Installed Overhead Shower Light

Brighten up your Shower Unit with an Overhead Shower Light

By Mark J. Donovan

After many years, I finally decided to install a recessed overhead shower light in our custom ceramic tile shower. All I can say is what a difference! And the kicker is it only took about $30 of material and 3 hours of work.

Before starting this project I first turned power off to the electrical boxes associated with this project at the main electrical service panel.

I installed the shower light by first finding the center of the shower unit, and then drilling a small pilot hole into the ceiling drywall. I then went up into the attic with my recessed can lighting fixture and found the drill bit hole. I then positioned the recessed can shower light so that it was centered over the drill bit hole and scribed a circle around the perimeter of the can light fixture.

I then used a utility knife to remove the circular drywall piece.

After creating the hole for the recessed can light I then positioned the can light into the hole and secured the can light to the ceiling joists.

To power the light, I brought power from another light fixture down to an existing switch that controlled another light in the bathroom. I also ran another Romex cable from the new can light down to the electrical switch box. Fishing wires down through a wall takes some time and luck. It took me quite a while to do this.

With the two Romex cables now fed into the electrical switch box, I connected the black wire associated with the power line to the top side of the switch.

Next, I connected the black wire associated with the can light Romex cable to the bottom side of the switch.

I then twisted all of the white, return wires, together using a wire nut.

Finally, I connected the ground wires together and connected them to the green screw on the switch. I then reattached the electrical switch to the electrical box and put the faceplate cover back on.

Back at the recessed can shower light, I connected the black wire associated with the Romex cable to the black wire in the can shower light. I then connected the corresponding white wires together. Finally, I connected the corresponding bare copper ground wires together.

I then screwed in a new light bulb, turned power back on to the circuit at the main circuit breaker panel and I was in business.

Our ceramic tile shower is now bathed in bright light provided by our new overhead shower light.