changing recessed light to surface motion sensor

[stormdog74]

I have two recessed lights above my front porch and I would like to replace them with two surface mounted motion sensing lights. What I want to know is if I can just disconnect the wires from the can to the lightbulb socket and attach them to the sensor. I am assuming the junction box is behind the can, but it would be difficult to mount that far up.

Also, there is not a ground wire showing in the can - I am assuming it is behind the can? It is a newer home, so I am assuming it is grounded. I am not sure if I need to ground the sensor somehow.

Any help would be greatly appreciated - thank you!

[John Nelson]

Remove the can (take out some screws on the inside of the can and pull it down). This will allow you to remove the wires from the existing junction box. The grounding wire will be in that junction box. Then you can install a new junction box for your new lights.

Don't just use the wires that connect to the lightbulb socket.

[stormdog74]

Thanks for the info. John - sorry it took so long to get back to thank you. I finally got around to this project!