Marking Up Spotlights

[Matthew kml]

I currently have a job to do on my mothers mates house i have been asked to put up 8 spotlights the room is a rectangular room. I am thinking I measure the area and then divide it by 8 is this right if ( I am apprentice just knew to this)

 

[sprocketflup]

my least favourite job....

You've got to work out what layout you want, then if you had say all 8 in one long line, then divide by 9 and that will give you the distance between each.

Be warned tho, get your measurements just a few mill out and the lights will look shite.

Also, what do you think the chances of missing joists every time are?  The Lottery affords better odds.

Best of luck with it tho lad

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

It may work....

Then again...

It may not....

As you need to take account of any joists/beams etc holding up the ceiling..

you cant go cutting big holes through the wooden bits...

Just the gaps in between them!!

Guinness

you may need to drill some small pilot holes say 1.0mm

then poke a bit of wire through so you can look from above to see exactly where your proposed light centers will be in relation to the joists.

 

[Matthew kml]

The layout is 4 on the left side and 4 on the right side , i think I am going to put the lights closer to the house side as I want them nearer the door entering the kitchen . And I know am worried about hitting the joist haha

She dusnt want me to take upstairs floor up aswell guna be a nightmare haha

 

[steptoe]

downlights can be a nightmare,

Ive found that experience is a great assest on marking out,

making the ends and sides  equidistant seldom looks right, or does it give a good spread of light either, ime

and the joist thing,  ray

chances are it will take you half a dozen goes at marking out to miss all the joists,

The layout is 4 on the left side and 4 on the right side , i think I am going to put the lights closer to the house side as I want them nearer the door entering the kitchen . And I know am worried about hitting the joist haha


She dusnt want me to take upstairs floor up aswell guna be a nightmare haha

how are you going to get your wires through the joists then?

MASSIVE holes in ceiling to get drill in?  :C

 

[Matthew kml]

Was hoping to fish it but thinking about it that floor is defo going to have to come up. She wants me to do the permit lighting aswell do u have any ideas where to put that transformer to make it neat

The ceiling is getting plastered over it might jus smash it to bits haha only jokin

 

[steptoe]

Tx on top of cabinet,

 

[Andy™]

The ceiling is getting plastered over it might jus smash it to bits haha only jokin

just bash holes all over... if its getting re-done, its sometimes easier option

 

[pewter]

If i have an area 4m long and want to mount 2 lights, i would start with them 1m from the the end with a 2m gap between the lights. My theory is so the angle of each light covers the same area. Then when i find out out where the joists are, and see how it looks to the eye is how i make my final decision.

To find the joist i go to the edge of the room and make small  holes with a drill to locate (3mm ish), find 2, check distance, mark off the rest and confirm position with them by using small drill again.

To get cables past joist from below i cut 100mm hole over the edge of the joist at the side or middle of the room. I then drill through joist or if i have to notch and metal plate over the top. To repair the hole i screw the 100mm hole back into the joist. Scrim and easy fill if you have to repair.

Kitchen job i am currently doing, i took in a test fitting on a plug in to make sure i got perfect spread (no darker areas), as they wanted good coverage in working areas, and i also used different sealed LED to what i normally use, which had a different spread to what i normally use.  The average job i just whack em in and people are happy.

 

[roys]

Are you sure you want to use a transformer, makes me think you are going down the mr16 route, I have found best route is to go for 230 V gu10 fittings with LED lamps in them, usually only about 4 watts each.

I have just ripped out a dozen 12 V transformers to convert down lighters to 230V gu10 LED down lights.

 

[Andy™]

Are you sure you want to use a transformer, makes me think you are going down the mr16 route, I have found best route is to go for 230 V gu10 fittings with LED lamps in them, usually only about 4 watts each.

I have just ripped out a dozen 12 V transformers to convert down lighters to 230V gu10 LED down lights.

+1. i hate MR16s. connectors always failing. especially if using 50w, its a lot of power through a little pin. often rip out the tx and fit a GU10 instead

 

[Matthew kml]

Thanks people been very helpful this

 

[pewter]

I think he ment pelmet. (regards transformers)

As steps said above cupboard.

I often fit mains LED ones so no external transformer.

Can mount driver under pelmet, i use trunking to route cables.

When it is reflective like granite i keep the underside very neat as it reflects in the work top. When it is i put driver on top and use the LED strip type so it looks pretty in the reflection.

 

[steptoe]

I think he ment pelmet. (regards transformers)

As steps said above cupboard.

I often fit mains LED ones so no external transformer.

Can mount driver under pelmet, i use trunking to route cables.

When it is reflective like granite i keep the underside very neat as it reflects in the work top. When it is i put driver on top and use the LED strip type so it looks pretty in the reflection.

are you on downlights here?

I need to fit some under pelmet lights soon and was thinking of going led strip for these, [only used led capsules before], any recommendations?

 

[Matthew kml]

Ye transformer for pelmit ones not Downlighters mate. And the ones she wants are like LEDs in this triangular thing that sticks on cabinet. Then she wants tha on a 2 gang with the led lights. I don't know how I am goin to do this because it is it not a cable like twin and earth

Iv said that but she doesn't want them strips I thought they would be better aswell mate

 

[steptoe]

Ye transformer for pelmit ones not Downlighters mate. And the ones she wants are like LEDs in this triangular thing that sticks on cabinet. Then she wants tha on a 2 gang with the led lights. I don't know how I am goin to do this because it is it not a cable like twin and earth

tbh,

its starting to sound like maybe you should get your spark to do it for you and just help him.

 

[Matthew kml]

Haha he who dares wins

 

[steptoe]

Haha he who dares wins

get it wrong and you will be eating mini sausage rolls, and sandwiches cut into triangles,,,,  

 

[Matthew kml]

Hahaha I know but best way to learn doing it meself , the kitchen isn't being done yet for 2 weeks so il be able to figure out between then jus guna do the lights tomorrow

 

[Andy™]

use tape... mark joists, and rough positions. easier to see