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You wouldn’t believe the mess I uncovered in my outdoor light fixtures. A downright scary sight and fire hazard years in the making. It all started with modifying the base of the lights to accommodate the exterior mounted electrical conduit (many people will say its looks live PVC pipe but schedule 80 conduit is a little different than what you would use in plumbing.

This is the week 5 update of the One room challenge for Spring of 2024. After tackling the patio enclosure, painting the patio walls, ceiling and doing a checkerboard pattern on the floor…I decided it was time to finally change the lights. The old ones were gross and grimy on the outside, and even worse inside.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…this was found inside the junction box… GROSS!!

It’s important to note that changing your lights is a very DIYable project, if you know what you are doing. It requires only a few basic tools and the ability to match colors. Consult Youtube in addition to this post if you have any doubts. You are undertaking this at your own risk and we at AFRO AND RENO are not licensed electricians. The Main rule of electrical is to turn off the power before touching anything.

Fixing electrical: What do you need?

• Voltage tester
• Wire stripper/cutter OR Advanced wire striper
• Phillips head Screwdriver (looks like + sign)
• Flat head screwdriver ( looks like – sign)
• Wire nuts or wire connectors
• New light mine is a MCM looking light from IKEA!
• Outdoor junction box (optional depending on your needs)
• Ladder (if needed)
• Safety gloves and goggles
• Lots of patience

Safety First: Turn Off the Power at the breaker

a. Locate the Circuit Breaker in your electrical box

• Identify the correct breaker that controls the outdoor light.
  • Turn on the light, flip breakers until the light is off

b. Use a Voltage Tester to double check

• Confirming there is no electricity running to the fixture before touching any wires.
• It’s possible there are extra wires in the electrical box, check all of them to make sure they’re off

Don’t just assume that all the wires are not live because the light is off! I had two lights to change. One light I tested and it was all off, you would assume the second light would be the same and you’d be WRONG. Come to find out, the junction box held an extra set of wires for the patio fan, which was on a different circuit and LIVE! If I had started messing with the wires in there I would have definitely been shocked or worse.

Remove the Old Light Fixture

First did you turn off the power!? If yes…proceed

a. Unscrew the Fixture from the Wall: Carefully detach the screws and pulling the fixture away from the wall.

b. Disconnect the Wire : Identify the wire connections (hot (black or red), neutral (white), ground (bare copper)) and unscrew the wire nuts and safely removing the old fixture.

This was a really gross endeavor for me. Its seem that the old homeowners didn’t close the patio and wasps and other bugs had gotten into the GIANT HOLES at the top of the light fixtures to make their nests. There were several mud dauber nests, these guys use mud and other things to lay their babies. There were also remnants of their bug bodies in there. This was a huge fire hazard, not only if moisture or the humid Florida air could get into the electrical but the mud and bug parts al over could have sparked a fire.

If you have to make adjustments it is not good to cut into the escutcheon of your light fixture as it protects it and your electrical from the elements. Instead use a siding box or outdoor electrical cover to give you room to work and seal everything safely.

4. Prep for the New Fixture

In my case the original junction box with the conduit sticking out just wasn’t cutting it. The above is what I had to work with. Can you believe all the previous house colors?! Before the green it was beige, then blue…and now it’s PURPLE. You may have seen bits of the new color in this post as I took out the lights during week 1 but waited until June to replace the lights after painting everything.

My solution to the exposed conduit issue with a recessed box is to add a round electrical box on top and seal the conduit in one of the holes that box has for this specific reason.

a. Checking the Electrical Box

• Ensuring it’s in good condition and compatible with the new fixture.
• Cleaning out any debris or old hardware.

b. Matching the Wires

• Identifying corresponding wires from the fixture to the electrical box.
• Prepping wires by stripping insulation if necessary.

Install the New Outdoor Light

a. Connecting the Wires

• Attach your ground wire first.
• Connect the neutral and hot wires using wire nuts and electrical tape.
• Ensure all connections are secure by pulling on them. They should not come out, if they do tighten them.

b. Mounting the Fixture

• Secure your new fixture to the wall with provided screws.
• Give it a good dad shake. Adjust the light for proper alignment and tightness. Your new fixture when mounted should not wobble or move. You can caulk around any gaps if needed

c. Install a New Lightbulb and Attach the Cove

• Choose an energy-efficient bulb (LED recommended). You can go fir something fun like an smart light you can control from your phone or change colors
• Attach the fixture cover or globe securely. Give it all another good dad shake to make sure it’s secure

Test the Installation: Does it work?

• Turn the power back on at the breaker.
• Check if the light turns on properly. (fingers crossed!)

Additional Tips for Outdoor Lights

• Make sure to choose weather-resistant fixtures for longevity. These are usually rated for outdoor and watt-rated
• Use smart bulbs for automated control or one with light sensors to turn on at night
• Do regular maintenance to make sure proper function and keep it looking nice
  • Clean around the light regularly of any dirt, grime or pollen
  • Make sure bulbs work

Replacing an outdoor light is a DIYable task that anyone can do with the right tools, a lot of patience and a little bit of know how. The biggest thing is to TURN OF THE POWER!! It is the biggest safety concern, and when I have been in doubt…I have tuned power to the whole house just in case.

The Reveal

Is this a project you would do? If no, why not?

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Spring ORC 2024 Patio Refresh Posts:  Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8: Reveal

The post How to upgrade your outdoor lights first appeared on Afro and Reno.