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How
to move light fixture This page covers
moving a light fixture when access from attic is not
possible. For example first floor of two story
home etc.
The best way to move light is with access to attic above light so ceiling box can be moved. |
 Electrical
code: Note it is against code to cover any electrical box
with drywall or paneling etc that does not allow access for later
examination and/or repair. Tip: a box and
cover can be hidden from view by a smoke
detector as long as detector is located on ceiling or high up on wall
to detect rising smoke.Code also requires every box to have a matching, electrically-rated cover that is attached firmly in place. A light fixture is a type of cover. Homemade boxes and covers are not permitted. A box cannot be supported by the wire. All boxes and runs of wire must be attached to structure. Exceptions: 1) Old work box can be attached to drywall or firm siding. 2) Wires added to existing home can be run without attachment if there is no access, and wires are protected and cannot be disturbed by other activity, as shown on this page. Household wire must be rated 600 volt as printed on the wire. Extension cord is not permitted for permanent household wiring or concealed inside a wall, or pass through a hole in wall. Thermostat wire, bell wire, phone cable etc can never be used for 120-240 volt residential wiring. |
 Step
1:  Never
assume power is OFFUse non-contact voltage tester on timer, on wire, on outlet to see if power is present. Press button on tester, if single beep then no power is present. If continuous beep then power is present. Never stand on bare ground, always stand on dry boards, do not hold or touch anything metal when working around live power, tape tester leads to wood sticks, never touch wet appliance, or flooded appliance that is attached to live power, or touch electrical equipment that had a short or fire without turning power OFF. Buy: Klein testers Multimeters at Amazon Buy non-contact voltage tester at Amazon Electric testers at Amazon |
 Reasons for moving closet and
attic
light fixtures, including the following:1) Light bulb too near belongings can start a fire. 2) Better lighting: A light that is moved back can better illuminate shelves etc. 3) Light is in the way of a new cabinet door etc. 4) The bulb is hard to reach. 5) Light is not centered in room 6) New light fixture ... and ceiling box is in wrong place. |
| Tools |
 Tools used for projectTools include flashlight, cordless drill with assorted bits, hammer, screwdriver, chisel, putty blade, tape, toggle bolts, washers, assorted screws, 8-32 bolts, electrical tester (not shown), lineman pliers, wire stripper, pancake box, cable clamp, drywall saw, lengths of sheathed wire, twist-on wire connectors, utility knife with sharp blade, sponge, liquitex super heavy duty medium. Buy: Southwire sheathed cable Electrical tool kit |
| Instructions start here | |
 Steps1) Turn off power. Remove screws to light fixture. Screws for round and octagon boxes are usually 8-32. Save extra screws. Once the light drops down to give access to wires, test for power using non-contact voltage tester. Never assume power
is off. By code,
each box can only receive power from one circuit breaker.
However, not all wiring is code, and a second circuit might be present,
and power could be live from another breaker
2) Identify location of wires Typically a ceiling box will serve as a junction box and have sheathed cables entering from 2 or more sides. In this example, there is a single 600 volt sheathed cable with black, white, and ground wires entering box on one side. To make job easier, you want to identify a side of the box that has no wires, Why? You are going to cut through drywall and don't want wires in the way. If wires enter from 4 sides, then carefully cutting a larger hole in ceiling will probably help. 3) Identify the type of box so you can have the correct wire clamp on hand, such as 1/2" or 3/4". Some boxes have built-in clamp. The box shown in illustration has 1/2" knockouts with a 1/2" clamp. FYI: a 1/2" knockout is actually 3/4" diameter, while a 3/4" knockout is 1" diameter etc. Knowing the gauge of wire is necessary. Why? Do not use smaller wire. If incoming wire is 12 gauge, then use 12 gauge for new wire. Using smaller 14 gauge is not code unless existing wire is 14 gauge and breaker is 15 amp. |
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 4)
Cut drywallIn this case, the hole is going to be roughly 4" x 4", or about size of box. Larger hole might give easier wiring, but larger hole is harder to finish with matching texture. Important: The same piece of drywall will be used to re-fill the hole, so cut carefully. I suggest for this project that you avoid a square hole, since a square hole might be harder to put same piece back using technique shown on this page. Drywall saw is best tool for job, and causes less dust. Use hammer to push saw through drywall, then cut slowly to reduce dust and prevent cutting hidden pipe or wire etc. Wear respirator mask. Typically the cheap white dust mask is called a 'comfort mask' and does nothing to filter fine particles or paint fumes etc. Read label on mask. Buy: Drywall saw 90 minute fast dry mud |
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5) SAVE THE PIECE OF DRYWALL The easiest way to do drywall is to re-install same piece that was removed from opening. Why? It has the correct texture, is same size and fits the opening exactly without cutting. It allows a small piece to be removed without cutting big hole in ceiling. This project shows easy way to glue the piece back in place using liquitex medium, and using same medium to match texture. |
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6)
Remove knockout After hole is cut, identify type of knockout, or KO. -A plastic box will have a pre-made hole with built-in clamp. -Metal box with Round type KO Use screwdriver and hammer to strike lowest part from outside of box. KO bends inside box. Use linesman pliers to twist back and forth and KO comes loose. Waste nothing in life. Drill hole in blank to make fender washer. -Metal box with built-in wire clamp has a KO with slot that can be removed with screwdriver. Buy: Lineman pliers |
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7)
Cut small hole where you want new light. Hole should be large enough to insert wire, but small enough that toggle bolt can be used to hold pancake box to ceiling. The toggle bolt will hold new box to drywall and meet code, or cut 4" round hole for old-work-box if joist is not in way. A pancake box can be put exactly where you want. Putting box below a joist lets you screw into joist to hold box to ceiling. Possible problem: If there is a joist between the old and new boxes, then wire cannot slide across between holes. Cut a hole in the drywall just below the joist, then use saw, hole saw, or drill to notch the joist up 1-1/2". Cable must be up up 1-1/2" so use something to wedge it, like 2 screws angled in etc. Note: Lights were moved in 5 different closets for this project. Pictures were taken in each closet, and pictures might show slightly different holes and wire etc. |
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8)
Run wire between holes from small hole to large. You can shave down thickness of drywall inside the small hole using rasp or knife so wire enters at better angle. Bend wire to maximize odds of wire showing up at other hole. In this case there was paper-backed insulation above drywall. Tape was added over end of wire to blunt it from digging into paper, and the wire easily slid between drywall and insulation. If there is a problem, a middle hole can be added anywhere between small and large hole. Then push electrical wire from small hole over to middle hole. Use finger or plastic tie etc formed into a circle to reach up and grab the electrical wire and hold it down against drywall as you push over to big hole. Buy: Southwire sheathed cable Electrical tool kit |
  9)
Add cable clamp & push wire into box.Cable clamps are required by code to hold wire to box so wires cannot move. In this case, a plastic cable clamp was snapped into hole, then cable pushed into box. Another option: attach metal cable clamp onto wire before wire is pushed through KO opening. After wire and metal cable clamp are in position, then threaded nut can be tightened from inside of box. Buy: Cable clamp Snap in cable clamp |
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 Do not leave hole in ceiling boxFill empty knockouts with knockout seal Use metal or plastic Plastic is easier and cheaper. Homemade seal is not rated for electrical, and should not be used. Buy Knockout seal |
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 10) Remove lampholder and straighten wires 11) Strip back sheathing on new cable to expose wire. By code, at least 1" of sheathing must remain inside box. |
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12) Strip ends of wire,
then
twist wires very tight. Twisted wire is best choice. Apply twist-on wire connector so all copper wire is covered. Twist ground wires together with each other. Add connector to copper ground wires too. Plastic tape is not recommended, and can come loose. Pull twist-on connector to make sure it cannot come loose. Do not use solder. Solder is not permitted on 600 volt residential and commercial wiring since heat on wire can melt solder.  |
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14) Push
wires up into box If wires are twisted together, and wire connector is tested so it cannot come loose as previous step ... then you can easily rotate and fold wires up into box without problems. |
| Liquitex Medium | |
 Liquitex
heavy gel will be used to glue the
drywall piece after
it is wedged back into place, and then to match texture. Liquitex or Golden brand gels are typically used to build up surface of artist painting. Medium is excellent for gluing cardboard, paper and small pieces of wood, and great for household projects, crafts etc, ... drying fast with secure bond. I prefer matte finish vs gloss. The heavy or extra-heavy dry real fast, and are good for matching small areas of heavy texture. If ceiling does not have texture, the gel can be smoothed down flat, and a better choice might lighter weight gel. Buy Liquitex super heavy body gel |
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 |
Here
are supplies needed to put drywall back in place. Liquitex, described above will be the adhesive. Here's a trick. Drill hole in drywall and insert screw. Do not apply screw without drilling small hole or it will break drywall. The screw will be used to help hold the drywall for a minute while the Liquitex dries. The cardboard or piece of paper will be used to wedge against side of drywall when putting back into opening. Buy Liquitex super heavy body gel |
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Use cardboard or
piece of paper to
wedge against side of piece when putting back into opening. Note: This project moved lights in 5 closets. Slightly different techniques were used for each depending on electrical wires etc. Each closet had a different size and shape drywall piece. |
| Fix hole in drywall | |||
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15)
Install drywall piece The drywall piece is reinserted into the hole, and held in place by a piece of folded cardboard wedged along the left side. Gently adjust drywall piece using putty knife so it comes out flat against ceiling. Next, add 4 small dabs of Liquitex gel to corners. Liquitex gel dries fast, and the drywall piece was held solid after 2-3 minutes. This technique makes the drywall repair easy. The un-square shape of drywall piece helped hold it in place. Buy: Drywall screw assortment |
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 Overview
of work so far |
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 16) Add texture using Liquitex For texture, apply gel and smooth off immediately using putty knife. Buy Liquitex super heavy body gel  |
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| If ceiling does not have texture, Liquitex gel can be smoothed down flat, and a better choice might the lighter weight gel instead of heavy gel. With a smooth ceiling, you can use 90 minute mud to fill crack and lay down first coat. If drywall tape is used, suggest using fiber tape. The final coat of drywall compound can be pre-mixed mud. Pre-mix is slow to dry but sands smooth, and is good for matching smaller textures etc when mixed with paint. | Buy: Liquitex gel Drywall saw 90 minute fast dry mud |
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 17)
Next
step: Install pancake box |
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18)
Cut down clamp for pancake box A lampholder fits tight against any electrical box so if 1/2" pancake box is used, then use plastic cable connector and cut down on one side. The plastic cable clamp firmly holds the wire so it cannot pull out ... as required by code. ... But cutting down one side of plastic clamp lets wire make a 90 degree bend immediately after entering box, so lampholder can be installed flat on the pancake box. |
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19)
Prepare pancake box for installation Snap cut-down connector into knockout Set up toggle bolt Buy: Pancake box Old work ceiling box |
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20)
Install pancake box Note that a light fixture qualifies as a box cover since it seals the wiring cavity so air supply cannot feed a fire. On this particular light, the box location wasn't exactly right. To move the box slightly to the right, a slot was cut so toggle bolt was able to slid 3/4" to right, giving better position for finished light. The 14-2 cable matched the 14 gauge wire and 15 amp breaker that supplied power to circuit. |
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21) Surface mount box Note the pancake box is surface-mounted. Another option would be to install a full-sized round old-work box. Another trick is to locate pancake box over a ceiling joist ... then cut drywall so box is set directly against joist and flush with ceiling. For this job, a surface mount was easier, meets code and looked fine when completed. This box was located above a joist, so drywall screw was used in addition to toggle bolt. |
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 Lampholders By
code, electrical ratings
will appear on back of lampholder, giving maximum volts and watts, and
type of wire that can be used (CU copper vs AL aluminum).CU is copper wire and CU-CLAD is copper clad steel wire. These wires do NOT deform or come loose when installed under electrically-rated screws. Tighten screws firmly against wire. Do not use aluminum wire unless lampholder, outlet, switch etc are rated CU-AL. Electrician must be called when aluminum wire is used. Electrical device rated 250 volt, will work with 120 or 240 volt residential power, but not acceptable for higher commercial voltages such as 277 volt etc, Buy: Lampholder |
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22)
Connect light fixture If ground wire comes in contact with screw terminals, it can cause short circuit ... or hard-to-detect problem caused by grounded Neutral. To solve problem, the ground wire was cut shorter and put into the slot next to 8-32 screw hole and when light fixture was tightened onto box, it clamped the ground into place and away from screw terminals. To meet code, use needle nose pliers and make a hook on end of Hot and Neutral wires. Hook the Black Hot wire under brass colored screw. and hook the White Neutral under silver screw. The hook should be wrapped right to left so tightening the screw will tighten the hook. Don't use stranded wire under a screw terminal. Stranded wire can expand and contract with heat ... especially with a lampholder (or on heavy-amp circuit). The expansion and contraction will cause stranded wire to splay and come loose and start to arc. To solve problem, always use 600 volt solid copper wire for household projects. Connect stranded to solid copper using twist-on connector, then put solid copper under screw terminal. Buy: Lampholder |
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  By
code,
all metal boxes must be grounded. Wrap ground wire through one or both slots is best practice. |
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23)
Install lampholder Because the pancake box is only 1/2” deep, the bolts
for lampholder might be too long.To save time, 1/8 inch washers were added to longer bolt so they held the lampholder tight against box. By code, lampholders and lights must be tight and cannot be loose. Buy: 8-32 bolt assortment Washer assortment 90 minute fast dry mud |
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 The flat ceiling box cover came with standard 8-32 screws that were too short. Your electrical tool box is not complete without assortment of 8-32, 6-32 bolts along with drill bits and taps for each thread. Often when working with older electrical installations, particularly where exposed to exterior moisture, or with plastic boxes, the threads can get stripped out or be damaged. The solution is to drill slightly larger hole and tap new thread. And this trick can save replacing a box etc.  Buy: 8-32 bolt assortment 6-32 bolt assortment SAE Taps Tap handle Drill bit and tap all-in-one 9:51 |
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24)
Box cover A 'better-looking' repair can be made if a smoke detector was installed over the cover. This could be a battery-operated detector. You can drill holes into the metal cover and tap 8-32 thread and hang detector via 8-32 bolts with a 3/8" or 1/4" flat washer Another option would be to texture the cover plate and slightly countersink into ceiling. Since this repair was inside a closet, the cover plate looked fine, and a smoke detector was not installed. Buy: Smoke detector Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors |
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 25) Paint/ touch up texture if needed Last step, painting: In this case, the ceiling and cover plate were both painted with flat latex. The texture is not a perfect match, but looks fine when standing back looking at whole ceiling. Even though the texture didn't match perfectly, it was such a small and irregular-shape repair that it doesn't catch the eye like a bad texture match on large square piece of drywall. Other method of making textures would be a roller applying paint mixed with pre-mix drywall compound, or applying the pre-mix drywall compound with paint with putty blade. A hopper gun can be used for household textures, using a compressor and the pre-mix drywall compound mixed with paint. Some textures can only be matched by scraping whole ceiling and re-applying the texture mixed with paint to whole ceiling.
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Clean paint roller Clean paint roller using garden hose. Spray watter along edge of roller to get it spinning. Move the hose back and forth along the spinning edge to flush out the paint. |
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Baseboard cleaning tool Buy: Wood paint roller stick Mr. Longarm |
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Buy
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