To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Physical hanging questions/thoughts

R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
I have an open truss ceiling in my shed. The wall height is 12', the center is 16'?....maybe? Anyway, I have purchased 15 High Bay LED light units (square ones made by optec). The lighting engineer figured out my layout and I installed all the conduit on the underside of what is the roof, so I have 15 outlets on the ceiling. The lights need to be hung slightly below the bottom of the trusses, but the lighting positions dont align with the trusses.

This is an Ag class building so the trusses are 10' OC and the perlings are 2x4's I've walked on the roof, but it seems that hanging a 20lb light (guess, as I have to weight them, but they are not light) from the 2x4 might not be a good idea. The only solution I've come to is running a 10' 2x6 between the trusses at each light....that's a lot of lumber.

2nd part of this is that hanging them by cables might allow them to sway around with the shed door opend.....is this real, or a stupid thought? I could run threaded rods down mounted to the ceiling somehow.

I've talked to some electricians and they hand heavy lights from the ceilings all the time and not to worry about it.....but I am worrying. Any thoughts from you guys?

I can get some pics if it would make the questions more clear, and I will weigh the fixture today.

Thanks for any info.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
B

BillK

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
9,348
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
Rek,
Not sure about hanging them, but before you get past the point of no return, make sure your fixtures are going to be correct for your building. I have been researching lights because I need to upgrade the ones in my shop and it seems like "high bay" lights are pretty much engineered to work at heights at or above 15 ft. Below that height it looks like they need to be "low bay" fixtures. The light dispersion is a lot different between the two. I think if you were to place a high bay fixture below your 12 ft trusses, the light would end up being too concentrated.

Just a thought,
 
B

bczygan

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,002
Location
DETROIT! Arsenal of Scrappers
If you can't hang a 20# light from a structural roof member, you got bigger problems. I like the rod solution. Or use 2x4x10's on edge between the trusses. Use joist hangers.

Bill
 
Last edited:
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
BillK said:
Rek,
Not sure about hanging them, but before you get past the point of no return, make sure your fixtures are going to be correct for your building. I have been researching lights because I need to upgrade the ones in my shop and it seems like "high bay" lights are pretty much engineered to work at heights at or above 15 ft. Below that height it looks like they need to be "low bay" fixtures. The light dispersion is a lot different between the two. I think if you were to place a high bay fixture below your 12 ft trusses, the light would end up being too concentrated.

Just a thought,
Click to expand...

I definitely agree with you, and I think it might be what they called the fixture, the LED lens is optimized for 12', as opposed to their 'normal' high bay which is set up for 15' plus. I'm not sure Optec officially has a low bay. Definitely a concern, and I appreciate it

bczygan said:
If you can't hang a 20# light from a structural roof member, you got bigger problems. I like the rod solution. Or use 2x4x10's on edge between the trusses. Use joist hangers.

Bill
Click to expand...

I can definitely hang them, I've walked around on the roof, so it can be done, I just don't know if it's the best idea.....will there be sag over the next 20 years?
 
C

creativecars

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Messages
4,300
Location
Indiana- where horse and buggies still roam
Your questions are weather you can stray for the lighting engineers lighting placement and hanging the lights from lumber (to get better placement) or directly from trusses by cables or threaded rod, Is that correct?

Most of the time the perfect lighting layout does not account for simple things like mounting. :sad: I would say get as close as you can, then use independent work light.

I don't think a short length of cable would cause problems.
 
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
creativecars said:
Your questions are weather you can stray for the lighting engineers lighting placement and hanging the lights from lumber (to get better placement) or directly from trusses by cables or threaded rod, Is that correct?

Most of the time the perfect lighting layout does not account for simple things like mounting. :sad: I would say get as close as you can, then use independent work light.

I don't think a short length of cable would cause problems.
Click to expand...

No, I'm questioning mounting them to structural members to meet the engineers layout. The lights don't line up with the truss's which would be the optimal way to mount.
 
B

bczygan

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,002
Location
DETROIT! Arsenal of Scrappers
REKIII said:
That's a REALLY good idea. Sometimes I think I should permanently attach my face to my palm.
Click to expand...

Me too!

I'm starting to use this forum as an alternate and ultimately, a replacement brain, as mine shuts down completely.

UNISTRUT!

YES! THAT IS THE ANSWER!

And there is no "sag"! I wish everyone would quit using that term.

Your wife's **** will SAG over time.

Construction materials DEFLECT!

And all beams or horizontal members deflect from day one, and always will. Deflection only increases with increased load.

So, the more I reflect on it, unistrut is the answer. It is lightweight and won't deflect very much.

So don't reject this information.

And show us photos when you install your lights so we can inspect the result.

I don't think you'll be dejected by the outcome.

Bill
 
Last edited:
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
^^^Awesome post! Got a good chuckle.

Thanks, and I will start to use Deflect as opposed to sag. Thankfully my wife's are still very perky!
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
T

theoldwizard1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,216
Location
SE MI
If you are only going to hang 1 - 20# fixture per purlin span, you are over thinking this. Insert eye screws/eye hooks, hang with chain. The door is not going to be open all the time, so just let them sway in the breeze when it is.

I assume you are going to put cords on the light, run them back up the chains and then plug them into ceiling outlet. Tie wrap the cord to the chain, and provide some kind of strain relief at the purlin for the cord before plugging it into the ceiling outlet.
 
T

theoldwizard1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,216
Location
SE MI
If the lights "swaying in the breeze" bothers you, use 2 sets of chains, one pair from 2 different purlins (when looking at it from an end the fixture will hang from the bottom of a "V"). Not only will it reduces swaying, but it will be half the load on each purlin !
 
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
theoldwizard1 said:
If you are only going to hang 1 - 20# fixture per purlin span, you are over thinking this. Insert eye screws/eye hooks, hang with chain. The door is not going to be open all the time, so just let them sway in the breeze when it is.

I assume you are going to put cords on the light, run them back up the chains and then plug them into ceiling outlet. Tie wrap the cord to the chain, and provide some kind of strain relief at the purlin for the cord before plugging it into the ceiling outlet.
Click to expand...

I'll have to look at how that would work. Seems like a reasonable idea

Charles (in GA) said:
Since you are using receptacles, don't forget the code required GFCI protection.:evil:
Click to expand...

All GFCI protected per code. :D
 
K

KST1

Active member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
38
Location
Illinois
Do you have a source for the OPTEC High/Low Bay lights? I'm in the market and can't seem to find where they are sold or pricing.

My ceilings are 14'-18' so these might be a good option.

Thanks in advance,

-Derek

p.s.: That's a nice shirt your wife has...
 
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
It is a nice shirt. :)

http://www.hein.com/

This is the distributor that Optec works with, not sure why they are not listed on their site. I'm also not sure if they have a location closer to you.
 
OP
R

REKIII

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
102
Location
Wisconsin
So, I'm trying to gether materials to do this. I was planning on getting unistrut to span 2-3 perlins per light, then use threaded rod down to the light. My problem is, I can't seem to find a swivel typ connector to go from the unistrut to the threaded rod.

Thoughts?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom