Q&A for How to Install a Chandelier

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How do I know if my mounting box will hold my chandelier?

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist
Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.

Ryaan Tuttle

Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Answer

Take the original chandelier and see what size the mounting box is. Then, check and see if that mounting box is rated for your other chandelier.

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My handyman just installed my chandelier, but the canopy and light portion is just hanging by the wires, and the chain is not linked. Am I asking for trouble or is this going to be okay?

Community Answer

The chandelier should never hang by the wires. Call your handyman back to install it correctly, and do not pay him until the job is done correctly.

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Question

I'm installing a new chandelier, it has 3 wires, the ceiling has 4 wires, 1 bare, which I know is the ground, a black, red, and white. Which wires do I use from the ceiling?

Community Answer

You have to measure the resistance between the red, black, and white. If the maximum resistance is found between red and white, then the black wire is the common. One of the three wires is common and it should be connected to the neutral. The other two wires should be connected to double pole switches.

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Question

How do I separate the plasticized wires when they are conjoined in outer plastic, without cutting the plasticized wires inside?

Community Answer

With a sharp knife or razor blade, carefully cut a shallow slice in the outer plastic about 1 inch long between the two wires. Don't try to go all the way through. Repeat this shallow slice on the other side of the wire bundle. Grasp the edge of the top plastic with a pair of pliers and gently pull to tear apart the pieces you sliced. Repeat this process until the wires are separated.

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Question

What should I do with the ground wire when there is no ground wire on the fixture?

Community Answer

You can connect it to a portion of metal in the light fixture; that should ground it.

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Question

What if my chandelier has three wires and I only have two in my ceiling?

Community Answer

This happens in older homes that were built before ground wires were included in cables. If the cables are armored (i.e. they have a metal, spirally-wound jacket), the box may be grounded via this jacket. Connect the bare or green ground wire from the fixture under a screw that you add to the box. The screw must be used for grounding only -- not a cable clamp, box support, etc.

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Question

I have a cord, a copper wire and the metal loop chain holding chandelier. It looks like all the weight is on the copper wire and the cord and chain are there for show. Is the wire strong enough? I'm afraid it will snap.

Community Answer

The chandelier's weight should never be on the copper wire. If now it is held by the copper wire, this means it is too short. Sooner or later will either snap or go out from the connections and could create a short circuit. The chain and/or cord are there to hold the weight. You might need to replace the copper wire for a longer one or add a piece to the existing one to make it longer.

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Question

If the copper ground wires aren't grounded correctly, can this cause the light bulbs to shatter or burst?

Community Answer

The presence of ground wires shouldn't effect lamps from lighting up (with the exception of some fluorescent tube types) and will never cause them to burst. Bulbs seldom burst or shatter due to wiring issues. Most of the time it is a result of undetected damage to the glass before they were installed. The damage leads to a rapid increase in temperature when the light is first turned on, causing the glass to break. A name brand, quality lamp will not fail in this manner.

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What do I do if the wires on the chandelier are the same color, with no indication of which is which?

Community Answer

If it has two wires only, it doesn't matter how they are connected to the source. If there are more than two wires, this means that the chandelier has two circuits. In this case you need to measure the resistance between each two wires. When you find the maximum resistance between two wires, then the third wire will be the common, which should be connected to the neutral, and the other two wires to two switches.

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Question

How do you change a (knob) switch that is in a chandelier?

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Community Answer

Switch off the power to the chandelier at your home's main electrical panel for safety. Use a ladder if needed to reach the chandelier. Take off the chandelier's cover to expose the switch. Unhook the old switch, noting wire connections. Connect the wires to the new switch in the same configuration. Put the new switch in place and reattach the cover. Turn the power back on and test the new switch.

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