Need help making a light rack

[Tswifty]

I'm planning on making a light rack out of 3/4" conduit for my tank, and need some help. Does anyone have access to a bender and think they could give me a hand?

A "friend" of the family has been giving me the run around all week, and keeps canceling on me. The issue is that I have livestock showing up tomorrow night that will need to go directly into the new tank so I need to get the light hung.

Let me know if you think you could lend a hand.

Thanks,

T.J.

 

[jamesd74]

are you bending to keep it clean? if not why not just get elbows? those frags you have you willing to trade atleast 5 of them for that light. i can even deliver the light.

 

[Tswifty]

Yeah I'm trying to keep it all one piece.

 

[fodupos]

my family does electrical construction for a living... if you give me the specs i can probably fabricate whatever you want...

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14434007#post14434007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fodupos
if you give me the specs i can probably fabricate whatever you want...

That's the hard part. :lol:

I can't really guess where the bends need to be made.

I would like to do a long straight piece that would set the height and fasten to the back of the stand, then bend 90 degrees out towards the tank, then a 45 bend and another 45 bend to get the conduit out over the tank, and the pendant in place.

 

[fodupos]

well my idea would not need a bender... you could come up the side of the tank with two lengths of pipe... attach them with one whole straps (they look like a ?)... then you get four minerallac straps (they are kinda like a C)... you take two and bolt them together back to back... do the same to the other ones... then cut a length of pipe that fits a little past the pipes that rise up on your tank... the minerallac straps can clamp down on the pipes on the side of the tank and the pipe that goes across... this will allow you to adjust the height... depending on the light you could use minerallac straps to attach the light to the pipe... you could modify this so the pipes attach in the back... you would only need two 90's... your setup seems to only use one pipe coming up and i don't know if i would trust that with only 3/4" esp if it is emt

 

[Tswifty]

Thanks for the suggestion... I may look into something like that, and may end up using 2 pipes, but was told I shouldn't need to since the pendant I'm using only weighs about 5 lbs or less.

 

[Reefbox]

Conduit light supports work nicely. I like them.

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I did eventually buy a 3/4" conduit bender. The first time I tried it was in Lowes. I asked the guy if i could use the bender. He said yes so I bent a 90 degree 10' piece of conduit then crammed it into a jetta somehow and drove home.

The bend at the store was crimped and not @ 90 degrees.
I just went ahead and bought the bender. Now I have it.
I could probably bring it to the meeting next weekend if you still need it and if I can make it.

 

[Tswifty]

That's great... very similar to what I am hoping to do.

I was thinking of purchasing a bender, but it would be great if I could borrow one.

Where are you located at? If it's not too far away, I could probably run out and meet you to pick it up. My 12yr old little sister is having a basketball team party tomorrow and there's going to be like 12 little girls running around here, so I'm trying to be out of the house as much as possible. :lol:

 

[TomNeely]

Really nice Reefbox. I would like to do something like that down the road here. Are the pipes attached to your wall or stand? How much are benders?

 

[Reefbox]

Tswifty,I'm in Butler. I was planning on going to the ppg meeting next weekend maybe. I could bring it there or if you have corals/live rock to trade I can bend it and bring it to you possibly.

Tom, I used a conduit bracket and drilled it to back of the wood stand. Works out nicely. I think the bender was like $45.

 

[Tswifty]

Thanks for the offer. I'll let you know. I'm not sure if I'm going to be at the next meeting or not.

 

[Tswifty]

Bump... Have a nem in the tank now...need light ASAP.

Buying a 3/4" conduit bender will be $40 from Lowes.... I really don't have any use for it besides this one thing, so I'd rather not purchase one.

 

[Tswifty]

Got my hands on a bender today.

Pheonix 14k bulb

 

[slate55]

the simplicity is amazing! Congratts on a great design and follow through.. :eek2:

 

[cloakerpoked]

Yeah, I like that look. I agree that the simplicity of the design is very nice. Sometimes people take away from their tank with other things, and that definitely helps to showcase your tank even more. Mad props to a great design.

 

[Misled]

Very nice TJ!!!! Are you going to paint it matte black????? If you go to an electric service store they should carry plastic inserts that go into the end of conduit to plug up the end.

 

[cloakerpoked]

What if you bored out a hole right above the fixture and ran the cord through the conduit? I think that could really clean up the way that looks.

 

[Tswifty]

Thanks guys.

It also swings out of the way pretty easily if I would ever need to perform maintenance and need more room than the 11" above the tank, and should make maintenance on the pendant easier as well.

As far as the aesthetics go... I'm planning on cropping it a little more flush to the pendant, leveling it out a bit more, plugging the end, painting it black, and zip tying the cord to the rack.

 

[Misled]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14467199#post14467199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cloakerpoked
What if you bored out a hole right above the fixture and ran the cord through the conduit? I think that could really clean up the way that looks.

Ok, now that's a good idea, I mean crap, it's made to hold a wire!!!!!