DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Old wiring/new Ceiling fixture - Damsel in distress

13K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Wildie 
#1 ·
I am hoping to put in a new ceiling fixture with some old wiring. Here is a picture of the box and wire that I am working with. We turn this fixture on by a switch in the room:

I have a few questions as I'm a novice with old wiring.
The fixture I am wanting to install has speed wire clips on the wires. Will I have to change the old wiring to work with these - or is there a way to make it work? Does my old wiring look too out dated for any type of new fixtures? We don't turn this ceiling light on very often (less than 10 times a year), so should I just tape up these old wires and put up a decorative ceiling medallion? If I do this option, is taping the wires the proper thing to do?

Thanks for any help,
Marilee
 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
your old bx cloth wiring is def. outdated. the easiest way to go about this is to ideally cut the wires back enough before they are breaking and splice on new leads. if this is not possible, get some rubber electrical tape and tape up the conductors nice and tight. then tape the white wire with white vinyl tape and black for the black wire. as far as the speedy connectors, i would cut them off and wire nut the fixture directly to the old wiring. im not a big fan of those speedy connectors unless im working on 277v+.
 
#4 ·
I had the same problem in my kitchen as you have, and no possibility of running new wire. ( no access above).
The insulation was crumbly from excessive heating.
I scraped of any loose insulation, wrapped the bare conductors with electrical tape and then slipped heat shrink tubing over the tape and then shrunk the tubing.
Make sure to repair as much insulation as possible.
 
#6 ·
thanks!

I appreciate all the help. After a day of thinking about it, I've decided to just remove the old insulation, tape the wires, tuck this all in and put up a decorative medallion. Would that be the proper way to do it? Is there anything else I need to do with these wires if we aren't going to use them?? This old wiring makes me nervous. I've hung other fixtures in the house but the wiring was already upgraded so I didn't have to worry.

Marilee
 
#9 ·
I appreciate all the help. After a day of thinking about it, I've decided to just remove the old insulation, tape the wires, tuck this all in and put up a decorative medallion. Would that be the proper way to do it? Is there anything else I need to do with these wires if we aren't going to use them?? This old wiring makes me nervous. I've hung other fixtures in the house but the wiring was already upgraded so I didn't have to worry.

Marilee
If you intend to abandon the outlet, rather than try to insulate the wires, its best to go to the other end of the cable and cut the cable of there, then you don't have to worry about the integrity of the cable anywhere along its route.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top