’s not always the case, here in Chicago Romex isn’t allowed nor are plastic boxes and we run into more plaster than drywall, so everything has to be metal, the Madison hangers are ok for switches but we don’t use them for outlets, we use a metal box with expanding ears. I do certainly wish we could use Romex as it would be soooo much easier but it’s not Chicago code.
those oscillating saws have about as much chance of cutting something as a jab saw. Actually less of a chance as you don't need to go as far into the wall. His method was just fine.
@@chrisburns5691 I agree with you. As a homeowner, I just used an oscillating saw to do some old work in my house for the first time. Those saws give you a great amount of control to stay within the lines.
@@AStanton1966 I have used one routinely at work for years for this purpose, never an issue.
So when it burns out you get to replace the whole thing! Totally worth it
They're rated for like 20000 hours. Which is 10 years if you use it 8 hours a day. Seems pretty reasonable.
@@scottkurtz5167 whats reasonable is the 70 year old porcelain ceiling fixture that hangs in your basement that can still be modernized with a replaceable led bulb!
After factoring cost led starts making less and less sense when you start using expensive expendable fixtures like these.
This true and since they are made In China 🇨🇳 Good Luck if it lasts more than 2 yrs! 🤨
@@TisiphoneLuv I have had led bulbs last me only 3 months before so you would be lucky if it lasts a year or a year and a half.
Quite the improvement, only thing I’d change is a nicer light fixture for the space.
The wall construction is unlike anything I have seen. how did he get the fish tape through the header stud at the top of the wall? Is there one? 6:10
This was so good to watch. Just what I was looking for! Thanks!
“We have.... are you ready for this?!?!?
LIGHT EMITTING DIODES!!!!”
Ah yes, the good old days.
Instablaster
As a UK electrician I can't believe how different things are done in the US.
This guy is a hack. Not a good representation of north american electrical systems at all.
It's my understanding that plumbing is vastly different, too. I'm baffled by the complexity of uk toilets, especially the old ones.
@@AMD1 a hack lol???? The only thing I would have done differently is use plastic old work boxes. Otherwise there's 0 difference.
I’m curious- how exactly would you say they are different?
The lady is cute, one big advantage from building houses the way you do in America to the way we do in mainland Europe is that you can add electricity relatively easy . Here i would have to hack out masonry and concrete to get conduit in to get a new light fixture somewhere
Richard de leeuw Most states in the US make you put in conduit. In the 2013 US code book all new power must be run through conduit
Carl Shaw that is not true...
Conrad S depending on what NEC year the town people are working in depends on the code used. Anything after 2011 must be run with conduit.
You're telling me every single wire must be run through conduit? I'm sorry that is baloney.... wire only needs to be in conduit when it is exposed to potential damage....
Well I'm just telling you what m the NEC says. It just depends on your city or town inspectors and what NEC codes they use.
that’s how you do it!! No measuring or anything, just get it done!
not sure if the electrical junction box in the basement had it or not couldnt see it well in the video but It def needs to be grounded and by code the screw in the switch box should have been green and a separate wire not the wire off the romex. And just my opinion but always put a ceiling box rated for a fan up because if they get tired of that light and want a ceiling fan its def not gonna hold.
I would have put in a rafter bar
Fan hanger
Personally, if I was going through the trouble of running new switch legs, I'd install 4 LED recessed lights to have nice even lighting throughout the room instead of the glare that a single light source would have. At the very least, put in a flexible track so they can light up art work and make it look more modern. The single light in the middle is so 1970's. With the switch location, you don't put it in the middle of the wall. That's precious space for art work. You always put it on the side. Scott is a good electrician but has very poor taste in fixtures and lighting design.
I have some old work boxes with built in tabs. You just twist them with a screwdriver and the ears pin it to the drywall. No need for the madison bars.
Lol that's so horrible... lm glad he helped her out. She really needed it.
6:12 good thing her ceiling joists run parallel to the wire
Probably could've continued up from the switch if that wasn't the case.
Good guy, they should bring him back on the show
Wait! Was I the only one that didn't hear him say "cut the power first" especially since he stuck a screw driver in that box?????
Ask This Old House needs more episodes with Scott
Nice, an electrical video! The most controversial of all TOH videos... * Grabs popcorn *
I've gotten used to plastic remodel boxes with fold out ears.
CZcamsaholic2 they are called old work boxes
a bit cheesy but I learned some things. Awesome video!
She's dressed just like Scott.
Part ll Repairing drywall hole with hot mud
It is an advantage when the walls and ceilings are made of wood! Nice work. Question why there is no point on the ceiling from the beginning of construction for the installation of a luminaire?
The house, based on the style of the molding and height of the ceiling, was likely built before the common use of electricity in the home
Next home owner named Madison hangs a ceiling fan and realizes that thing is held up by only Madison bars..
question: I noticed he used the metal box with that madison bar. Why not use an existing work box that has the self tightening levers already included? I imagine their was a reason for the route he went when he chose that option.
Tbh not really like In Canada we only use metal boxes but use it f clips was dumb for the wall it doesn’t matter but using f clips for the room was dumb
Yet again another job for the roto zip saw on that light box, man I love the roto zip!!
johnny feathers I don’t think that’s a roto zip. It’s an oscillating tool.
I would let the customer choose a light. The technician only needs to do the technical things. If you have a bit to spend i would suggest to go for Philips Hue. I never touch any lightswitch. During workweek lights come on at 6 in the morning, if i come home all the lights (hallway, living room, kitchen counter, etc) turn on with sensor, in evening at 10pm they dim graduatly down towards 10:30pm. You can program it any way you want and any color per bulb.
I agree it's the homeowners choice, but let's not forget the installer is also the first person who gets blame for poor quality fixtures the homeowner picked.
I have no doubt the homeowner picked the light, this is a scripted show after all...
philips is expensive though. there are much cheaper smart bulbs or switches that do the same thing.
Blox117 I have no experience with other makes, but before going for them i would first watch some reviews about the specific brands. Maybe they lack quality in some way. But everyone should go for their own budget of course.
Richard van Pukkem philips is really expensive if you replace all the lights in your home, especially if your home has a lot of lights! the biggest concern I have about ALL smart appliances is this: what happens after a few years when the manufacturer's servers go down? then there is no way for you to communicate from an app to your smart appliance
I have never heard of Madison bars but I have used thousend of " F" clips
They are called battleships around my parts.
C clips in Australia
If I were you I would add a fan rated brace type box so it is future proofed and the ceiling won’t fall if a fan goes up
Same
This is so easy. I will soon have lights everywhere...
Yeah.... call an electrician.
@Abdul Rahman It was to me. I enjoyed it.
@@senorjalapeno3937 There was no need.
@@senorjalapeno3937 what if you know what you are doing?
Great youtube channel my friend 👏🏻😊
This old house is interesting 😏
Dimmer switch would have been nice
Why not just use a remodel box? AKA Cut in Box. Ive never used one of those Madison bars he showed
daniel kofman I’ve used them for the switch box, but never for a light fixture , even one of those lightweight LED fixtures. Whenever possible, I’ve always used a fan box to mount overhead lights. You never know if someone will want to change out a fixture
My house is actually insulated and the tops of my walls have something called a top plate in them.
I'm assuming above this light was another floor, otherwise they could've ran the wire from the attic.
This is a great and informative video.
Just noticed too that he called the sub panel the main panel one more thing too.. He should have made sure that the 14 Guage wire was protected with a 15 amp breaker not on a 20 however we can assume the he did that already for the sake of the nec. So many code issues might want to rethink their electrical series
Name one “code issue” that you saw
From the cut away of the switch looks like points from an old engine like a Briggs or v8
Nice job. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hello I bought 2 led lights that have a short cord that can be plug in outlet with on and off switch, but it also comes with cable that can be wired. It's nice that this can be plug in outlet and haclve an on and off switch. The problem is that cord is only 2 ft long.
I have a ceiling fan with light in garage. I control it with light switch from inside house. If I decide to wire the two new led lights can i tap it from ceiling fan? That way when I flip light switch on it will turn on ceiling fun and new led lights too? Do I have to get into attic to do this?
he's the best i love this channel
Good work Scott. If I was you, I would have installed a ceiling fan box there. There is many DIY homeowners out there and that box you showed us wont support a fan and its a lawsuit waiting to happen if someone gets injured. I always think about the future. Sure it costs more but in the end, its flexible.
Nope they just gotta change the box if they want a heavier light
A professional would know that this box cannot support a ceiling fan. The electrician put in the correct style box based on what it would be used for, a very lightweight fixture.
If a homeowner came along and decided to install a ceiling fan there, and then it fell a day later and hurt someone or whatever, the electrician isn't responsible, it's the fault of the installer, which in this case is the homeowner. Not sure how you could file a lawsuit against yourself, lol.
Could he have gone ahead and installed a heavy duty bracket? Certainly. Was he being paid to do so? No. Things like this are usually discussed beforehand. And if someone wanted to change it to a box that could, it really wouldn't be that difficult.
So who patched the hole in the upper wall?
Enjoyed it, thank you.
So what do you do if you don't have a basement or an attic?
you'll have to fish wire from existing socket to the new switch box to hole on top of the wall and from there to the light cutout. However, if there are some studs and joists running perpendicular to path the fish tape, you'll have to make a cut out of drywall at each of those locations to drill and pull wire through. In other words, this video makes it look like cake walk, where as in real life it's nothing but.
How will The next homeowners put up a ceiling fan the box is just gonna come right out along with the fan
Do American electricians really just find any old random junction box and take power for a lighting circuit??
In the UK we have dedicated lighting and power circuits. And a reduced current limiter (fuse) is needed if you HAVE to do this.
I know Americans use radials but mixing and matching lighting and power circuits?
Not "real" electricians! :(
It’s ALWAYS this easy try it out, if you come back with spikey hair and a red mark on your hand DONT WORRY! Just means it works 👍🏻🙂
1:30 my favorite song ❤️
This song is actually fancy
The oscillating saw sounded like WALL-E
I've been thinking about this for the last month. Thanks for the video!
The lamp had personality.
When did Steve Wilkos become an Electrician?
I prefer the old light.
So, a driver is the power adapter between the 14 gauge and 18 gauge?
Can anyone else hear that fancy music playing at 1:31 and 1:39
U never showed where the wire got power from to the ceilings
He did at 3:02
How did the fish tape get down through the stud top plate to the access hole?
'How To' question; Can I install a junction box near my single light fixture (over my island) to tap into it, to install 2 additional ceiling pendant fixtures?
Why do that when you can just tap into the existing light, no need to make a junction box when the box that the light is in, is basically a junction box
Ok, but you didn't show us how to do the wiring in that box, not very helpful...
I need to buy some Madison bars...
Madison bars are so old school. I am a pro and do still keep them on my truck but only for when I need them, like with BX cable. I mice prefer to work with plastic old work boxes.
@@electricalron everything done in the US is old school.
@Abdul Rahman yeah, but what if you have a plastic box holding a ceiling fan? I have that problem and I need to change it out with a ceiling fan rated box. the box holding my ceiling fan is a plastic switch box and it could fall at any time.
How about a ceiling fan install in same situation
where did that light come from - looks nice
Something not clear?? How you the light on now ??! And you didn’t counter to the switch??
Is there no regulation in the US to how much weight a ceiling fixture must hold? In Europe its 25kgs
seymour butz yeah there is I’m not sure how much but if your installing a fan or heavy light you have to screw a metal box not plastic to the studs so the fan or heavy light won’t fall
They make different junction boxes for different things. They make heavier duty metal ones that support up to a 75 lb fan, for instance. It depends on the application.
after i'm done the light and i'm light you up too
And now the next unsuspecting homeowner who goes to replace that light fixture with a ceiling fan will end up with it on the floor when the whole junction box falls through; hopefully not on a child or pet. If you are putting in a ceiling box, please go all the way and anchor it to the rafters/beams/joists. The extra two dollars and five minutes to future proof is worth it.
thats if you are dumb enough to assume a light fixture could support a fan.
@@Blox117 the last owners of my house decided to use a light switch box to hold the ceiling fan in my room. It really scares me to know a light switch box is holding up my ceiling fan and it can fall any day now so I am gonna be replacing it VERY soon.
This guy ever hear of a Stud Finder.
I never attach electrical boxes to Sheetrock. Wait tell someone goes to install a ceiling fan. Or the light switch wiggles loose after a few years. Do it right the first time.
Eh. I would use them for a light switch. But never for something that hangs from the ceiling. I always try to attach ceiling boxes to structure.
I concur with the issue about the ceiling box; but, he should have used old work box for the switch. Those don't generally come loose because the brace is part of the box and screwed in at installation.
Sometimes the light needs to go into a place where there is no beam, and the light fixture is also not heavy. I like to use the plastic blue round cut in boxes for light weight applications.
Mike Holmes would have gutted the entire house.
Shannon Lawson No, that would be Matt Riser lol
lmfao!
Fantastic video! Great job, Scott!
Next homeowner installs a second switch because they forgot one by the kitchen so a new 2 new switches for dimmer and so ten they don't have to walk there.
This Old House ceiling looks so low.
Are there any differences adding a light to the kitchen?
No not really but i would never use f clips on a ceiling box because if someone put a have fixture or fan on it without checking ur screwed but for the wall box it doesn’t matter if you screw it to a stud or use f clips a switch and plug are very light
Speaking of outlet design, I saw some good features of those European outlets. I know, blasphemy, but the design was rock solid.
why didn't he use Old Work Box and Round Old Work Ceiling Box
You have to use metal old work boxes for commercial electrical work, maybe its what he had in the truck.
He did.
John Kurkowski no he didn't that residents not commercial there a big different
Probably what he had with him
Great episode. Was her ceiling low or is Scott that tall? He did everything without a ladder.lol Patch job everything. I like Scotts work.
BigLove101 yes
Do they not have attics up north?
Gotta be nice to be like a baby giraffe and just reach up to work on the ceiling.
Big like 👍 👍 👍
I'm so glad he isn't on the show any more. In all my years of electrical work, If I was hiring, I believe that the only place his job application would be would be in the trash can.
Why
@@electricaf365 it's pure laziness to use Madison straps on an octagon. You know darn well the next home owner is going to hang a heavier light if not a ceiling fan not understanding or knowing how it's held up and I think you can figure the rest out. Should have used an old work fan box with the expanding bar.
@@gregorall9779 wouldn’t that be the next owner’s responsibility to brace it before putting in a ceiling fan?
@@electricaf365 You're assuming that the next homeowner is going to be aware of how it's secured. Personally, I would want to have it done correctly, not just the cheap, easy way. I just don't care for this gentleman's work ethic. In past episodes he has performed certain tasks, that to me, seemed the quick, let's get it done mentality.
learned about madison bars. grateful for that ;)