light and canopy

[dqualls]

Can a power compact lighting fixture ( the type that sits on legs) be put in a backless canopy?

 

[Blown 346]

Yes it can, as long as it is mounted securly and wont fall, you will be fine.

 

[dqualls]

I was told by LFS that they couldn't because the heat would burn up the ballast. Anyone heard of that or had that experience.

 

[smleee]

Depends......what fixture do you have? Does it have fans? Do they vent to the sides or top? If the fixture itself has proper ventilation it should be ok.

eee

 

[dqualls]

It's a Satellight PC with fans that vent to the ends of the light. How much space do you think is needed for ventilation?

 

[smleee]

Ah, does that fixture have internal or external ballasts? If external you'll be ok with less clearance, but if they're internal it could get pretty hot without adequate clearance. I have a 2x130W PC fixture plus a T5 I put in there with no fans, but it has external ballasts; it gets preety warm almost "hot" but I would think it'd do ok in a canopy with little clearance and fans........how many bulbs do you have?

eee

 

[dqualls]

It has an internal ballast, I think. What if we install a fan in the end of the canopy? Would that help?

 

[Saaack]

Not only does the light need vented, but the entire canopy. If you vent the canopy enough to keep the water temp in check, I would think the light temp would be ok. The heat coming off the light is going to get trapped inside the canopy. I would put 2 fans on each end, one set blowing in, the other out, to create a cross flow of air. I scapped my canoply altogether when I bought my Current USA fixture.

 

[smleee]

I'm imagining the fixture inside the canopy with about 1/4" to 1/2" of room to spare on each side. You might be able to get away with just cutting holes on each end of the canopy where the fans for the fixture are (but then, there goes your beautiful canopy.....). If you do that then the fixture will be able to vent itself. You may need to add a fan to the back of the canopy to blow air in though. HTH

eee