Vaulted Ceiling Pot Lights

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I need some pot lights installed in the following structure. What I really need is to get it right the first time. Really don’t want to set up scaffolding once building is complete.

Vaulted ceiling goes from 18.5’ to 23.5’
Room 16.5’ wide 22’ long
Ceiling to have R50 insulation.

Electrician is suggesting 6 possibly 8” lights.

Appreciate any info/assistance you could provide.

View media item 109523View media item 109521View media item 109522View media item 109520

 

[csi123]

Well what's the structure for? Parking? Wrenching? Dance hall? Growing weed? Make a big difference depends on the purpose.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Well what's the structure for? Parking? Wrenching? Dance hall? Growing weed? Make a big difference depends on the purpose.

It is for a living space, cabin in this case. Guess I could have mentioned that.
The orange tarps are actually rough ins for windows.

 

[AZ Pete]

I can appreciate doing it right the first time, but consider how you are going to change the bulbs....and though LED's are long life, some fail sooner than others. I have one of eight that just went out after about two years, in a vaulted ceiling can light.

 

[cybrdyke]

Go to www.liteline.com
Canadian manufacturer (Toronto). They make the best stuff, although not the cheapest. You dont want cheap **** in your home anyway. You probably have a rep or a distributor in your area that carries their stuff.
Good luck,
CD

 

[yatg]

Time to buy a scissor lift.

 

[akjose]

I really like these lights maxima style. They have a junction box and the light is very thin. Has a small low voltage wiring that goes from junction box transformer to the light. I put these in my basement and they are bright. They now have a 25’ extension cord for the low voltage side and you could essentially have all the light junctions in a line and have the low voltage wires running to each light. Would have saved me on a lot of lighting. Below is a link to all their panel lights.

https://www.maxximastyle.com/recess...ail&utm_term=0_e5dfcc7541-763322c4ec-76142165



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[walta]

The way I see it vaulted ceilings are like trying to fit 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag. There is not a lot of room for acquit ventilation and insulation and it only gets worse when push the insulation out of the way to fill the space steel to pull the cold from the outside straight into the building. To make matters worse even the best “air tight” can lights leak like a sieve, don’t believe me try filling one with water. The warm moist air gets into the ceiling and finds the cold plywood the moisture condenses into a liquid now you have a wet rotting roof.


I say make a new plan install surface mount lights over airtight boxes.


Walta

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I can appreciate doing it right the first time, but consider how you are going to change the bulbs....and though LED's are long life, some fail sooner than others. I have one of eight that just went out after about two years, in a vaulted ceiling can light.

AZ Pete
I have wondered the same thing. Short of a lift or scaffolding would be required.
What brand did you use?
Most LEDs I believe should do 50K hours. Thinking of about 6 lights in total. Wouldn’t need them during the day as there is plenty of window coverage for the daytime.

Go to www.liteline.com
Canadian manufacturer (Toronto). They make the best stuff, although not the cheapest. You dont want cheap **** in your home anyway. You probably have a rep or a distributor in your area that carries their stuff.
Good luck,
CD

Cybrdyke
Interesting took a quick look already. Appreciate the referral.
How did you know about them to begin with?

Time to buy a scissor lift.

Yang
I have thought about it. probably would have no trouble renting it out either.

I really like these lights maxima style. They have a junction box and the light is very thin. Has a small low voltage wiring that goes from junction box transformer to the light. I put these in my basement and they are bright. They now have a 25’ extension cord for the low voltage side and you could essentially have all the light junctions in a line and have the low voltage wires running to each light. Would have saved me on a lot of lighting. Below is a link to all their panel lights.
https://www.maxximastyle.com/recess...ail&utm_term=0_e5dfcc7541-763322c4ec-76142165
Akjose
Nobody has even suggested low voltage up to this point. Thanks for a different way of approaching this situation

The way I see it vaulted ceilings are like trying to fit 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag. There is not a lot of room for acquit ventilation and insulation and it only gets worse when push the insulation out of the way to fill the space steel to pull the cold from the outside straight into the building. To make matters worse even the best “air tight” can lights leak like a sieve, don’t believe me try filling one with water. The warm moist air gets into the ceiling and finds the cold plywood the moisture condenses into a liquid now you have a wet rotting roof.
I say make a new plan install surface mount lights over airtight boxes.
Walta

Walta
You are right on the displacement of insulation. There will be a minimum of R50 in this space. I would imagine that these containers would be vapour barrier similar to electrical boxes. Although a vapour barrier anywhere is only as good as the person doing it. But there would be metal instead of insulation as you mentioned. Maybe there is a solution although not flush with the ceiling, but still still aesthetically appealing.
Over the dining room we will be placing a drop down cable lighting from the ceiling. Maybe this could be done in a similar fashion.

 

[Bretny]

Learn from my mistakes. Use the slim low pro style of lights someone posted. I put can lights in my vaulted ceiling and am having insulation, ventilation and mold issues. Can lights with an actual big can are a thing of the past. These new ones are quite a bit easier to install. Run wireing to each area you want the light, hang drywall and use a hole saw to make the light hole then pull the wire through and wire up. I used this type in my back porch and wouldnt use another type of ceiling light ever again.

 

[AZ Pete]

AZ Pete
I have wondered the same thing. Short of a lift or scaffolding would be required.
What brand did you use?
Most LEDs I believe should do 50K hours. Thinking of about 6 lights in total. Wouldn’t need them during the day as there is plenty of window coverage for the daytime.

The bulbs were purchased from Lowes or Home Depot, and I seem to recall that they were GE, but COO was China. My suspicion is that the bulb that has failed has a defect, and the others will last the advertised life. I should have kept the package, or a record, because I will need to match the color emitted from the bulb with its replacement, and LED's come in a wide spectrum.

 

[yeldogt]

Learn from my mistakes. Use the slim low pro style of lights someone posted. I put can lights in my vaulted ceiling and am having insulation, ventilation and mold issues. Can lights with an actual big can are a thing of the past. These new ones are quite a bit easier to install. Run wireing to each area you want the light, hang drywall and use a hole saw to make the light hole then pull the wire through and wire up. I used this type in my back porch and wouldnt use another type of ceiling light ever again.

High quality -- directional lighting with hidden source still requires a case structure. Unfortunately -- you installed the wrong type for your application

 

[yeldogt]

What are you trying to light up ?

With a high ceiling and desire to light a particular spot -- you need to buy a very high quality light. You are into a commercial application .... like lighting a lobby lounge in a fine hotel. Expensive projected ...

You are going to end up with sun spots up there using run of the mill lighting .... And with cheap ones you will indeed need to be very careful of installation/ air sealing and leaking.

I have done many tall ceiling projects .. I also hire a lighting architect. None would put generic down lights in a residence that high up ..... The space would look better with uplighting or sconce .... if anything is in the ceiling ... they would be wall washers that project away from the occupants

With lower ceilings under 12' -- nice directional spots where you can't see the light source will work and not blind.

filling a ceiling with lights is never a good look

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

My wife and I did a little light shopping today. We were going to place a multi bulb hanging light over the dining room table right from the beginning.
Over the island is part of the vaulted ceiling. At this point another hanging light but fewer bulbs same model as the dining room.
We will place 4 wall sconces 7-8’ above the floor. If more lighting is required we will simply get floor lights.

It is kind of funny how you start going down a trail and actually need to be derailed. In this case I had started thinking pot lights. Maybe the electrician or builder started the thought process. Looking around my living room at home we have no ceiling lights so why in a vaulted ceilIng.

We got started in the bedrooms with the pot lights. But was definitely not interested but did place them in the bedroom closets, on a switch of course. With a centralized light for the bedroom’s main lighting.

The only electrical at this time to be wired in the vaulted ceiling is a single(?) ceiling fan. Mainly to redistribute the heat from a NG fireplace.
The building will be air conditioned? Will a fan be better with AC?
Our home is not AC probably due to window placement, eave width and trees.
Would a single fan be of any value or would 2 be needed?
Is a DC motor necessary?
Pitch and length of blade?
Number of blades?

 

[i4ni]

I'd suggest some very long pendant lights......

 

[yeldogt]

I find with high ceilings a fan in needed in the winter to keep air flowing if you have hot air heat. Otherwise the ceiling holds all the heat. In the warmer months ... it depends on the house. Many times it's best to have them off as all they do is move the hot air down and mix it with the AC .... AC should be designed to cool 7-8 feet high max. With radiant heat the ceiling is often cooler in the winter so they fan stays off. I would still do one ... I typically use a 6' down-rod and use a quality fan that can move air with slower speed. The old hunter originals are great .... Modern Fan Company also makes nice ones.

Height of a sconce depends on the unit. You don't want any part lower than 5'6 .... An "up light" with shielded front can be a 5'6 (eye level) and they look and work great ... basically a wall washer. A more decorative one needs to be a bit higher ... 8' is tall unless it hangs down a bit. 6.5 often works well.

Recessed light works best when lighting a wall or a spot that can't be done another way ... filling a ceiling for general lighting seems to be what some unknowing builders like to do. I like small recessed --- it can work very well .... but in spaces with tall ceilings I light the ceiling with up lighting .... not the reverse.