Hanging the Lights

[spam4us]

I have a pole building (40x40x14) that has a flat interior ceiling. Have not decided what material I am going to use for the ceiling(metal, osb, drywal).

I will probably go with 4 ft led fixtures.

My questions are:
1. Did you screw your lights through the ceiling material directly into the truss? (trusses are 4 ft apart)
2. Are you lights flush mount or hanging from the ceiling?
3. Did you do any framing to support the lights?
4. How did you run the electric cable to the lights? Above the finished ceiling or below it?
5. Did you mount any outlet/junction boxes for your lights?
6. Any special consideration for a metal liner panel ceiling?

Thanks

 

[pgray007]

That’s a lot of questions, but in my case (and you can see my build thread for a bunch of pictures of installing 4’ fixtures converted to led)

1) Screwed into trusses. Where there want an available screw point in the fixture I just hit it with a punch and drilled a hole.

2) Flush

3) No. My lights are a mix of perpendicular and parallel to the joists (engineered I beam trusses) but in all cases I’d planned so I could be below a joist.

4) Above finished (drywall) ceiling. I stapled the romex to the approx center of each fixture and told the drywall dudes to bring the romex through. They did this in about 80% of the cases but with extensive pictures I was able to locate the wires they rocked in.

5) Nope. Just stapled the romex to the joist near where it exited the ceiling.

6) No idea.


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[pgray007]

I’ll also add that I used the little plastic things for where the romex entered the fixture. They’re real easy to use and worst case if you’re off in your romex wall penetration you can just drill through the thin metal of your fixture and pop one in. They’re also required per code but the plastic guys are much easier to deal with in this case than a metal cable clamp.


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[spam4us]

Thanks pgray007. How far apart are your trusses?

Anyone else?
Thanks

 

[pgray007]

Thanks pgray007. How far apart are your trusses?



Anyone else?

Thanks

If memory serves they’re 16” oc. One other tip: I got a 5 axis laser that made his job 1000X easier, especially with a larger or more complex fixture layout. Basically it shoots 2 perpendicular lines up on the ceiling. I’d use 1 line to get square to the room, and then hang my fixtures down the other line so they all lined up.

There way be some electricians trick I’m not aware of, but this probably save me a couple hours of measuring and/or doing layouts on the floor and transferring with a plumbing bob. Laser has also made flooring much easier.


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[spam4us]

Would anyone with a metal ceiling provide some insight?

Thanks