How to Replace Light Fixtures in Singapore

Light fixtures are essential for improving visibility in living and work spaces. However, they can also serve unique aesthetic purposes by giving your spaces a more inviting and luxurious appeal. On the other hand, light fixtures installed outdoors could also go a long way in improving your safety and security. Considering the integral value of these devices, it is always advisable to immediately replace defective light fixtures as soon as they are detected.

Generally, replacing a light fixture often seems like a very simple task that anyone with DIY skills can accomplish. But, there is a lot more to the procedure that you should know before attempting to replace the broken or faulty light fixtures in your home, office or business.

Useful tips for replacing light fixtures that every home owner should keep in mind when performing the tasks.

Preliminary preparations

Just like in other electrical procedures, there are certain preparations that must be made before replacing light fixtures. One of them is making sure that you have all the appropriate tools for the job. Some of the most critical tools that you should have in hand include wire cutters, mounting hardware, screwdriver, voltage detector, wire connectors, copper wires, electricity tester and headlamp. Since your hands will be handling different lighting parts, it is also advisable to wear gloves for protection against injuries.

After putting together all the above, you need to switch off the power from the mains. This is an important safety precaution that you should never ignore in any kind of electrical work. Before starting the replacement, you should also identify and label the specific switch connected to the light fixture to avoid confusion when setting up the device.

Removing the faulty or old light fixture is also part of the preparations that you must make to ensure a successful replacement. To bring down the light fixture, start by removing the screws used to secure the light canopy. The canopy comprises of three wires; red, black and green that you should also safely unscrew from the ceiling or wall where the light is mounted.  These wires should be completely disconnected from the old light fixture. 

After disconnecting the wires, check if there are any other screws or parts of the old fixture still attached to the wall or ceiling. Then, carefully take off the light fixture from the wall or ceiling and put away from the working area.

Mounting the light fixture

Now, you can get down to the actual installation process. Before connecting the new wiring systems for the light fixture, secure a mounting structure for the device on the wall or ceiling. Many models of light fixtures available in the market today have mounting plates that you can easily attach to the surface with screws. Use new wire connectors to put together the wiring system for the light fixture to be mounted onto the ceiling or wall.

Since the wires are clearly marked with different colours, you only need to connect them based on the colours. Black wires should be connected to black, green with green and red with red. You can either use copper wires to join the three wires or simply attach them to each other as already discussed above. The wires should be properly connected and insulated to avoid short circuits and other issues that might hinder the performance of your light fixtures.

With the base plate properly mounted onto the ceiling and the wiring complete, you can proceed to set up the light fixture. Light fixtures for ceilings usually have different kinds of features for mounting that you should also take note of. Some have screws for attaching them onto the ceilings. Others also have chains for easy suspension from the ceilings. If your light fixture has a chain, make sure it is adjusted to the level that you need. The excesses of the chain should be carefully tucked into the canopy before tightening the screws.

The last step should be to test the newly mounted light fixtures. Turn the power back on then, press the light switch to check if the fixtures are working properly. In case of any problem during or after replacing the light fixtures, contact Electrical Service Singapore to effectively troubleshoot and fix them at once. We offer reliable lighting electrical services Singapore.