Rewiring A Chandelier

Psssst… this post *might* contain affiliate links: see my disclosure here.

We have this adorable chandelier snagged from a consignment store. At one point, I’m sure I envisioned it as a bright kelly green somewhere, but it ended up in our ‘formal’ dining room and the metal tone made more sense. I love the whimsy of the birds, and I love that it cost $40. But… right when we listed our old house for sale, the bulbs started to flicker. At first we assumed it was a bulb but over time we realized that the same bulb was always ‘out’ and then another and another. I tried some simple little tweeks but nothing… clearly it needed an operation.

Rewiring an Old Chandelier is Easy!

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

When we moved, the chandelier came with us, and before we hung it back up… time to rewire. Guys… rewiring a chandelier is MAD easy. Next time you see that KILLER pendant at a yard sale but worry it won’t work… just get it. Basic electric supplies are pretty cheap and the process is fairly basic. At least it was for this light. (Full source list at the end of this post.)

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(Disclaimer… I’m a lot of things, but electrician I am not. Take these instructions as my personal opinion. In no way am I responsible or liable or asserting to be a licensed professional.)

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Steps to Wiring a Chandelier

Unscrew what needs to be unscrewed to get to your wires up top. Typically a chandelier hangs from a threaded nipple in the ceiling that supports the weight, but you might have an added piece. You’ll probably see a web of wires all winding together and then capped off in two different places… don’t be skeered… just unscrew the cap, and pull all these wires apart.

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Next, get to your wires around the lightbulbs. Unscrew the lightbulbs (duh) and then remove the cardboard sleeve. It might be a little stiff, but ideally it will slide right off. You should be looking at the candelabra sockets of your chandelier. With a screw driver, loosen the screw on either side, and unhook the wire that’s wrapped around each side. The socket should unscrew from the chandelier.

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

If you’ve done everything right, the wires should pull right out of the arms of your chandelier at this point. Head on over to your local hardware store and grab some lamp wire, some new candelabra circuits, some electric tape and some of those wire caps that screw in to cover the exposed wires. I also grabbed a wire stripper… made life much easier. (FYI, our Home Depot didn’t have candelabra sockets so I ordered mine on Amazon.)

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Okay. Time to bring your chandelier back to life.

Step 1. Thread new lamp wire

Cut your lamp wire into pieces and thread them through the arms of your chandelier. Mine threaded through way easily, but you might have to push a smaller piece of wire through first and then use this to pull your larger lamp wired back through the arms.

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Step 2. Screw in lamp sockets and prep wire

Screw in your chandelier sockets and split the lamp wire. Strip 1/2 an inch of the plastic to expose the wire underneath. If you bought the stripping tool, it’s super easy… just pinch the wire between the right sized holes on your tool and pull to remove just the plastic and none of the wire. If you only have pliers, then be careful how much pressure you apply when pinching the wire and just strip it this way.

Step by step instructions for rewiring a thrifted chandelier

Step 3. Wire the chandelier socket

I used clear lamp wire with 2 clearly marked sides (copper and silver). If you go with a different wire, then look for one side to have writing or perhaps a ridge… it’s important to note which is which…one is your hot wire and the other is neutral. (Typically the smooth side will be your hot wire…) My sockets had the same copper/ silver color coding as the wire so it made it easier to wrap my wire around the right screw. Twist the 1/2″ of your exposed wire, wrap it around the screw clockwise and tighten the screw. Repeat on the other side and replace the cardboard sheath. Continue until you’ve replaced all the chandelier sockets.

Strip 1/2 an inch of the plastic to expose the wire underneath. If you bought the stripping tool, it's super easy... just pinch the wire between the right sized holes on your tool and pull to remove just the plastic and none of the wire. If you only have pliers, then be careful how much pressure you apply when pinching the wire and just strip it this way.

Step 4. Wiring the top of the chandelier

Remember that web of wires on the top of the chandelier? Time to tackle these… again, I promise it’s not as gnarly as it looks!

Strip 1/2 an inch of the plastic to expose the wire underneath. If you bought the stripping tool, it's super easy... just pinch the wire between the right sized holes on your tool and pull to remove just the plastic and none of the wire. If you only have pliers, then be careful how much pressure you apply when pinching the wire and just strip it this way.

Step 5. Split and strip wires.

Split each of your wires like you did with the candelabra sockets. Expose the last 1/2″ of wire from the plastic sheathing.

Strip 1/2 an inch of the plastic to expose the wire underneath. If you bought the stripping tool, it's super easy... just pinch the wire between the right sized holes on your tool and pull to remove just the plastic and none of the wire. If you only have pliers, then be careful how much pressure you apply when pinching the wire and just strip it this way.

Step 6. Wire the chandelier

8. At this point, you’ll also need to feed a wire down through the main nipple of your chandelier… this will connect the chandelier arms to the hard wire in your ceiling. Gather all your neutral wires and twist the ends together. Again, for me… this meant all the copper wires in one clump, and all the silver wires in another.

Expose the last 1/2" of wire from the plastic sheathing.

Step 7. Cap off the wires

Cap them off and tape them up for good measure. Repeat with your hot wires. (My chandelier has 5 arms, so I was wrapping 6 wires at a time… the 5 from the chandelier arms and then one more going up to the ceiling.)

Expose the last 1/2" of wire from the plastic sheathing.

Step 8. Rehang Chandelier

That’s it. You’ve done it! Reattach your chandelier to the ceiling and revel in your electrical prowess.

Expose the last 1/2" of wire from the plastic sheathing.

Expose the last 1/2" of wire from the plastic sheathing.

Supplies

(Affiliate links included for your convenience)

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I found this old chandelier at a thrift store and was able to hang it in my house after some simple rewiring.

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40 Comments

  1. I just wanted to thank you for you pictures and details on how to rewire my chandelier. The chandelier came out of my parents house. I am going to put in the house I am renting. Thanks again. James

    1. I was given a chandelier that I adore. The tenet renting a house next door took down the chandelier and cut the lamp cord right at the chandelier top. I have purchased lamp wire. Do I have to rewire each light also?

      1. I am *not* an electrician but in theory you should be able to connect the new lamp cord wires with the cut lamp cord wires and wrap with electrical tape providing you have a safe and secure way to hang without putting any tension on the wire itself!

  2. One little suggestion. Before pulling the old wires out you can attach the end of the new wire still on the spool (careful not to create a huge lump) and pull the new wire in as you pull the old wire out. Then you can snip the wire off near the spool so you only use exactly how much wire you need (and don’t have to worry about cutting a wire too short).

    (ALSO NO IDEA WHY THIS THING IS WRITING IN ALL CAPS. Sorry if it comes through that way)

  3. Hi Charlotte,
    I just have one question. You used the same exact wire to go to the ceiling as you used in each of the arms?
    Thank you!

  4. Do you know if I can use 20 gauge wiring instead of 18? The 18 gauge is too wide to fit through the arms of my parents old chandelier.

    1. Oh gosh… I have no idea! I asked the person at our hardware store for the same wire that was in my chandelier… perhaps you could bring in the wire that’s in the chandelier now and they can match?

      1. Many of the older CHANDELIER and pendant lights used 20 gauge wiring in the arms. I have had several where the 18 gauge lamp wire just wont fit through the cast brass fixtures. I’ve run the 20 gauge wires through the arms which spliced with the 18 gauge lamp wiring running to the power supply. I’ve never had an issue with this setup with 40 (or less) watt bulbs.

        1. the problem is getting the 5 arm wires X2 plus the wires to the source back into the little tiny space that holds all of it. That 18 gauge with plastic is just too big.

    1. Hi! Obviously all fixtures are different (and I’m not a licensed professional), but typically the box in the ceiling has a screw around which you can wrap the ground wire! It’s usually a small screw that is only there for the ground wire. Hope this helps!

  5. I can’t seem to figure out the center wire, where it starts and what it gets connected to. It seems to just show up in picture #4. Can you help? Thanks,

    1. Hi Kathy! The center wire a 6th length of lamp wire that feeds through my threaded nipple. One end connects to all the wires from the chandelier… the other end goes up through the threaded nipple/ support to the wires from the ceiling. Does that help? Thanks!

      1. I thought that the lamp wires are connected to the socket, then fed through the arms and THEN bundled up together at the top, black to black and white to white. I’m feeling dislexit! I took this apart years ago, now can’t quite remember how to put it BACK! Thanks for your help?.

  6. Looking with fresh eyes, I think I’ve figured it OUT. My sockets are a bit DIFFERENT, with leads hanging down. Anyway, thanks for your help!

    Kathy

  7. Hi Charlotte. My chandelier doesnt have a ground wire. This came from a south amer country, so, probably is an old lamp.i guess i can attach one to a metalic part of the lamp and tge other end to the ceiling .

  8. Hello, Great instructions with photos. I had an issue with a fixture with a ground wire that came undone from inside the threaded nipple. Not sure where the ground wire should be attached. Could it be soldered to the inside of the nipple? I know the other end goes to the ceiling mounting box, but I am at a loss of where the appropriate connection should be made on/in the fixture (thru the nipple)

    1. Hi there! I’m certainly not an electrician, but the fixture or electric itself should have a screw around which you wrap the ground wire. Older fixtures might not have this… in that case, it’s my understanding that the junction box should be grounded so you that could be enough. Alternately if the fixture is out of reach, there’s less concern about grounding. Ideally, both would be grounded, obviously so perhaps consult your electrician on this one!

  9. I have a 3 shoenbeck Equinoxe chandaliers and a Swarkovski Chandalier. I am moving out of my present House and into a new one with higher ceilings and I am in need of getting longer electrical cables to reach the ceilings of my newer home and am trying to get sommeone to do this. is there any person/business that you could recommend that could to this?

  10. Hi! Can One rewire to change the vOltage from 120v to 220v ? I no nothing about Electrical stuff but want to buy a chandelier in the us and use it in Asia.

    1. I’m not positive but I believe so! Speak with your local electrician to confirm which wires would be necessary for 220v. You’d have to replace the fixtures too and not just the wire.

  11. I think it is risky to offer general directions for this –
    in many chandeliers, speaker wire (thin) has been used,
    because it is easy to thread through the arms.
    In multi-bulb fixtures, the wire must be of a guage
    (thickness) to meet the demands of the watts in the
    sockets. If you exceed the capacity of the wire,
    the wiring heats up and can melt plastic.
    You should really seek an electrician before rewiring –
    it carries real risks, and an insurance company is likely
    going to locate the cause of fire. Hypothetically, your job could
    cost you your home, or use the correct wiring. Also, where
    is your ground? You are out of your depth.