Mounting Lights

[YHSublime]

I have these LED's I want to mount above my tank from the ceiling. I'm wondering what suggestions everybody has for getting them up.

 

 

These are the only attaching points on the lights:

 

These are what I have to mount them. I'm thinking using clips, or krimping them on opposit corners:

 

 

Celing End:

 

Here is my ceiling that I'm wondering if I should drill into, or just drill a hook in there:

 

 

Thoughs or ideas?

[STEVE]

How many fixtures do you have to hang...just the one? If so, you will need 2 of those hangers, 1 for each end. Your correct on how to mount them also...I like using toggle bolts on the ceiling or If you get luck and hit a stud your golden, but the chances of that are pretty slim. If you dont have the nice hidden end that goes up on the ceiling then just use a hook up there and either attach the eye from the wire directly onto the hook.

[YHSublime]

Yeah, I'm worried about running my studfinder on the speckled ceiling. Also renting, so don't want to tear anything up. For now it makes sense to just run off a hook instead of doing the hidden route. I have two that I need to mount, which is why I was thinking about using one strap on a diagnol, if that makes sense?

[STEVE]

Yep, Makes sense to me.!

[Origami]

Use an S-hook at the 4 corners of the light, or split-rings (like the kind used for keyrings). Use a toggle bolt for hanging lamps on the ceiling.

[YHSublime]

Use an S-hook at the 4 corners of the light, or split-rings (like the kind used for keyrings). Use a toggle bolt for hanging lamps on the ceiling.

 

Funny, I was litteraly just sitting here thinking about key rings. "S" rings were suggested by a friend, but I'm wondering if I could find tiny locking carabiners?

[YHSublime]

Eh, looks like this will do. Hung from my shower rod just to see how it looked:

 

 

Thinking about ordering some toggle bolts with hooks already on the bolt, unless I can find them at a home depot or lowes.

[jimlin]

another option would be to use conduit pipe, bend it and bolt to tank stand. this may be what i will do if i dont go with the kessil.

[Origami]

Eh, looks like this will do. Hung from my shower rod just to see how it looked:

 

 

Thinking about ordering some toggle bolts with hooks already on the bolt, unless I can find them at a home depot or lowes.

 

That's pretty much just what I did recently when hanging two similarly configured lights. I found some smaller rings on a carabiner at home depot for about $1 - three to a carabiner and bought a few of them just for the rings. The carabiner was a bonus. Equally good would have been some sort of light spring-clip but they didn't have that (at least, not for a reasonable price).

[YHSublime]

another option would be to use conduit pipe, bend it and bolt to tank stand. this may be what i will do if i dont go with the kessil.

Yeah, always an option. At this stage with all the DIY I'm planning on, I might just keep my eyes peeled for a 40 gallon drilled with sump and stand deal. I've found toggle bolts that will hold in my ceiling that have a hook attached to the bolt already. My only concern would be patching up the ceiling. That shouldn't be a problem, I doubt anybody would notice some nickle sized patched holes in the ceiling when I move.

 

That's pretty much just what I did recently when hanging two similarly configured lights. I found some smaller rings on a carabiner at home depot for about $1 - three to a carabiner and bought a few of them just for the rings. The carabiner was a bonus. Equally good would have been some sort of light spring-clip but they didn't have that (at least, not for a reasonable price).

Yeah, price has been an issue with the smaller carabiners. It's ludicrous whats being charged for some of those high end ones! I could always cut the cable, and crimp it around the hooks, but the rings are working fine, and will be easier to relocate should I ever plan on that.

[Integral9]

I doubt anybody would notice some nickle sized patched holes in the ceiling when I move.

 

Probably not. But if you can find the bolt covers from the Aquactinics hanging kits, they are very nice. I just drilled a hole large enough to get the toggles through and then when I put up the light, all I had to do was put on the bolt covers and all you see is a wire going into the bolt covers on the ceiling.

 

.....

 

Well those hanging kits are like needles in a hay stack. Fortunately, this one is exactly like it and cheaper: http://reefledlights.com/shop/hanging-kit/

 

The bullet shaped bits are the bolt covers and they come a part into 2 peices. One will slide over your toggle bolt (you'll have to remove the toggles first), the rounded side w/ the slot in it will screw into the part that slides over the toggle bolt.

[YHSublime]

Probably not. But if you can find the bolt covers from the Aquactinics hanging kits, they are very nice. I just drilled a hole large enough to get the toggles through and then when I put up the light, all I had to do was put on the bolt covers and all you see is a wire going into the bolt covers on the ceiling.

 

.....

 

Well those hanging kits are like needles in a hay stack. Fortunately, this one is exactly like it and cheaper: http://reefledlights...op/hanging-kit/

 

The bullet shaped bits are the bolt covers and they come a part into 2 peices. One will slide over your toggle bolt (you'll have to remove the toggles first), the rounded side w/ the slot in it will screw into the part that slides over the toggle bolt.

 

Very nice. If I was to ever take them out, is there a way to do so? Maybe I could put some fishing line around each end of the toggle so I could push up and pull the fishing line down to clamp them in again. I could hide the fishing line under the plate? Also, I need two additional clips to mount (4 mounting points on the LED.) Or would my original idea from my first post work, just top left, bottom right, mounted only on two by a diagonal.

[Jason Rhoads]

+1 on the toggle bolts if you are going from the ceiling. No sense in taking the chance of the light plummeting into the tank

 

 

 

I too was running into the issue of how to hang my LEDs (while renting) and I decided to just build a hanging arm that attached to the back of the tank. Cost was around $20 all said and done (I used wood but conduit looks really nice when done well).

[YHSublime]

Very nice. If I was to ever take them out, is there a way to do so? Maybe I could put some fishing line around each end of the toggle so I could push up and pull the fishing line down to clamp them in again. I could hide the fishing line under the plate? Also, I need two additional clips to mount (4 mounting points on the LED.) Or would my original idea from my first post work, just top left, bottom right, mounted only on two by a diagonal.

 

nm, contacted the company, they each come with two, problem solved! Thanks again for that link, those are perfect! Still curious about pulling OUT a toggle bolt instead of having to cut the line...

 

+1 on the toggle bolts if you are going from the ceiling. No sense in taking the chance of the light plummeting into the tank

I too was running into the issue of how to hang my LEDs (while renting) and I decided to just build a hanging arm that attached to the back of the tank. Cost was around $20 all said and done (I used wood but conduit looks really nice when done well).

 

Don't want lights in the tank, just above, haha. My only other concern is running the power cords clean. I've got two off each unit, one for the whites, one for the blues, that's 4 cords I'm trying to streamline around the back.

[Integral9]

I think you should get another wire to hang your lights with and use all 4 mounting points. The frames most of the lights I've seen will warp under the stress of being hung from 2 opposing corners.

 

As for recovering the toggles... unscrew the bolts and don't worry about the toggles; just leave them in the ceiling and patch the hole. I think every house past it's original owner has a pair or more in their ceilings.