ceiling fixture safety question
I haven’t been able to find a book answer to this question and am hoping the pros here might help.
I’m need to install new lights in an old kitchen ceiling and would like to put in recessed lights with the “cans” or “pots”. The ceiling is sheetrock over lath and plaster plus strapping, so the total thickness is two inches. The ceiling joists are eight inches with no insulation. I found the “rennovation” type cans at HD and can put them in but I’m concerned about a fire hazzard. Since there won’t be any clearance around the cans because the small flange requires a snug fit, will the two solid inches of ceiling material be subject to excessive heat?
Thanks
oldfred
Replies
You are fine with the heat, as long as you use the recommended wattage bulbs, but the problem you will have is with the holding clips in the thick ceiling. They get maxed out at about 7/8" if I remeber right.
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The 7/8" for the holding clips sounds about right. Figured I could ignore the clips and put a couple sheet metal screws through the sides of the cans into the strapping.
Thanks for the reply.
oldfred
Is the space above the kitchen ceiling heated or unheated? If it's unheated and you start knocking holes in the ceiling, it's going to be very cold and drafty in the winter.
Good point. It is heated above and also the joists run to inside walls on both sides, so that's one worry I don't have.
Thanks,
oldfred
Fred, in your situation, you don't have to use the IC housing. As Piffin said make sure you don't exceed the rated lamp wattage.
FYI, IC housings usually have a lower lamp wattage rating so if you want a certain amount of illumination, you may have to put the cans closer together to compensate for the lower wattage rating on the IC housings.
Hi, you may want to hav ethe fixtures be IC-rated, just for additional safety.
Just a thought. Good luck.
Buster,
I'm ashamed to tell you I don't know what "IC-rated" means. The cans I looked at are rated for surrrounding insulation - have a thermal overload protector (I'm guessing that's a thermal switch?) Would that do the job?
A picture with the can showed what looked to be poured insulation tight around it. But it's still just a single thickness of sheet metal with several holes.
Yep, "IC" means "insulation contact" -- the outer shell stays cool enough that it won't cause common insulating materials to scorch.