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Chandelier Track ?

V

Victor Roberts

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a dining room chandelier that I want to move to a new
position about 16 inches from its current position. I know
I could just cut a new hole in the ceiling, install a new
box at that location, seal the old hole and then repaint the
ceiling. But, I was hoping for an easier solution, and one
that would allow some future owner of this house to use the
original position of the chandelier.

Does anyone know of some device, perhaps a track system,
that allows chandeliers to be repositioned a short distance
away from the box in the ceiling - and also looks
attractive?


--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
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This information is provided for educational purposes only.
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site without written permission.
 
Victor Roberts said:
I have a dining room chandelier that I want to move to a new
position about 16 inches from its current position.

I think the big question here is: how much does the chandelier weigh?
Does the current box in the ceiling have extra support, like a ceiling
fan box? If it does, then supporting the weight of the chandelier at
the new location will be the interesting part. Getting the electricity
over there is interesting too, but not as much as supporting the weight.

A little Googling finds http://www.ylighting.com/suspensionloop.html
which claims to be good for fixtures up to 35 pounds (15 kg). I am
guessing that you can somehow get into the base of this device to
connect up the wires. If I were to install this, I would support the
track from the joists as close as I could to where the chandelier would
hang. I would also use the biggest-diameter fastener I could, even if
it meant that the head would stick up enough that you couldn't install
a fixture on the track right under the fastener.

Getting into "home brew" ideas...

If the chandelier doesn't weigh several dozen pounds, and if there is a
joist directly above where you want the chandelier, you can probably
screw a hook into the joist; you can get hooks that are already painted,
or get a plain one and paint it yourself to match the ceiling.

As far as getting the electricity over, Wiremold has some fairly thin
round boxes that you could put over the existing box. If you look you
can find them in steel, which can easily be painted to match. This
might not meet the attractiveness criterion, though.

One option might be to install a receptacle on the existing box - you
can get round box cover plates that have receptacles in them. Then put
a cord and plug on the chandelier. To hide the receptacle and plug, use
one of those bell-shaped covers that some chandeliers have, or one of
the covers that is designed to go over the ball-and-socket joint for a
ceiling fan. (You might have to thread the cord through the cover
before wiring it to the chandelier.) This may not meet the electrical
code, though.

Alternatively, get a blank round cover with a knockout in the center.
Install a "cord grip" in the knockout - you might know what that is,
but if not, it's a metal fitting with a rubber bushing inside; when you
tighten down the fitting, the bushing grips the round cord running
through it. Paint the round cover and cord grip to match the ceiling.
Wire the chandelier with round three-wire cable (like what extension
cords are made out of), run the cable through the cord grip and wire it
into the house wiring, and install the round cover. You can paint the
screws or get ones with painted or decorative heads to attach the round
cover. Again, this may or may not meet code; check with a local expert.

Or, use a Wiremold box over the existing box, another one at the new
location of the chandelier, and some Wiremold raceway in between. Then,
install some thin wood strips (toggle bolts?) parallel to the raceway,
and cover it all up with a thin piece of plywood painted to match the
ceiling, or a thin piece of paneling that matches or complements the
ceiling.

Matt Roberds
 
V

Victor Roberts

Jan 1, 1970
0
I think the big question here is: how much does the chandelier weigh?

It's stained glass and rather heavy, perhaps 20 pounds.
Does the current box in the ceiling have extra support, like a ceiling
fan box?

Yes, its hung from a cross bar that connects to the two
adjacent studs.
If it does, then supporting the weight of the chandelier at
the new location will be the interesting part. Getting the electricity
over there is interesting too, but not as much as supporting the weight.

Both are easy since I have access to the attic space above.
A little Googling finds http://www.ylighting.com/suspensionloop.html
which claims to be good for fixtures up to 35 pounds (15 kg).

This looks really interesting, but I'm not sure I would want
to hand a fragile light fixture that weighs even 20 pounds
from anything that is held only by a standard lighting track
mount.
I am
guessing that you can somehow get into the base of this device to
connect up the wires.

There is a hole right above the support ring that may be
designed for the power leads.
If I were to install this, I would support the
track from the joists as close as I could to where the chandelier would
hang. I would also use the biggest-diameter fastener I could, even if
it meant that the head would stick up enough that you couldn't install
a fixture on the track right under the fastener.

The fixture is only 8 inches from two joists, and I can
place a 2 x 4 above the ceiling for more support.
Getting into "home brew" ideas...

If the chandelier doesn't weigh several dozen pounds, and if there is a
joist directly above where you want the chandelier, you can probably
screw a hook into the joist; you can get hooks that are already painted,
or get a plain one and paint it yourself to match the ceiling.

My wife has rejected this idea :)

As far as getting the electricity over, Wiremold has some fairly thin
round boxes that you could put over the existing box. If you look you
can find them in steel, which can easily be painted to match. This
might not meet the attractiveness criterion, though.

See immediately above :)
One option might be to install a receptacle on the existing box - you
can get round box cover plates that have receptacles in them. Then put
a cord and plug on the chandelier. To hide the receptacle and plug, use
one of those bell-shaped covers that some chandeliers have, or one of
the covers that is designed to go over the ball-and-socket joint for a
ceiling fan. (You might have to thread the cord through the cover
before wiring it to the chandelier.) This may not meet the electrical
code, though.

Alternatively, get a blank round cover with a knockout in the center.
Install a "cord grip" in the knockout - you might know what that is,
but if not, it's a metal fitting with a rubber bushing inside; when you
tighten down the fitting, the bushing grips the round cord running
through it. Paint the round cover and cord grip to match the ceiling.
Wire the chandelier with round three-wire cable (like what extension
cords are made out of), run the cable through the cord grip and wire it
into the house wiring, and install the round cover. You can paint the
screws or get ones with painted or decorative heads to attach the round
cover. Again, this may or may not meet code; check with a local expert.

Or, use a Wiremold box over the existing box, another one at the new
location of the chandelier, and some Wiremold raceway in between. Then,
install some thin wood strips (toggle bolts?) parallel to the raceway,
and cover it all up with a thin piece of plywood painted to match the
ceiling, or a thin piece of paneling that matches or complements the
ceiling.

Matt Roberds

Thanks.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.
 
Victor Roberts said:
Both are easy since I have access to the attic space above.

If you have access to the attic and stringent customer requirements
(including the implied 24x365 on-call warranty support in this
situation), I see a trip to the attic with a new junction box, a saw,
and some Romex in your future. :)

Assuming drywall, one way to minimize or eliminate repainting is to cut
the hole for the new junction box just a little smaller (say 1/8" or
3 mm) than the junction box all the way around. Then use a coarse file
or maybe a knife to go around the edges of the hole until the junction
box just fits. (If you use a knife, the action is more like shaving
your face than slicing through cardboard.) The box should go in the
hole with a very small amount of pressure - DO NOT force it! Otherwise
you crack the drywall and have a much larger project. (Look in my
garage for shameful proof of this.) As long as the chandelier has some
kind of decorative trim around the base, you should be able to make the
new location look as good as you like.

At the old location, the first step is probably to install a regular
steel junction box cover. Then, to make it look good, you might try
something like the round covers you see over shut-off valves in the
restrooms in commercial buildings. These come in different diameters
and usually have a single screw hole in the center. I know you can get
them in chromed steel and stainless steel - I don't know if you can get
paintable ones, but if not, buying a stainless one, sanding it, and
painting it will probably work OK. If your ceiling has "texture", you
can probably put a coat of paint on the cover, apply the texture, and
then put on another coat of paint.

If the junction box is far enough behind the drywall, you can hold the
cover in place with a metal strap that's longer than the hole diameter.
Put a hole in the middle of the strap and use a sheet-metal screw through
the cover, or weld a nut to the strap and use a machine screw, or use a
Tinnerman nut / captive nut on the strap and use a machine screw.

If the junction box isn't far enough behind the drywall to get away with
this, you might drill and tap a hole in the center of the junction box
cover, then use a nylon screw to hold the cover in place. A metal screw
would also work, but screwing a nylon screw into a junction box might
feel slightly less dangerous than a steel one. :)
This looks really interesting, but I'm not sure I would want to hand
a fragile light fixture that weighs even 20 pounds from anything that
is held only by a standard lighting track mount.

Buy one and some matching track. Bolt the track to the ceiling in the
garage, put the fitting on the track, and hang 30 pounds of crap from
the fitting. Give the weight a good swing and jiggle every day for a
month. If it doesn't fall apart, hang the chandelier from it and call
it good.

Matt Roberds
 
V

Victor Roberts

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sorry for the delayed reply.
If you have access to the attic and stringent customer requirements
(including the implied 24x365 on-call warranty support in this
situation), I see a trip to the attic with a new junction box, a saw,
and some Romex in your future. :)

That is most definitely true.
Assuming drywall, one way to minimize or eliminate repainting is to cut
the hole for the new junction box just a little smaller (say 1/8" or
3 mm) than the junction box all the way around. Then use a coarse file
or maybe a knife to go around the edges of the hole until the junction
box just fits. (If you use a knife, the action is more like shaving
your face than slicing through cardboard.) The box should go in the
hole with a very small amount of pressure - DO NOT force it! Otherwise
you crack the drywall and have a much larger project. (Look in my
garage for shameful proof of this.) As long as the chandelier has some
kind of decorative trim around the base, you should be able to make the
new location look as good as you like.

At the old location, the first step is probably to install a regular
steel junction box cover. Then, to make it look good, you might try
something like the round covers you see over shut-off valves in the
restrooms in commercial buildings. These come in different diameters
and usually have a single screw hole in the center. I know you can get
them in chromed steel and stainless steel - I don't know if you can get
paintable ones, but if not, buying a stainless one, sanding it, and
painting it will probably work OK. If your ceiling has "texture", you
can probably put a coat of paint on the cover, apply the texture, and
then put on another coat of paint.

If the junction box is far enough behind the drywall, you can hold the
cover in place with a metal strap that's longer than the hole diameter.
Put a hole in the middle of the strap and use a sheet-metal screw through
the cover, or weld a nut to the strap and use a machine screw, or use a
Tinnerman nut / captive nut on the strap and use a machine screw.

If the junction box isn't far enough behind the drywall to get away with
this, you might drill and tap a hole in the center of the junction box
cover, then use a nylon screw to hold the cover in place. A metal screw
would also work, but screwing a nylon screw into a junction box might
feel slightly less dangerous than a steel one. :)

Installing the new box is not an issue. The only problem
is, or was (see below) making the old location "disappear".
No type of cover would be acceptable if it indicated that
the old box was ever there.
Buy one and some matching track. Bolt the track to the ceiling in the
garage, put the fitting on the track, and hang 30 pounds of crap from
the fitting. Give the weight a good swing and jiggle every day for a
month. If it doesn't fall apart, hang the chandelier from it and call
it good.

Good ideas all, but we solved the problem by moving the
table to center the fixture :)

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.
 
A

Andrew Gabriel

Jan 1, 1970
0
This is going off-topic, but the thread reminds me of one of
the best bits of British comedy -- the "Only Fools and Horses"
Chandelier episode. Not sure if it will work on a US audience,
but if you've for 30 minutes to spare, watch the following.
If you haven't got 30 minutes, just watch the last one...

 
T

TKM

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yep, it translates. Funny stuff.

Terry McGowan
 
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