Ask This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman clarifies the temperature rating system for ceiling lights and then installs one for a homeowner
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Time: 2-3 hours
Cost: $200
Skill Level: Expert
Tools List for Replacing a Ceiling Light:
Screwdriver [https://amzn.to/2tKpFWn]
Pliers [https://amzn.to/2Guemod]
Shopping List:
Temperature-Rated ceiling light [https://amzn.to/2TQwiRF]
NM-B cable [https://amzn.to/2v9sxwf]
Junction box [https://amzn.to/2Rm99oI]
Wire nuts [https://amzn.to/2RF7464]
Steps:
1. Heath starts by explaining why ceiling fixtures are temperature rated and what that means:
a. Houses built before 1985 used wires that could withstand temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius.
b. Certain lightbulbs generate more heat than 60 degrees, so over time, those wires could fray and crack, causing an arc, which could create a fire.
c. After 1985, they changed the code so that wires needed to be rated to withstand temperatures up to 90 degrees Celsius, which is common for most modern fixtures.
d. To determine which type of wiring you have, look at the cable.
i. Cloth wire is not rated for 90 degrees.
ii. Plastic wire with the words “Type NM” printed on them are rated up to 60 degrees.
iii. Plastic wire with the words “Type NM-B” printed on them are rated up to 90 degrees.
2. Shut the power off at the breaker.
3. Remove the old light fixture using a screwdriver. The wiring will need to be disconnected before pulling it from the ceiling.
4. Push the old wiring out through the box and into the ceiling.
5. Cut a section of the old wiring away from the fixture.
6. Wire the new NM-B cable to the old wiring inside of a junction box.
7. Fish the new cable through the electrical box and mount the electrical box to the ceiling.
8. Wire the new light to the new cable using a pair of pliers and wire nuts.
9. Mount the new light to the electrical box on the ceiling.
10. Turn the power back on.
Resources:
Heath installed the 12-inch Oil Rubbed Bronze 2-Light Ceiling Light, manufactured by Hinkley Lighting [https://amzn.to/2RmFoUH].
Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Eaton and Eastman Electric (http://www.eatonandeastmanelectric.com/).
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How to Safely Replace a Ceiling Light | Ask This Old House
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View Comments
I'm really glad the last Q & A part happened. It cleared a lot of the questions I had
Shitty light fixture and no light output either the bulbs is using
4:15 is where I drop the screw onto the floor ten times.
To all these "professionals" in the comment section, could you please share a link to your video of you "doing it correctly".
Sh1tty Chinese light fixture, what could go wrong?
When you see the old-style cloth wiring how old is it before you need a full rewire?. All wire brakes down over time, and I was told you needed to replace all wire that is over 25 years old.
Is NM-B also printed on the conductor insulation (not just the sheathing)? Sheathing isn’t usually visible in this situation.
The wiring standard is a little different in Canada. In Canada, it is called NMD (Non Metallic Dry) cable. NMD-1 (no ground) and NMD-3 (with ground) are rated for 60 C, NMD-6 is rated for 75 C, and NMD-7 (Later renamed NMD 90) is rated at 90 C. There also exists NMD-7 wire with cloth sheathing, which can be hard to distinguish from NMD-3. The text on the cable will indicate the temperature rating.
My only question is: Why did he feel the need to replace the existing light box? With plenty of access above, why not just push the existing wires out of the existing box, make your connections in the new junction boxes, and feed your new switch-leg wire into the existing box and pop penny blanks in the unused holes? He didn't say anything about the existing box needing to be replaced.
Crawl space? Time to log into homestars