Easy How to: Switch a Ceiling Mount Chandelier to Plug-In Style

It's your very own moveable feast.

Move your chandelier outdoors, or to a cozy little area in your office or behind a chair in a little reading nook. Keep your home fresh by moving things, it energizes the space.


You won't believe how EASY this is to do. I'd surfed so many times looking for step by step photos of the process but never could find any so I'm including it here because I know a lot of you would like to know how this is done. My dad was an electrician so I knew it could be done. (I should have paid more attention when he did this!) But! I'm not a certified electrician like he was so proceed knowing this.

Questions were asked and research was done for things I was concerned with and happily I share here for your enrichment. Just make sure you're not wanting to plug a huge electrical sucker. The chandelier here is fairly large and takes 8- 25 watt bulbs.

You'll need:

screw drivernippers or electrical wire strippers,

a shiny new plug.

an ex-treee chain long enough to use and hang down into obscurity.

a leash for the dog

You may need someone to run and get things for you like- a cup of coffee, a Thomas muffin, things of that nature.

CDs to work by, I suggest:
"Workin on a Dream"
"That's the night the lights went out in Georgia"
"I Light up my Life"



(You may or may not need xtra chain in addition to what's comes with your ceiling mount chandelier.)

Make sure you'll have enough chain to hang down into oblivion from where you think you may want it. It will likely run down the wall, perhaps behind some curtains. Perhaps behind the dog. I don't know for sure where you may want to move yours from time to time but make sure you've got enough to drape from it's hook on the ceiling, back to a corner and down the wall. Chances are you'll need to get more. If so, get down to that recycle center pronto.

Chandelier 1

Open the prize

Chandelier 2

Seriously this is going to be beautiful.

(to the sound of trumpets)

Bring the cord out.

Chandelier 3

Prepping for the plug!

At the cord end:

There is a little channel that runs through the cord. Split that down the center to a length of approx. 1.5 inches
With nippers or electrical wire strippers peel the plastic off of each side of that channel now to reveal the perty little copper wires. When using nippers or the electrical cord strippers don't cut too deeply. The idea is to keep all or dang near all the wires. (and if you notice you can see I've twisted the wires- that's next. see below)

Chandelier 4

Twist the wire on each side to get any strays gathered in.

Chandelier 5

Make sure you have enough chain to hang down into oblivion from where you think you may want to hang it. It will likely run down the wall, perhaps behind some curtains. Perhaps behind the dog. I don't know for sure where you'll hang yours from time to time but make sure you've got enough to drape from it's hook on the ceiling, back to a corner at least. You may or maynot have enough in the box that came with- chances are you'll need to get more. Run, don't walk to your recycle center.

Thread the wire cording through the chain at intervals of 2, or 3 or 4 links...whatever.

Using chain not only dresses up the cord (my friend and Style Maven extraordinaire Laurie Cleveland hates the look of chain so she covers them with a silk casing that can be slipped over when we're done - and I'd bet with a pretty please she'd make you one.) but the chain gives your chandelier more support. The weight of your chandelier isn't resting soley on the cord- a big no no.

Chandelier 6

Hold one ring with a pair of pliers, place a screwdriver inside the ring right beside it. Twist in opposite directions. This will open up a ring and you can now use that at the top of the chandelier. And, while we're up there- do you notice another wire coming out of the top of the chandelier? (This one without a plastic cover) That's the ground. Now take that wire and bundle it up and lay it back in there by the ring. There is so little electricity flowing through these chandeliers it's ok. Now, if I were adding a plug to something needing a lot more electricity to run it, than I'd have to ground the wire with a bulky plug (hideous really) in which case I'd lay down my bagel now and cry in my coffee. But, like I said my dad was an electrical supervisor, teacher and all around sweetheart and I know this is exactly how he did it.

ok where were we?
Hook that open ring over the ring in the chandelier top and close in similar manner or by hook or by crook. Just get the dang thing closed. Dear lord. It can be a strain and I do apologize for that.

Chandelier top ring in the top center opening: they've all got em- you just don't know they're there until you're a handy dandy ceiling mount chandelier switcher tech.

We shall call this our precious. This is the ring that will take weight off the chandelier electrical cord so that weight can be directly placed on the metal chandelier. Now, doesn't that feel better knowing that the electrical cord isn't trying to do double duty? This is the stuff that helps you sleep at night.

(click Older Posts if necessary for the continuation of these steps)

Chandelier 7

OK- here's the deal- How are your powers of make believe? Because I didn't think to get a picture of the plug all by it's lonesome before adding the cording.

So let's all pretend there ISN'T a gold cord attached!

Open the plug by removing the two screws. The black thingy will slide off and you can now grasp the yellow thingy.

(and, if you enjoy this picture- you're in luck -you'll see it again at the end- but don't even think about that right now)

Now thread the black thing (round hole in back/rectangular hole in front) onto the cord with the rectangular opening toward the end where the wires are. (photo 3 in Chandelier 8 if you need a another visual)

Chandelier 8

Addin' the plug-this is where you get to feel all perfessyunal like.

Push that chain way back up on the cord and out of your sight. Can't stomach it right now. Who needs that pesky thing - right now it'll just be in the way.

Notice the two leetle screws one on either side. One has the wire on, one needs it still. (When I say wire- I mean the two bundles of thin wire of your cord. There are several little wires but they are called "a" wire in the electrical world- (but I can't stop thinking of them as bundles, how and why I don't know. If any of that confuses you- don't worry about it. It doesn't effect us at all.)


Put each wire (well, you know what I mean) around in a clockwise "twist" behind the screw. This way when you tighten the screw down the wires (righty tighty lefty loosey) you won't work against you and try to break free from their connection.

Now- slip the black part of the plug over the wire.

You're doing great. How 'bout a little snack? How bout that with a little flomax chaser?

(& PS I look very much like this only much cuter and if any one tells you different well they're dern liars and can't be trusted)

Chandelier 9

Now, would you look at that? This charming little picture below has resurfaced so soon. You know why? . . .cause we're dang near done. Slip that black thingy back up over your plug that now has the wires attached and screw those little screws back in.

Now plug it in. What do you think?!

I suspect your face will light up just like the chandelier. Now, isn't that something? Congratulations! Now when the man starts to give you hell for something- you remember what you're capable of.

Like Monkeys to a flame so are we to a Chandelier- Enjoy!

Now about those snacks. . . someone has been very patient (yah, that's what we'll tell ourselves)

Until next time - keep your lovelight shining :)

disclaimer: No responsibility is assumed through the sharing of these instructions.

Wood you have Joy?

Chandeliers! Switch from Ceiling mount to Plug-in!

Instructions for changing your new ceiling mount chandelier to a plug will be posted early Feb. 09

As promised I'll be working on the how-to step by step photos showing you (yep you!) how to switch your ceiling mount chandelier to a plug. Love plug-in chandeliers- such a beautiful moveable feast - take it anywhere the mood hits you. Outside even.

The instructions will be clear and it's very easy to do, I promise! & You'll feel so proud that you've done it yourself without the help of someone with a heavy nasty ole toolbelt working on it, if'n you know what I mean. tee hee.