LED wafer lights in soffit

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

nizak

Senior Member
Would like some input on installing LED "wafer" lights in thin aluminum soffit material.

The fixtures have the 2 spring clips that go against the soffit material.

I tried to use them on a past job and found they didn't really sit flat or very secure in the 26gauge soffit material.


Am I the only one experiencing this difficulty or have others found this as well.

It's a super application for this type of fixture but I don't care for the way they "sit"

Thanks
 
ptonsparky said:
I believe there are some brackets, for lack of a better word, available from at least one brand to alleviate that problem. I don't install anything anymore so IDR which brand. My guys told me about them.
Click to expand...
Here are a couple of example, most I've seen are for rough in, but you might be able to modify to suit your need.
1609588604957.png1609588765201.png
 
I know the kind of sofft. Any kind of cut-in light can be hard because of sagging. Here's what I would do, if possible...

Drill a small hole on opposite sides of your wafer cutout. Fasten a small wire to the framing above the cutout, and support the soffit material through the small hole you drill.

Like supporting a grid ceiling with hanger wire

Just make sure to position the small holes where the lip of the wafer covers. May have to turn the egde of the soffit up a bit where the wire is, so as not to have a lump behinf the wafer lip
 
Another thought is to slip in a couple short lengths of 1/16" thick aluminum angle and attach each one with a screw or two. Each clip would then rest on an aluminum angle (with the corner of the angle placed away from the fixture). That would distribute the weight of the fixture and hopefully keep the soffit from drooping or deforming as much.

www.homedepot.com

Everbilt 96 in. x 1 in. x 1/16 in. Thick Aluminum Angle 800057 - The Home Depot

Everbilt - Aluminum Angle with Thick - these window grid retainer pins feature a steel construction and help hold your window mullion grids on the window frames. Comes complete with bushing cups for easy
www.homedepot.com
 
I've used the Halo wafer lights with the mounting brackets that are available at Home Depot (bought 8 of them today). Works very well, bracket even has mounting screws for the junction box.
 
synchro said:
Another thought is to slip in a couple short lengths of 1/16" thick aluminum angle and attach each one with a screw or two. Each clip would then rest on an aluminum angle (with the corner of the angle placed away from the fixture). That would distribute the weight of the fixture and hopefully keep the soffit from drooping or deforming as much.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing, a thickening shim on the top side of the thin soffit material, but wouldn't spread the weight.

I first thought of a dense, self-adhesive weather-stripping, but a wood 1x2 slat laid flat and double-sided tape would work.
 
i have been wondering about these for another application ...dropped/suspended ceilings
have seen these support brackets with the "notches" that fit over t grid
see a lot of installs around here with the wafer fixtures just cut into n clipped to the ceiling tile
 
nizak said:
Would like some input on installing LED "wafer" lights in thin aluminum soffit material.

The fixtures have the 2 spring clips that go against the soffit material.

I tried to use them on a past job and found they didn't really sit flat or very secure in the 26gauge soffit material.


Am I the only one experiencing this difficulty or have others found this as well.

It's a super application for this type of fixture but I don't care for the way they "sit"

Thanks
Click to expand...
Is the soffett material drooping or just not thick enough?
If it's not thick enough get creative and slip a couple of 3/8" flat stock to hold the spring clip and the trim ring tighter to the surface.
 
Knuckle Dragger said:
Is the soffett material drooping or just not thick enough?
Click to expand...
Probably both. I was doing some commercial work that had the same thin metal soffit material. They wanted me to put 6 inch cut-in cans in it. The weight of the cans and the flimsiness of the material made it impossible to look right.
If it's not thick enough get creative and slip a couple of 3/8" flat stock to hold the spring clip and the trim ring tighter to the surface.
Click to expand...
for sure, it takes some creativity
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top