Flood lights give the aesthetic look to your house and also provide illumination. But the fact is, flood lights do not last forever. Over time, their brightness decreases, parts wear out or their performance becomes poor. Therefore, you have to replace a flood light to maintain proper illumination and safety.
Now, we will guide you about how to replace JACKWIN flood light in a safe way. You will also see which tools you need and important precautions you need to follow.
Flood Light Replacement Tool
Below are the tools that you must have to replace a flood light.
LED Flood Light Fixture
First of all, you need a flood light fixture for replacement. We suggest LED flood light is the best choice for you. Because it is suitable for outdoor and moist places. Never forget to consider light wattage, beam angle and color temperature according to your needs. A top quality flood light has these common components.
- Mounting hardware such as corrosion resistant screws and universal brackets
- Wire connectors or wire nuts
- Pre-stripped leads
Voltage Tester
Before you touch any wire, you have to make sure the circuit is disconnected from power or not. For this purpose, you can use a non contact voltage tester.
Screwdriver and Drill
A screwdriver and drill is required to remove old fixtures and install new ones. You should always select bits that suit your flood light hardware. Don’t tighten the screws, so the seal remains safe.
Silicone Caulk or Sealant
You must have silicone caulk. Apply sealant around junction box edges after mounting. Sealant will cover all holes surrounding it to keep out moisture.
Ladder or Stable Work Platform
It is important to have a ladder to change the bulbs which are fitted at height. You can use a sturdy ladder to reach that height. Fix the ladder at the plane or flat surface to prevent any accidents. Keep your hands free with the use of a belt or pouching tool.
Wire Strippers and Electrical Tape
Premium quality fixtures mostly have pre-stripped wires. You need wire strippers only for repairing and shortening wires. You can add a layer of electrical tape over connectors to prevent extra humidity in wet and damp climates.
Wear Protective Gear
The most important tool for your safety is to wear protective gear. It includes insulated gloves, safety goggles, safety helmet, hearing protection and anti-slip safety shoes.
- Gloves will help you to hold the bulb tightly and are designed to withstand specific voltage levels.
- Goggles will protect your eyes from sudden flashes and broken glass from the bulb.
- Hats cover your head and prevent dust or debris from falling upon you.
- Hearing protection shields your ears from accidental loud noise or sounds.
- Safety shoes provide stability and reduce the risk of slipping in the workplace.
How To Replace Flood Light?
Once you have prepared all required and right tools, you can start the replacement of the flood light.
1. Turn off Power
In the first step, you need to switch off the power from the circuit breaker that supplies power to the junction box. If you turn off the power, you should check it with a voltage tester. It will help to inform you if power is cut off properly or not. This step will protect you from electrical hazards.
2. Set Up Ladder
The second step is to place the ladder on a flat and smooth surface. If you want to replace flood lights at a great height, then the ladder will support you to approach the light fixture. If someone is available, you can take help to hold the ladder when you climb or work.
3. Remove Old Bulb
After you reach the light fixture with tools, then remove the old flood light with a screwdriver. To pull out the flood light bulb, you can rotate it counterclockwise.
Before you remove the bulb, give it some time to cool down. Because some hot bulbs get shattered or broken on touching. If the bulb gets stuck, you can shake the bulb carefully to release it.
4. Install New Bulb
In the next step, take a new bulb and fix it in the socket. You need to turn it clockwise to properly fix it in place. If you notice the bulb is installed securely, stop rotating it. In case you fix it more tightly, then the bulb and socket both can be damaged. In addition to this, the new bulb should also match the old bulb, such as its type and wattage. You can get this information manually or from specifications on the bulb.
You can also replace the entire fixture instead of bulb by following the steps:
- Most flood lights have a universal bracket which is directly attached to the electrical box. You must align the screw holes and fit given screws in these holes firmly using anchors.
- You must connect fixture wires with house wires, such as black wire to hot, white to neutral and green to ground. You can use wire connectors to check the bond by pulling a little if it is secure or not.
- You should tuck the connected wire in the junction box gently. Then apply a silicone caulk to seal its all edges. It prevents rain water from entering into it and extends the life of the fixture.
- You should align the fixture base with brackets and mount the screws securely. Avoid extra tightening and adjust the fixture angle before fully tightening the bolts.
5. Restore Power and Test New Bulb
Lastly, when installation of a new fixture is done, you need to check its working. Restore the power and turn on the new bulb. This way, you can make sure its light illuminates the intended area without flickering, overheating and other issues. In case the bulb is not working, you need to check its installation again.
How To Replace Motion Sensor Light Bulb?
You can replace the motion sensor flood light bulb directly by unscrewing, if a standard socket is available in the fixture. If it is built in, then you can replace the whole fixture. The replacement of a motion sensor light is similar to flood light.
These are a few steps you can follow to replace motion sensor light.
- First of all, you need to deactivate connection from the main breaker and the wall switch for your safety.
- Next, take off the glass cover or metal cage which has mostly lights by unscrewing.
- In the next step, you should wait almost 10 to 15 minutes to relax the bulb. After that, you can extract the bulb. For this, you can untighten it counterclockwise.
- You should verify the type and wattage of the older fixture before purchasing a new one. Then screw the new bulb clockwise until it is tight.
- Finally, reattach the protective cover and activate the power from the circuit breaker as well as the wall switch. Then confirm the new fixture is working properly when it detects motion.
Can You Change the Bulb in a LED Security Light?
Yes, but it also depends on the design of your LED security light. Generally, it is available in two types.
Integrated LED: Integrated LED security lights are non-replaceable. Because it has permanently combined LED chips. Once the bulb stops working , you can’t replace it. Hence, you need to replace the entire fixture.
Replaceable Bulb: If the bulb dies in traditional replaceable types, then you can access the bulb by taking out a protective cover. You can simply unscrew and replace it.
Our Advice: If you want to change the bulb in a LED security light step by step, you can follow the above flood light or motion sensor light replacement steps.
Flood Light Maintenance
Outdoor fixtures are made to consider weather conditions. But their maintenance can extend or improve its performance and lifetime. You can follow some tips to maintain flood light which mention below:
- You should clean the lens or housing with soft cloth and gentle soap on a daily basis. Don’t use harsh chemicals such as acetone, mineral spirits, ammonia/alcohol based glass cleaners on polycarbonate lenses and rough pads. Because these chemicals cause scratches on the finishes and seals.
- You must analyze the gasket and seams after rain or seasonal changes. If you notice some gaps, then reapply a layer of silicone to seal them. You also need to notice that brackets and screws remain tight.
- Further, you should switch off the breaker after a year and then open the box cap to observe. You must look up to cracks, rusting, oxidation and loose connectors. Then exchange the corrosive components and close the box properly.
- Humidity and temperature changes such as standing water and constant fog destroy the gasket. If you find poor sealing, cover it immediately with silicon. So that it doesn’t create problems.
- You must press the test button on the GFCI outlet or breaker to inspect its working at least two times in a year. Then press the reset button to confirm that the system is operating appropriately. It provides protection against electric shock.
FAQs
Do Flood Lights Use a Lot of Electricity?
No, flood lights generally do not consume a lot of electricity. Modern flood lights such as LED flood lights need less power as compared to traditional bulb types. Flood lights provide a wide range of brightness with low energy.
Do You Need an Electrician To Install Light Fixture?
You do not always need an electrician to install a new flood light fixture. If you want to place a new one in its previous location, you can do it yourself. But if you need to install it in a new location and you face some problems, then you can definitely hire an electrician.
How Many Lumens For Flood Light?
Outdoor flood lights commonly range between 700 to 1300 lumens. However, large areas require high-intensity flood light ranging from 700 to 2000+. The ideal brightness based on the purpose of light, color, mounted height, angle and the size of space.
How Many Watts Does a Flood Light Use?
A standard flood light utilizes 30W to 50W. It is also based on area length, purpose and brightness of light. For example: small-sized areas need 10 to 30W and medium-sized locations require 50-100W. Furthermore, large zones demand 150 to 300 and extra large places require 300-1000+.
Final Note
After you have properly learned the above steps, we are confident that you can easily replace the flood light yourself. But before replacement, you must have tools. Keep in mind, the light replacement process doesn’t require advanced tools but the right tools for safety.
You can also increase floodlight performance and lifetime if you follow the tips we mentioned above. In case you fail to replace it, you can take support from an electrician.
