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Sconce Installation Procedure

Please note: Installation of electrical fixtures by other than a licensed electrician is entirely at your own risk. Common sense is the primary requirement. Complete installation instructions are included in every shipment we make.

First order of business: Make sure the power is turned off to the wall or ceiling boxes before starting to work on them. This means turned off at the electrical panel, not simply turned off at the switch which controls the lights. Should the switch be accidentally wired the wrong way (it happens), it is possible for there to be a hot wire in the box even with the switch in the off position. 

The procedure shown here is typical for all the sconces we manufacture. Sometimes there is a double bulb holder in the larger sconces, sometimes the bulb lies horizontally rather than vertically, and sometimes there will be a ballast attached to the canopy reflector in the case of hard-wired compact fluorescent bulbs. In any case, the project is fairly simple and straightforward. If you have a question at any time, call for help at 800-497-3891.

When the sconces are shipped they are shrink wrapped to protect the finish from fingerprints, etc. Although this is not shown in the directions below, it is a good idea to leave the shrink-wrap in place until just before tightening the sconce to the wall. The only tool required is a Philips screwdriver.

Pendant lights follow a similar procedure which will vary depending on the number of lights, method of hanging and other matters. Complete instructions will be included in your shipment.
Warning: Risk of Fire. Most dwellings built before 1985 have supply wires rated at 600 degrees Celsius. Refer to supply wire markings in wall box. Consult a qualified electrician before installing.
  1. Be sure to read these instructions and review the diagrams thoroughly before beginning.
  2. All electrical connections must be in accordance with local codes, ordinances or the National Electrical Code. If you are unfamiliar with methods of installing electrical wiring, secure the services of a qualified, licensed electrician.
  3. These fixtures are intended to be mounted to a 4” metal octagon outlet box. The box must be directly and securely supported by the building structure.
  4. Before starting the installation, disconnect the power to the circuits involved at the electrical panel. Turning off the power at the light switch alone is not sufficient to prevent electrical shock.
  • Note: The important safeguards and instructions appearing in this page are not meant to cover all possible conditions and situations that may occur. It must be understood that common sense, caution and care are factors which cannot be built into any product. These factors must be supplied by those installing and operating this fixture.
  • Unpack the fixture. Remove the fixture mounting bracket from the reflector canopy by unscrewing the mounting stud in the center of the canopy. Locate wire nuts and mounting bolts which are included in the package.
Sconce components

The components of a Derek Marshall wall sconce

 

 Pictured here are the components that compromise a typical Derek Marshall wall fixture. This one is the Colorado which you may have seen used on sets on Frasier and Friends on NBC. At the top is the sconce itself. Below that are two 8-32 screws used to attach the fixture bracket (below the screws) to the wall box. You can see this component installed in the wall box in the picture below, using the two screws.  To the right of the fixture bracket are two wire nuts, used to connect the power supply in the box to the sconce itself.

Below the fixture bracket is the canopy reflector with the attached bulb holder and wires that protrude through the canopy through a rubber grommet

Above the canopy on either side can be seen the large brass knurled nuts which attach the sconce to the canopy itself.
This photo shows the 4" wall box, which may be round or octagonal as shown. The fixture bracket has been installed using the 8-32 screws provided. Note that the grounding wire in the box has been attached to the green grounding screw on the bracket.  The canopy will attach to this bracket via a stud threading into the hole seen in the center of the bracket.

Note also that the two wires coming from the box are colored black and white. It is important that black gets connected to black on the sconce, and white to white. The black wire is the hot wire going to the center of the screw shell that holds the bulb. The white obviously gets connected to the white wire. This is the neutral wire and should never be hot, if the house has been wired correctly. It gets connected to the white wire of the sconce which in turn is connected to the shell of the bulb holder.

The fit of the plaster or sheet rock around the wall box is seldom neat and tidy, but this will be covered shortly by the canopy and the sconce and will not be seen again.

The wall box installed in the wall with the fixture bracket installed. Note the 3 wires coming into the box, two supply wires and a naked copper ground

Wires from the canopy attached to the wires in the box by means of the plastic wire nuts.

 Here is the canopy already connected to the house wiring by means of the two wire nuts. The house wiring is heavy, single conductor copper while the wiring on the sconce is braided and more flexible. It is easiest to insert the sconce wire into the wire nut as far as possible, then push down that wire and nut onto the stiffer house wiring while turning the wire nut clockwise. This will screw the wire nut down onto both wires and provide an excellent electrical and physical connection. 

Caution: make sure that both wires have been properly twisted up into the wire nut, and not just the heavier house wiring. The connection should be strong enough to support the canopy hanging freely. Caution again: don't let the canopy bang against the wall while you are installing it...it might mar the wall.
Here the canopy has been attached to the fixture bracket by means of the stud provided. The stud has a brass knurled head on it for ease of attachment. This head can be removed and the stud inserted into the fixture bracket a little way, leaving most of it sticking out from the wall. This will allow you to simply place the hole in the middle of the canopy over the stud instead of blindly groping for the tapped hole in fixture bracket through the hole in the canopy center.  

Now you are ready to tighten the stud to hold the canopy to the wall. First make sure that the wires from the canopy lead cleanly into the wall box and don't cross over the fixture bracket where they may be pinched when the stud is tightened. When all is in order, tighten the stud snugly with the fingers to hold the canopy tight to the wall

Canopy installed snug to the wall. Note the two mounting studs ready to receive the sconce body

Tighten center stud as tight as your fingers will allow. Don't use pliers to do this job. Make sure the sconce is level as well.

Looking down into the sconce after it has been slipped onto the canopy studs. Left hand knurled brass nut has been applied.

 Place the sconce "ears" over the mounting studs on the canopy. There should be a little play in the fit here, so check again to make sure things are plumb and level. 

Apply the 1" knurled brass nuts onto the studs and snug the sconce to the canopy. Do not over tighten! Finger tight is all that is required

Even when the sconce is snug to the wall, it is still possible to level it by using judicious application of a little pressure.