Hanging fixtures from chain

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stevebea

stevebea

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Southeastern PA
Need to pick your brains. I am getting ready to start a 1100 fixture t5 retro job where I am dropping a 400W HPS and installing a 4 lamp t5 fixture. The problem is all the HPS are mounted on purlins and not mounted in center of aisles. I am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to do this.... I was thinking of spaning purlins with two 5ft. pieces of 3/4 emt strapped to bottom side of purlin and drop with jack chain to fixture. I am looking for a part that will clip onto the emt and have a hole to accomadate an " S " hook. If anyone knows of a part like this I need a manufacture and part number. If anyone knows of a more cost effective way to do this I'm open to ideas..... there are 1100 fixtures and I am looking for the most economical and fastest way to do this install. Thanks.
 
how far down do the fixtures hang? What about using wire rope and gripples to bridle the fixture? See here http://www.gripple.com/us/ They also have beam and purlin clips, and a whole bunch of other interesting accessories. If you havent come across these before, its a fitting you push wire rope through, loop it through whatever you are hanging and push back through the gripple. No crimping required. And theyre adjustable. Material cost should be about the same as what you would spend on emt, chain, and clips -maybe a little more, but the labor savings would be huge. I know they used this system at CityCenter instead of threaded rod to hang cable trays and the labor savings was enormous.
 
wireguru said:
how far down do the fixtures hang? What about using wire rope and gripples to bridle the fixture? See here http://www.gripple.com/us/ They also have beam and purlin clips, and a whole bunch of other interesting accessories. If you havent come across these before, its a fitting you push wire rope through, loop it through whatever you are hanging and push back through the gripple. No crimping required. And theyre adjustable. Material cost should be about the same as what you would spend on emt, chain, and clips -maybe a little more, but the labor savings would be huge. I know they used this system at CityCenter instead of threaded rod to hang cable trays and the labor savings was enormous.
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Thanks for responding wireguru.... The fixtures only hang 3ft. I said something to my Project Manager about aircraft cable and gripples and his response was " its too expensive when I can get jack chain for 21 cents a ft. " . I agree... cable and gripples would be ideal.
 
Hanging fixture from conduit

Hanging fixture from conduit

You mentioed purlin, and I assume it's wood structure. Anyway I don't think it is legal or code complaince to hang fixtures off of a 3/4" conduit ( EMT or RGC) Since conduit/pipes are not consider to be main structural memberance. I hope somebody will reply to this if I am wrong.
 
maghazadeh said:
You mentioed purlin, and I assume it's wood structure. Anyway I don't think it is legal or code complaince to hang fixtures off of a 3/4" conduit ( EMT or RGC) Since conduit/pipes are not consider to be main structural memberance. I hope somebody will reply to this if I am wrong.
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Wood or steel it doesnt matter. I think what to OP is proposing is to just use the conduit as a spanning member with no wire involved so the code would be moot on this.

shepelec said:
Check out this link. The labor savings could offset the cost of the system.

http://www.erico.com/products/SpeedLink.asp
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They are sweet. Your PM needs to consider the time savings of the install not just the price of chain. Last ones I did were on metal purlins. Used clamps with a 1/4" threaded hole. Screwed in 1/4" eye bolts and clamped to the purlins. Had a guy on the ground installing the cable and handing up the fixtures. Job went smooth and fast.
 
maghazadeh said:
You mentioed purlin, and I assume it's wood structure. Anyway I don't think it is legal or code complaince to hang fixtures off of a 3/4" conduit ( EMT or RGC) Since conduit/pipes are not consider to be main structural memberance. I hope somebody will reply to this if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

This is a steel structure.
 
ceb58 said:
Wood or steel it doesnt matter. I think what to OP is proposing is to just use the conduit as a spanning member with no wire involved so the code would be moot on this.



They are sweet. Your PM needs to consider the time savings of the install not just the price of chain. Last ones I did were on metal purlins. Used clamps with a 1/4" threaded hole. Screwed in 1/4" eye bolts and clamped to the purlins. Had a guy on the ground installing the cable and handing up the fixtures. Job went smooth and fast.
Click to expand...

Any idea on cost per fixture on the Erico parts? I would have to be able to justify the cost of speedlink parts vs. $2 worth of jack chain, And yes, the 3/4 emt is just a spanning member.
 
stevebea said:
Any idea on cost per fixture on the Erico parts? I would have to be able to justify the cost of speedlink parts vs. $2 worth of jack chain, And yes, the 3/4 emt is just a spanning member.
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The ones I used were the speed link LD series. I used the 6ft ones that have a rating of 40lbs. I think they were around $3.00 ea.
There is more to it than $2.00 worth of chain. doing it the way you described you need about 550ft of 3/4 conduit, 2200 clamps and other hardware to connect them. Then you have labor to cut the conduit and time to install it before the fixture leaves the ground
The volume of speed links,beam clamps and eye bolts you would need for this job may get you a good price break.
 
Ritz wire rope fixture hangers. These can work well also. Come in different lenghts. There are really quick, just slide toggle end through square tabs on the fixture. About $ 1.99 each. Don't know why but I can't upload the picture, sorry.
 
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stevebea said:
Need to pick your brains. I am getting ready to start a 1100 fixture t5 retro job where I am dropping a 400W HPS and installing a 4 lamp t5 fixture. The problem is all the HPS are mounted on purlins and not mounted in center of aisles. I am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to do this.... I was thinking of spaning purlins with two 5ft. pieces of 3/4 emt strapped to bottom side of purlin and drop with jack chain to fixture. I am looking for a part that will clip onto the emt and have a hole to accomadate an " S " hook. If anyone knows of a part like this I need a manufacture and part number. If anyone knows of a more cost effective way to do this I'm open to ideas..... there are 1100 fixtures and I am looking for the most economical and fastest way to do this install. Thanks.
Click to expand...

You can use these screws to hang your chain right above your lights:grin: http://www.walltools.com/store/acoustic-grid-suspended-grid-ceiling-tools/lag-screws-and-clips
 
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