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We had some work done in a room with a chandelier lamp. To get it out of the way, they raised it up using a couple of plastic cable ties through its chain and left with it like that. I figured it was no big deal to undo - I just had to cut the ties while holding onto the lamp so it wouldn't drop then screw in the top cover plate. I'm not sure what I did wrong but being the klutz that I am when I cut the second tie the lamp dropped about a foot and it's fairly heavy.

When I went to secure the cover plate I noticed that the metal bar to which the lamp is attached is bent, as shown in the photo. I hadn't looked closely before so I can't say for sure that it hasn't always been like that but I assume it's probably because of what I did. I lifted the lamp a few inches to take the weight off the bar and it felt like it was securely in place as nothing seemed loose.

So disaster averted or is this something that should be addressed? Thanks.

Lamp Mounting

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    Can you get a well-lit picture of the inside of the box? See if it has a chandelier mounting socket in the rear wall. You would screw your threaded nipple directly to that, or via a size-adapting hickey rather than with a bar like yours meant for lighter fixtures.
    – jay613
    Commented Jan 3, 2022 at 14:26
  • I'll see if I can but it's a difficult angle and there's a tangle of cords in the way.
    – Not_Einstein
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 15:09
  • I've added a photo.
    – Not_Einstein
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 18:56
  • Thanks for the photo. As you said, the wires are in the way. Hopefully you can see for yourself whether there is a stud on the box. The one in this link has a reducing adapter on it so sticks out a lot, yours might be more subtle.
    – jay613
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 19:12
  • I can't really tell and am hesitant to start moving wires around. The photo shows that the lamp is not attached to such a stud but it has held for about 20 years. I was concerned whether the bending of the bar further compromised the mounting which I gather may not have been optimal to begin with. I'll check it periodically to see if it bends further. Also, next time an electrician is in the house I'll have him take a look at it
    – Not_Einstein
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 23:40

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If the box doesn't seem to have been pulled loose on its mounts, you're ok. Just bend the bar back into shape without putting more stress on the box. Either support it or remove it before bending. You could probably also just reverse it to put the arch upward.

I'd run the bar mount screws in until snug, too, so they have plenty of threads holding. I'm not sure why they're gapped like they are.

While you do that, untangle the ground wire and connect it properly to the green screw, looping clockwise. What's there now isn't a valid grounding technique. The wire's tail should connect to the home's ground wire also, if present.

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    ... And if really ambitious flip the mounting bar over and insert the ground screw through the right way so the little bumps on the bracket can hold the wire, and get a jamb nut for the threaded sleeve so it doesn't spin and damage wire insulation.
    – NoSparksPlease
    Commented Jan 3, 2022 at 14:13
  • Thanks. I don't think I can remove the bar without taking the whole setup apart, can I? I'm reluctant to tangle with this thing much more given my recent history with it. So far it's holding, but is all the weight actually supported by just two relatively small screws? Next time an electrician is in the house I'll have him check it out.
    – Not_Einstein
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 15:11
  • You're overthinking it. Pull the two screws on the bar, spin it off the spindle, reverse it, and spin it back on. Of course, a helper helps.
    – isherwood
    Commented Jan 4, 2022 at 21:03
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  1. See if your junction box has a mounting stud for chandeliers. If it does, get a hickey to adapt to the size of your nipple (hanger) and eliminate the bar and the small threaded rod. You'll have to adapt something for the ground connection if your box has ground but you don't use that bar with its ground screw.

enter image description here

  1. If your box doesn't have a stud you could buy a heavier mounting bar, or double up on them.

  2. You can mount a ring and use that to mount the bar using multiple concentric nuts and bolts. The bar could sit on the ring. enter image description here

  3. If there is a joist behind the box you can also mount the bar with long wood screws, through the back of the box into the joist, instead of relying on the box ears. (Of course you'll have to get the wires out of harm's way if you do this).

  4. For the heaviest chandeliers, perhaps not yours, you attach the threaded rod to two joists via a metal bar that sits ON the joists, rather than being screwed to the bottom, and the junction box is not involved at all in supporting the weight of the fixture,

enter image description here

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