Before Starting

• Before you start any installation, there are some important things to know about recessed lighting. Never use a bulb with a higher wattage than is recommended for the system you are installing. This can be dangerous because the majority of the electricity from the recessed lighting is heat.
  
  Decide what kind of lighting fixture you will use. This can include an insulated ceiling fixture or noninsulated ceiling fixture. The insulated ceiling fixtures are best used for attics with insulation. The insulation can be laid next to the metal housing without any problems. The noninsulated fixture requires a 3-inch clearance between insulation and the housing.
  
  

Installation

• Once you've decided the location for your recessed lighting, you will need to get access to the ceiling. This is easier if you have an attic or crawlspace above the ceiling. Once inside the ceiling, clear any insulation away from joists. You will then take the frame for your recessed lighting and place it between two ceiling joists. The frame will have a hole that will house the light canister. Trace a circle in that hole and cut the opening in the ceiling with a small saw.
  
  After sawing the hole, screw the frame of the recessed lighting system into both sides of the ceiling joists. On the frame you just installed, you will see an electrical box. Connect the armored cable from the electrical box to the canister. Run the cable switch from the electrical box to the wall switch.
  
  

Finishing Up

• Open the electrical box on the recessed lighting frame. Inside the box you will find two black wires and two white wires. Splice the wires with a wire cutter. Using wire connectors, connect the black wire to the black wire and the white wire to the white wire. Close up the electrical box and replace any insulation keeping in mind the clearances for the type of fixture you've installed.
  
  Take the lighting canister and place it in the hole. Screw in the lighting reflector and the ceiling trim to the canister. Screw in the light bulb and test your new recessed light.