A razor, to cut around fixture if there’s paint Lineman’s pliers Screwdriver Non-contact voltage tester[1] X Research source Wire strippers Extra wire nuts
Wire nuts are the plastic cone-looking pieces covering the ends of where the wires come together, connecting the black and white wires coming from the fixture to the wires coming from the ceiling. There might also be a ground wire from the fixture attached to the metal of the junction box in the ceiling by a screw.
You can simply disconnect the black and white wires that are tied to the light without touching the other wires, since they may be other circuits and you might create some problems if you start connecting them.
Some of the wires may be loose, or you may need to use pliers to untwist them. If ends of wires are damaged or bent, you may need to clip them and strip them again.
The length of the exposed wire should match the manufacturer’s recommendation for the wire nuts, usually around 3/8ths to ½ in of exposed wire.
You can use either the old wire nuts or the new ones provided with the fixture. To use the wire nut, place the stripped ends of each wire next to each other, with their points facing the same direction. Then place the wire nut over the ends and twist clockwise until the wires are secured inside the wire nut.
If it doesn’t turn on, most likely the culprit is a loose connection. Check to make sure that the wires didn’t come loose while you were tucking them into the box. Also, check that bulb is the proper type or that another switch isn’t interfering with anything.
