Attaching Fluorescent Batten flush to wall. Please help.

[happinessandcolour]

Hi all, I am just about to attach some Fluorescent Battens to a wall. PLEASE excuse my ignorance - this is the first time I have installed lights like these!

On the back of the Battens, there are two sets of 4 x Bumps (please see the photos) that prevent the Battens from being attached flush to a flat surface, such as a wall or ceiling. This has slightly confused me - are these in place to STOP the Battens being flush against a wall or ceiling? Or does one need to use a certain fitting to install these kind of battens to a flat surface?

I had planned on screwing them in, directly to the walls. The fact there would be an almost 1/8" gap between the Battens & Lights unnerves me. Is this standard? Is it normal to have this gap?

Please see the photos attached. For anyone kind enough to read and respond: How would you go about installing these, and also which holes in the battens (pictured) would you use for the screws?

Any advice would be very much appreciated. All the very best.

 

[kerching]

The Bumps are there to
Cope with slight variations in wall finish
Provide an air flow

 

[Sharpend]

^^ Take it from a man that knows! He’s an expert on bumps.

 

[happinessandcolour]

Cheers! Perhaps 'dimples' might have been a more accurate term, lol.

 

[Sharpend]

Cheers! Perhaps 'dimples' might have been a more accurate term, lol.

Oh no, he finds dimples very appealing!

 

[johnb2713]

^^ Take it from a man that knows! He’s an expert on bumps.

Oh go on, do tell...................

 

[kerching]

Bumps/dimples
Depends what they are attached to

Oh go on, do tell...................

a gentleman never tells.....but it involves Rachel Riley

 

[johnb2713]

Bumps/dimples
Depends what they are attached to

a gentleman never tells.....but it involves Rachel Riley

And your reason for silence? LOL

 

[kerching]

And your reason for silence? LOL

Restraining order

 

[C.R]

Hi all, I am just about to attach some Fluorescent Battens to a wall. PLEASE excuse my ignorance - this is the first time I have installed lights like these!

On the back of the Battens, there are two sets of 4 x Bumps (please see the photos) that prevent the Battens from being attached flush to a flat surface, such as a wall or ceiling. This has slightly confused me - are these in place to STOP the Battens being flush against a wall or ceiling? Or does one need to use a certain fitting to install these kind of battens to a flat surface?

I had planned on screwing them in, directly to the walls. The fact there would be an almost 1/8" gap between the Battens & Lights unnerves me. Is this standard? Is it normal to have this gap?

Please see the photos attached. For anyone kind enough to read and respond: How would you go about installing these, and also which holes in the battens (pictured) would you use for the screws?

Any advice would be very much appreciated. All the very best.

My personal opinion is that if they are fluorescent fittings, they will have one or maybe two ballasts in there, those things get warm, and lights get left on for a long time, the spacing dimples seem a good idea to me

 

[roys]

Yip dimples were put on fittings to enable a little bit of cooling, I remember reading some safety articles in the 1980s about fittings that didn’t have the dimples starting house fires due to overheating when screwed straight onto wooden ceilings, of course time and alcohol may be playing tricks on me.

 

[binky]

Yip dimples were put on fittings to enable a little bit of cooling, I remember reading some safety articles in the 1980s about fittings that didn’t have the dimples starting house fires due to overheating when screwed straight onto wooden ceilings, of course time and alcohol may be playing tricks on me.

I always wondered why they were there

 

[johnb2713]

Yip dimples were put on fittings to enable a little bit of cooling, I remember reading some safety articles in the 1980s about fittings that didn’t have the dimples starting house fires due to overheating when screwed straight onto wooden ceilings, of course time and alcohol may be playing tricks on me.

Especially 'Dimple' whisky?

 

[Geoff1946]

The old magnetic ballasts could become very hot, especially if left on with a failed tube or starter, but surely heat won't be an issue with a modern fitting?

 

[Fleeting]

Maybe it's too far back to be clear but they never had dimples like that but the case was raised either side of the BESA box entry points and I'm sure you could get/make a hanger which sat across it into the raised parts to suspend them from jack chains. Is that just me?

 

[binky]

Maybe it's too far back to be clear but they never had dimples like that but the case was raised either side of the BESA box entry points and I'm sure you could get/make a hanger which sat across it into the raised parts to suspend them from jack chains. Is that just me?

Most used to supply a little metal piece for hanging on chains

 

[kerching]

We used to call the chain hanging brackets 'monkey puzzles'
When Fitzgerald lighting re-tooled they dispensed with the dimples and fitted a plastic spacer to perform the same function and allow the fittings to be 'F' rated
3' and 5' Thorn Arrowslim fittings always had spacers