hanging lights vertical on perlins

[40cpe]

Is there a fixture or bracket that will allow me to mount ceiling boxes facing straight down on the slanted perlins? My perlins are wood and I could saw notches in them, but would rather forego that task 16' above the floor.

Also, I would like an economical source of the reflectors designed for screw-in bulbs. I'll be using the compact fluorescent bulbs. thanks for advice

 

[1953mercury]

With 16' ceilings I doubt you will be happy with that setup. I would bite the bullet and and buy a few t-8 fixtures and bulbs. That will also solve your mounting problem. Mike

 

[40cpe]

Well, only the center (peak) row will be 16 feet up. The outside rows will be about 14'. Please tell me how will T8 fixtures solve the problem? Do they not mount flat on a surface? I had contemplated T8 lights, but I'll be doing this by myself and I don't know if an 8' fixture is manageable. By the way, this installation is in a garage/shop.

 

[Aceman]

You don't want screw-ins. I'm sure you would be much happier with an 8' 4 lamp T8 fixture. And yes, they are manageable by yourself. I hang them all the time solo. They aren't heavy, just a little awkward.

 

[kbs2244]

Screw a 4x4 box onto the side of the perlin so the bottom is horizontal and then attach your ceiling mount to them.

When I was bucks down I used tin pie plates with a hole punched into the center for reflectors.
I just pushed the bulb neck up through the hole and screwed it in.

It looked kind of funky, but it worked pretty well.

 

[2Big2Ride]

Might want to check out the reference to outdoor lamp holder/socket in post 44 here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658
Something like this could be pointed straight down from a box that has a slope.
http://www.platt.com/platt-electric.../Hubbell-Raco/5606-0/product.aspx?zpid=397200

 

[kerr]

I too have just re-lighted my shop that is now about 20' in the center now . I did away with the 4' floresant lights and went with the screw in energy saver bulbs , 100 watt light for the cost of like 25 watt bulbs . Its OK but not great . I also split them up on many differant switches so only 2 at a time come on now .

You or at least me always end up with a work light in use anyways I think they will be fine . Thinking about maybe changing some out for 150 or 200 watt . I too have looked hard for some reflectors and came up with nothing but the pie plate idea too. Haven't done it yet but have not ruled it out .

I am hopeing for cheaper light bill with these lights , time will tell . They just seem like they have to be cheaper to run .

Good reflectors would be great , please share if someone comes up with a sorce for them .

Kerr

 

[timewarp]

I followed Veno's idea and have the 105watt CFL's on a 16' ceiling, they work well, all the info you need is in this thread

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658



screw in reflector

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E8X4L0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[kerr]

Thanks Timewarp , wow ! Seems I may have gone a tad too far between mine at about 14' .Plenty easy enough to add a couple more If I need to.

kerr

 

[40cpe]

Screw a 4x4 box onto the side of the perlin so the bottom is horizontal and then attach your ceiling mount to them.

Please elaborate on this a little. I can't picture it in my mind.

Thanks

 

[40cpe]

You don't want screw-ins. I'm sure you would be much happier with an 8' 4 lamp T8 fixture. And yes, they are manageable by yourself. I hang them all the time solo. They aren't heavy, just a little awkward.

I'm not married to the CFL concept, but others on here have used them and are happy. My interior is white and should help with either I choose. I'll check out the T8 more before I commit.

What ever I hang, I'll need a way to level them on the bottom of the purlins that are on a 12/4 pitch. I thought maybe someone here has done it with a better way than I would come up with. No need to re-invent the wheel.

 

[silverstreak]

I'm using screw in CFL's from Lowe's that are the equivalent of 300W with a draw of 65W 12' off the floor with 20" diameter reflectors similar to the ones available on Amazon but larger diameter. Very satisfied with these so far.

 

[Highbeam]

What ever I hang, I'll need a way to level them on the bottom of the purlins that are on a 12/4 pitch.

What makes you think that you need to level them. I have CFLs pointing in all directions and they work fine. Don't sweat the level thing.

Your better bet is 8' t8s. They don't need to be level either but you get more light per watt.

 

[40cpe]

I'm using screw in CFL's from Lowe's that are the equivalent of 300W with a draw of 65W 12' off the floor with 20" diameter reflectors similar to the ones available on Amazon but larger diameter. Very satisfied with these so far.

What is the spacing on these lights?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Veno's thread on the large CFLs and the reflectors is a very good one to review.

As far as mounting the boxes perfectly horizontal, you should be able to make wedges to fit between them and the purlins, or use a box with a welded bracket on it and bend the bracket to make the box level. I posted octagon boxes with romex clamps in them. However they make 4x4 boxes and conduit type boxes with these brackets also, you just gotta look for them. I figured you were using Romex as you didn't say anything about bending "pipe" for the wiring.

Charles

I found a whole passel of these lamp holder covers in my Habit ReStore for about nothing $$$ which would work with the flood lamp holders someone posted above.

 

[40cpe]

Thanks for the ideas on the boxes, I had been thinking plastic all along.

IF i find a way to mount plastic boxes...There is no ground provision on the porcelain fixtures. Is it advisable to run a 12/2 wire with no ground to them? Do they make a 12/2 no-ground Romex?

 

[silverstreak]

I've got them in a 40 x 60 and they are on 8' spacing down the center truss spreaders (4 lights total). Definitely not good enough to work by yet but plan to add 4 more on each side of center on the truss spreaders for a total of 12. Each "row" will be switched.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Thanks for the ideas on the boxes, I had been thinking plastic all along.

IF i find a way to mount plastic boxes...There is no ground provision on the porcelain fixtures. Is it advisable to run a 12/2 wire with no ground to them? Do they make a 12/2 no-ground Romex?

That would be a bad idea, because as soon as you realize you want better lighting, and start installing T8's, you will be needing the ground, and won't have it. Haven't seen 12/2 wo grd in a long time. If you want to go cheap, why bother with 12 why not use 14?

Just run the romex to the steel boxes and terminate the ground on the ground screw in the box. You really don't want fixtures falling on you when the building gets hot, plastic cracks and fixture comes loose. Its a shop, at least use a "industrial" quality box.

Charles

 

[40cpe]

Thanks for your opinion. I'll figure it out.

 

[sberry]

When I was bucks down I used tin pie plates with a hole punched into the center for reflectors.
I just pushed the bulb neck up through the hole and screwed it in.

It looked kind of funky, but it worked pretty well.

I thought maybe I had a pic of that. I think you can see tin over bench.