Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Need help with recessed lighting
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Need help with recessed lighting
Joeyjoejoe
01-07-06, 02:17 PM
In my basement (which is completely finished), I got two recessed flood lights which are the only lights in a big room. I want to make the room brighter without adding in a bunch of lamps.
I opened up one of the recessed lights and noticed that there is no ground wire and the hole for the light is bigger than most light fixtures.
So keeping in mind that I really have no clue of what I'm doing and I'm proned to messing things up, how can I change the recessed light fixture to just a regular 3 bulb fixture?
Any suggestions?
I opened up one of the recessed lights and noticed that there is no ground wire and the hole for the light is bigger than most light fixtures.
So keeping in mind that I really have no clue of what I'm doing and I'm proned to messing things up, how can I change the recessed light fixture to just a regular 3 bulb fixture?
Any suggestions?
John Nelson
01-07-06, 05:30 PM
What do you mean when you say that you "opened up one of the recessed lights"? Exactly what did you open up?
Do you have a drop ceiling or a drywalled ceiling?
In what year was your basement finished?
In what city do you live?
Do you have a drop ceiling or a drywalled ceiling?
In what year was your basement finished?
In what city do you live?
frhrwa
01-07-06, 08:17 PM
probably an old old fixture with the large mogul bulb fixture.. ? got a digital camera? snap a pic for reference..
Joeyjoejoe
01-07-06, 10:46 PM
What do you mean when you say that you "opened up one of the recessed lights"? Exactly what did you open up?
-I just opened up the fixture, so the housing is still in the ceiling and the wires are exposed.
Do you have a drop ceiling or a drywalled ceiling?
-drywalled
In what year was your basement finished?
-2003
In what city do you live?
-Toronto
The house itself is about 20 years old, but the light fixtures are fairly new.
I found some pictures of the housing and light online. They are 6" diameter:
Light (http://images.lampsplus.com/images/37078.fpx?cell=330,330&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg)
Housing (http://images.lampsplus.com/images/37070.fpx?cell=330,330&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg)
In order to get the housing out, I'm going to have to cut a hole in the ceiling (which I want to avoid). Is it possible to keep the housing there and just just attach the wires (which are part of the housing) to a new fixture. If so I got another problem... which is trying to find a way to secure the new fixture to the housing.
Am I just asking for a fire... or for the housing and fixture to come trashing down one day, since I really can't tell how secure the housing is to the ceiling and probably wasn't designed to take on the added weight of a fixture?
-I just opened up the fixture, so the housing is still in the ceiling and the wires are exposed.
Do you have a drop ceiling or a drywalled ceiling?
-drywalled
In what year was your basement finished?
-2003
In what city do you live?
-Toronto
The house itself is about 20 years old, but the light fixtures are fairly new.
I found some pictures of the housing and light online. They are 6" diameter:
Light (http://images.lampsplus.com/images/37078.fpx?cell=330,330&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg)
Housing (http://images.lampsplus.com/images/37070.fpx?cell=330,330&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg)
In order to get the housing out, I'm going to have to cut a hole in the ceiling (which I want to avoid). Is it possible to keep the housing there and just just attach the wires (which are part of the housing) to a new fixture. If so I got another problem... which is trying to find a way to secure the new fixture to the housing.
Am I just asking for a fire... or for the housing and fixture to come trashing down one day, since I really can't tell how secure the housing is to the ceiling and probably wasn't designed to take on the added weight of a fixture?
John Nelson
01-08-06, 10:24 AM
You didn't open up enough of the fixture to discover anything meaningful. To see the grounding connection, you need to remove the whole can from the ceiling. Contrary to your current belief, the housing can be removed from the ceiling without any drywall damage. You should see a few screw heads near the bottom of the can. Remove them and the can will drop out of the ceiling.
And it wasn't necessary to take anything apart inside the can itself. So you should put all that back together before you forget how.
Once you get the housing out, you'll have access to all the wiring. This will allow you to add more fixtures. If you add more fixtures in the same joist cavity as existing lights, and if you use "remodel" cans, this job will be pretty easy.
Obtain and read three books on home wiring before doing anything.
And it wasn't necessary to take anything apart inside the can itself. So you should put all that back together before you forget how.
Once you get the housing out, you'll have access to all the wiring. This will allow you to add more fixtures. If you add more fixtures in the same joist cavity as existing lights, and if you use "remodel" cans, this job will be pretty easy.
Obtain and read three books on home wiring before doing anything.