support wires for lay in lights

[electricalist]

Are ceiling wires to support lay in lights a AHJ call?
Most of the time we are asked to put 2 per light or more literaly, to anything in a lay in ceiling.
Im at a 2400 sq ft. New offices job.
7 10x10 offices. 1 confrence 27 x 15 ish 2 45' hallways and 1 27 ' hall way.
About 50 2x4 lights.
For some reason they framed the walls before hanging the ceiling wires and now there no room to get a lift in.
28 ' floor to deck.

Can I put bracing across the small rooms top plate and hang my wires from there?
The walls are framed 12' and grid ceiling will be 9'.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Can I put bracing across the small rooms top plate and hang my wires from there?
The walls are framed 12' and grid ceiling will be 9'.



The bracing would be just fine.
Also you can make a little hook on top of a 10 ft piece of conduit to tie the wire, You'd still likely need a ladder, though

 

[augie47]

locally the electrical inspectors enforce the requirement which, I believe, is actually in most Building codes based on seismic requirements.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Are ceiling wires to support lay in lights a AHJ call?
Most of the time we are asked to put 2 per light or more literaly, to anything in a lay in ceiling.
Im at a 2400 sq ft. New offices job.
7 10x10 offices. 1 confrence 27 x 15 ish 2 45' hallways and 1 27 ' hall way.
About 50 2x4 lights.
For some reason they framed the walls before hanging the ceiling wires and now there no room to get a lift in.
28 ' floor to deck.

Can I put bracing across the small rooms top plate and hang my wires from there?
The walls are framed 12' and grid ceiling will be 9'.

Anyway you can support them. I would be careful about wood bracing if the fire code would disallow it.

I usually use the same wire that the ceiling grid is hung with. I paint it orange and install my own on the corners

 

[electricalist]

Thanks. I was gonna use a 12' metal stud that the framers have..
The deck is z and c perlins with insulation. I think I'd need the bang on clamps with the single hole for the wire.. Or the screws that are wire hangers ..
Thanks again to everyone

 

[Sierrasparky]

Is the ceiling grid wires already in?

If so , We always work it in that the wires for the lights go in with the grid wires. It is a waste to duplicate jobs.
Too late in this instance.

 

[cadpoint]

Well, a couple of things come to my mind.

...Thanks. I was gonna use a 12' metal stud that the framers have...

That is a lot of material, will the framer be at ease to give up that much material?

If so you don't have to buy anything other than the wire, you can drill holes in the stubs where required and loop through the holes you drill.

You can run the stud right down the center perpendicular to you lights, both tie wires off one stud, You could even use the underside of overhead stud for a transition box like for three ways, circuits to another run, excreta.

You need to see what the elevation of the duct and the sprinkler runs and truck runs are, you might creat a fault in the layout. Seems this will all have to be discussed.
If everything is OK'd, you might have to cross brace some of the work, where everyone is laying and using the new application.

You can split the cost of material with the HVAC guy because he will darn sure and lashing to the studs as soon as there up!

All just some observations, take it for it's worth!

 

[kwired]

Are ceiling wires to support lay in lights a AHJ call?
Most of the time we are asked to put 2 per light or more literaly, to anything in a lay in ceiling.
Im at a 2400 sq ft. New offices job.
7 10x10 offices. 1 confrence 27 x 15 ish 2 45' hallways and 1 27 ' hall way.
About 50 2x4 lights.
For some reason they framed the walls before hanging the ceiling wires and now there no room to get a lift in.
28 ' floor to deck.

Can I put bracing across the small rooms top plate and hang my wires from there?
The walls are framed 12' and grid ceiling will be 9'.

How are they going to support the ceiling itself? Or is that already there and you need to add some more support wires?

 

[JDB3]

I have a tool to install the wire to the structural members to, that reaches way up there, it put the wire over the top & then you could wrap the wire around itself. Someone out there probably knows what I am trying to talk about.

 

[cadpoint]

I have a tool to install the wire to the structural members to, that reaches way up there, it put the wire over the top & then you could wrap the wire around itself. Someone out there probably knows what I am trying to talk about.

Look at the distances 28' - 9' ceiling, that is 21'. that be a triple length of 10' ceiling wrapper. Can be done will be tough getting that height;

To built a ceiling tie wrapper - 10' of EMT, take tin snips and open up one end,
for ~ six - nine inches of length, sudu straighten out what you've cut, bend tie wire
back at 1.5' mark plus minus to suit structure above. Bending around a three inch pipe
is better some times IE in respects to back to back two frame members.

 

[rlundsrud]

How exactly are they going to support the ceiling grid? Won't they need to put a lowered support system in as well? I would coordinate with them and find a common solution.

 

[electricalist]

this is what I' d use if I had to. The framers said they will rig up a pole to get it done.
I said you realize those are Chanel's and I would have to see it to believe you can hit a 1" gap between the Chanel and roof , plus it has insulation.
I have bent the wires to look like a R then notch the pipe to catch and tighten it. 20' of pipe and on a ladder . I don't like anything about doing that.
In the end I think he believes 20 ' of pipe while on a ladder or scaffold won't be hard. I say see you at 5 .

 

[Joe Villani]

Google the term "Lagmaster Plus" and that's probably the best tool for this job.

I know Texas rates are low but it'll probably pay for itself.

The pole goes to 18 feet so off some baker scaffolding you should be able to get the job done.

There are also some videos showing it in action.

 

[ADub]

This thread makes me glad no one enforces the separate support wire rule here.

 

[jumper]

This thread makes me glad no one enforces the separate support wire rule here.

Is it not enforced or is not required? As Augie noted it is a building that is dependent on your seismic zone.

 

[ADub]

Is it not enforced or is not required? As Augie noted it is a building that is dependent on your seismic zone.

Not sure. I just know I've never been asked to supplement the grid wires with dedicated ones for the fixture

 

[kwired]

In the end I think he believes 20 ' of pipe while on a ladder or scaffold won't be hard. I say see you at 5 .
View attachment 11462

The longer the ladder the less pipe you will need. If you have 28 foot ceiling and are on a 12 foot ladder that already reduces you to 16 feet, plus you need to consider how high above ladder your reach is because you probably are able to reach at least 5 feet above the ladder, even more if you stand on those top steps that tell you not to use them (but I never suggested doing that).

If you are a really tall dude - say in the 6' 6" or more range - you may be able to do this with a 12 foot ladder and a 10 foot piece of pipe without standing too high on the ladder. Still probably won't be much fun but is possible.

 

[cadpoint]

* Just my silly opinion!

I'd go with your original idea of using top plate framing, * you will spend more time
building, moving and climbing around platforms then it's worth.

Besides you will have to double or triple the length of tye wire just to get there.

The GC of your job needs another job because they have already wasted this one!

 

[kwired]

* Just my silly opinion!

I'd go with your original idea of using top plate framing, * you will spend more time
building, moving and climbing around platforms then it's worth.

Besides you will have to double or triple the length of tye wire just to get there.

The GC of your job needs another job because they have already wasted this one!

But if you can get a $big$fat$change$order$....

 

[electricalist]

Not sure. I just know I've never been asked to supplement the grid wires with dedicated ones for the fixture

I can't say I know for a fact, except in Austin and Midland the inspectors enforced 2 wires to every can. With the follow up comment 1 hole 1 strap 1 wire.. Let me say that in a hotel restroom with 5 cans, ac units and other stuff it look like the golden gate bridges support cables.