Changing Out a Light Fixture (Bye-Bye Hollywood Strip Light)
Have you had it with those ugly Hollywood light fixtures? The ones where the bulbs are lined up in a straight line staring you in the face? Did you know that you don’t have to live with them? Even if you live in an apartment, you can switch light fixtures out fairly easily. (Be sure to keep the old fixture and all the parts so you can re-install it before you move out.)
Light fixtures range in price from $20 to well over $200. Sometimes you can luck out and find some nice light fixtures on Craig’s List or eBay for less.
I hope you can benefit from this tutorial. I think you’ll agree, it is neither difficult nor challenging changing out a light fixture.
Instructions:
Before beginning the installation you MUST turn off the power to your fixture.
Required Safety Instruction:
Turn off the power to the light fixture you are working on. I highly recommend turning on the light you will be working on, then shut off the circuit at your circuit breaker and check to see that the light has gone out. Also note that just because the light fixture power is turned off, it doesn’t necessarily mean that other outlets or lights in the same room are on the same circuit. Always check for the presence of power before you work on it.
Tools:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
- Light Fixture
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Wire cutters and stripper
- Flat head screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Optional: electrical tape
Unpack your new (or slightly used) light fixture. Read through the directions as some steps may vary from this installation tutorial.
Begin by unscrewing the light bulbs and then remove the collars around the light bulb sockets.
Locate any other screws that might be holding the fixture in place. This fixture simply popped off.
Untwist the wire nuts holding the wires together.
Once all the wires are disconnected, unscrew the two screws holding the mounting bracket.
Remove the mounting bracket…
…and now you should be able to remove the light fixture. Laugh at any hidden colors and wallpaper beneath the fixture. (Toile! Ah, not so bad.)
You should be left with just the junction box and three wires protruding from the box. The bare or green wire is your ground wire. The white is your neutral wire and the black is your hot wire.
If you were eagle eyed, you might have noticed a small nick in the insulation of the neutral wire. This could cause a short, so I wrapped some electrical tape around the nick.
Install the new mounting bracket that came with your fixture (if you bought a used one, you may have to use the old mounting bracket from the Hollywood Strip). Attach the screws through the bracket and into the junction box.
The mounting bracket that came with my fixture has a rotating bar that can swing 180 degrees. Position this bar so the fixture will hang level.)
Test fit your fixture and adjust the depth of the mounting screws (the “no head” screws on the mounting bracket) and the angle of the swinging bracket arm. Once the bracket is level and fits snugly with only a small portion of the headless screws poking through; remove the light fixture and tighten the screw in the middle of the mounting bracket to secure the rotating bar.
Wrap the ground wire from the junction box around the green or bare screw on the mounting bracket.
Connect the ground wire from the light fixture to the ground wire from the junction box. Twist them together and secure them with a wire nut.
Twist the black wires from the junction box and the light fixture together.
Twist a wire nut on to secure them.
Repeat the same process to connect the white wires.
Gently fold and tuck the wires back into the junction box. Try to position the white wires on the opposite side as the black wires.
Place your light fixture onto the headless screws and secure the fixture by screwing on the small ball caps.
Remove the shade ring from the light bulb sockets.
Slip the glass shades onto the socket and then screw the collar back on to hold the glass light shades.
Repeat for the remaining light sockets.
Many vanity light fixtures are reversible.
I decided to rehang my fixture facing up for less direct light and to avoid bumping into the mirror frame.
What do you think? Do you like the new look? Do you think you will try it yourself? I hope so, it was easy!
What about the wall behind the old fixture?? Dry wall? Other materials? The new light fixture I have in mind is smaller than the old one
I’m not sure I understand your question.
Would you please post a video on adding a junction box if there is none?
You can purchase a remodel (old work) junction box from your home improvement store. It slides into a hole you cut to size, and then there are fins that grip the back of the sheetrock when you tighten them with a screw driver.
Thanks for the post. It gave me the courage to replace the light fixture in my hall bathroom myself. I am feeling successful!
You’re welcome. Sending you a virtual high five!
Aren’t you the clever one. Only prob is now THAT fixture you replaced it with is so passé. Ah fashion is fickle and never ends I am afraid. I also actually see them selling those old Hollywood light strips again! Still the tutorial is good. Lighting is such a make or break in decor.
Kaycee, well this tutorial was written in 2011, when that light fixture was in style. Hopefully readers will overlook the light fixture and garnish the information on how to change a light fixture ;-).
I did it! Thanks so much for your inspiring article. I found the same as another poster when I removed my Hollywood light- no junction box, just a hole in the wall.
Thankfully I knew this could happen and that I could also handle the fix with a quick trip to the hardware store and $1.98 for the ‘after the fact’ junction box. It took me just a few minutes to put it in, and within another 10 minutes my new light fixture was up and looking great.
Thank you!!
Hooray! So glad you replaced your light and installed a junction box. That will make it so much safer.
I’m a 63 yr. old widow whose husband did everything around the house. I just bought a smaller home that needs lots of updating. I have Hollywood lights in both bathrooms. I can’t believe I was going to pay an electrician to replace them. I’m going to do this myself thanks to you Brittany, I know I can do this. Thanks again.
I was once with my friend in their house and his mother asked me to do something similar. I thought it was so hard but after a few screws, I know there were just intimidate if you just look at them. Thank you Brittany for even posting an even easier way to change light fixtures.
So I found you by google. I have a 4 light fixture in bathroom. I’m preparing to paint. I took the glass shades off to wash. I’ve been trying to replace the glass shade, the stupid “sprocket” and bulb. I can not figure it out. The sprocket doesn’t screw on? It seems to big. I’m so frustrated
Patricia, have you tried to flip it around and screw it on the other way? These usually are a little loose, but should hold the shades on.
Omg, this! And Brittany is right. I was putting the ring on the TOP of the globe (light bulb cover) but flip it (put in inside the globe) and screw it on. It will hold the globe. I was about ready to glue the dang globes into place! Why don’t the manufacturer instructions provide an image of this? Old school was that screws would hold the globes in place.
Thanks for the guide. My new house (well new to me) has a pretty outdated bathroom and these same lights. I have been looking at them for weeks trying to decide if I could change them out. I am deathly affraid of shocking myself but this does make the task seem much easier. I guess I know what I am doing this weekend!
Tawny, good luck! You can definitely handle this!
I just took down two of these style light fixtures but there were not junction boxes behind them. The builder just punched a small hole in the drywall with a hammer and fed the wiring through. Do I need to have a junction box installed if I can get the light fixture base plate properly secured to the drywall with anchors?
I did that in a previous bathroom fixture swap-out since the one I put back had a base similar to the original fixture. It just had domes over the bulbs in stead of the exposed bulbs.
Kevin, YES! What your builder did was a fire hazard and a code violation. All electrical connections must be contained in a junction box. You can add a box after the fact by using one of these “old work” junction boxes: http://amzn.to/2kMNAwZ (affiliate link)
Simply trace a hole where you wish to install the box (making sure no studs are in your way.) Then cut out the hole. Punch out a tab in the junction box, feed your wires through the tab. Then press the box into the wall and use a screwdriver to turn until the wings rotate up and are securely tensioned against the drywall
Thanks for the tutorial! I’m only trying to takedown the frontier he fixture to give it a facelift with some spray paint. However, when I removed the bulbs and the collars, there is a small copper wire connecting the front plate of the fixture to the wall? Is this just to hold
It in place?
Thank you!
***the front plate of the fixture
That is the ground wire. It is necessary to ground your fixture.