Sounds like the chain/wire length below the canopy is too short. :(

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/French-Empire-Crystal-Gold-Chandelier-Lighting-Great-for-The-Dining-Room-Foye/657730147?utm_campaign=buyer_bought&utm_medium=OfferMailer&utm_source=email

Here's a link to the chandelier. Thank you so much for responding! The info for the chandelier says it comes with an 18" chain, but noting about the wiring. I though we would be able to attach longer chain....

Sadly, no. If it has an 18" chain, that is how far below the canopy the chandelier can hang. It can be shortened fairly easily, but not lengthened without re-wiring.

So canopy attaches to ceiling, wire comes through canopy, weaving in and out of the chain, for 18". Even if you add additional chain, you don't have additional wire...

So since that is a 50" light (top to bottom) if hung at full length, the bottom will be at 68 inches from the ceiling. Sounds like you have a very tall ceiling.

Sorry :(

why would think you could attach a longer chain? 18" is what it says. (if you find one that says it's adjustable lengths, then that is what you would need. this one is fixed)

that wire he's talking about actually runs from the fixture, all the way up through the 18" of chain. you can't add wire to it. it would be like cutting a wire in two pieces, and then trying to put them back together. you can't glue them.

can you return it and get one w/a longer chain? I notice they have many more lights. maybe call the seller and see if they have one in the 24"?

But it is possible to have it re-wired?

You should be able to rewire it to hang lower... new chain and new wire and you will be fine.

yes, you could have it rewired by a lighting place, and they could match the chain and add links for you. might be a little bit of money though.

or you can check w/seller for an exchange? or is that too much of a hassle?

Yes, it's possible to have it rewired, but that might be a rather large chore.

Beth, the reason people think they can attach a longer chain is because they don't know how wiring of a light fixture works. That is why they ask questions :)

Not everyone has gotten up close and personal with a light fixture before...

I would hesitate to say rewiring will be easy. I've rewired a fair number of fixtures, and not all are as simple as one would expect.

yes mimi, i realize that after I read her statement. a lot of times they give you extra wire, but those are lights w/varied lengths. since this one said 18", and you can see the wire coming from the light, up the chain, I guess I thought it would be a bit more obvious. That's why I asked her if she unpacked it and looked at it first, or if she just handed it over to the installer without checking.

Hee hee, Beth. I was just being smart (well, what i was being begins with smart). You can fill in the rest :) No offense intended!

A*& ! lol

Can you take a picture of the insides? I'm not very familiar with this style but it really might not be too hard to lengthen at all.

You CAN cut and splice wire together, but you want it done properly and you want the splice concealed. Call around if you aren't comfortable with wiring.

I don't understand why lengthening the wire is a difficult procedure.

All the chandeliers I have in my home are antiques - one was actually rewired completely as it was originally used gas instead of electricity. They have chains that are attached and the wire just threads through the chains in two of them and is very accessible.

The process of lengthening electrical wire is very straightforward - you literally splice the wires together and then add insulation tape of some kind around the area where it has been spliced.

Perhaps I am missing something in terms of the process but this kind of electrical wire splicing was done routinely including by me when I wanted to add on/off capability to lamps so I could turn them off without reaching under the shade.

It can be rewired. Yes it can be lowered. The issue becomes the cost of that vs the worth of the chandy. It may have to go into a shop but it can be done.

The process of lengthening electrical wire is very straightforward - you
literally splice the wires together and then add insulation tape of
some kind around the area where it has been spliced.

There's a difference between what can be done and what should be done. Yours is an example of the former.

Not having seen the fixture I can't say with certainly but the leads from the individual lamp holders should meet at some central location within the fixture and then be attached to the cord that runs up through the chain and connects to the house wiring. I would suspect that the cord could be replaced with a longer length at that point. Obviously the work should be done by a qualified person.

I never heard of the source ( link) ( This item has been sold" ) 349.00

Guss what? The vintage light already HAD THE WIRING CUT.

There is no way, even decades ago, that a fifty inch chandelier, comes with 18 inches of wire and chain. Thus my guess, is wherever it was originally? Maybe a hotel or something? Someone AFTER that had it over a dining table, cut off both wire, chain and tossed in a garbage can.

My advice? Craigs list and do over. You'll spend as much getting it re wired

No you do not splice electrical wires together it needs to be completely rewired and as mentioned not always as easy as it seems.

Have a consult with a lighting store and see what they say about the cost of rewiring. If you love it, you'll get to use it and it will probably cost less than reselling this one and repurchasing.

I've had good luck in the past having lighting rewired and re-chained at my local lighting shop. It was about $100 per fixture. The chain was common, so they had it in stock. If not, you may have to source your own chain.

You can buy splicers (no electrical tape..) to lengthen wire. We've done it...and added chain to lengthen it. Cost less than 20 dollars.

Yes, the main wire can be extended, ideally it could be done from the chandelier cluster body (where all the wires connect to a main one), if not you can always do it by splicing the wire going up the chain (a little more visible), just make sure you use the right wire for it.

You can have it rewired. It's a beautiful chandelier and if it is what you want, then I'd do it even if it makes it more expensive.