Raising and lowering large LED fixtures

N

nygaff1

Well-Known Member
airedog said:
You can use 4 idler pulleys and a 4 line sheave block; after the sheave block terminate the lines on a piece of steel about 6 - 10 inches long and attach that to a small hoist by a single line.

Here's what a theatrical sheave block looks like (just to show general layout); you can achieve the same thing with 4 small plant pulleys mounted on your tent's top spreader bar.

View attachment 4663647

A couple of these, side by each, would fulfill the sheave block function

(https://www.amazon.com/Rocaris-Stainless-Double-Lifting-Hanging/dp/B07WVYCPMQ/ref=pd_bxgy_3/145-1212035-6496051?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07WVYCPMQ&pd_rd_r=7ce7df69-c65d-415f-9f8d-66c967071913&pd_rd_w=cru7H&pd_rd_wg=p0XWV&pf_rd_p=ce6c479b-ef53-49a6-845b-bbbf35c28dd3&pf_rd_r=VKXMX1BF1D8Z6SXHKT4V&psc=1&refRID=VKXMX1BF1D8Z6SXHKT4V)

View attachment 4663658

You'll lose some headroom but nothing drastic.

Lines come up from the 4 corners of light and run through single idler pulleys
(eg. https://www.amazon.com/Nxtop-Stainless-Pulley-Lifting-Hanging/dp/B07DBWJNGQ/ref=psdc_256397011_t3_B07WVYCPMQ)

View attachment 4663657

to the sheave block at the end of your tent.


Then single line runs from steel bar to hoist.


"Stagehands do it on cue."
Click to expand...
Hah! I know this is an old thread, but my first thought was "this guy rigs!"
 
A

airedog

Well-Known Member
nygaff1 said:
Hah! I know this is an old thread, but my first thought was "this guy rigs!"
Click to expand...
Not so much, i have many friends who do though. I primarily worked LX and riggers are often co-workers on arena shows. A buddy of mine did most of the Phantom chandeliers for the national touring companies and others are out with Cirque du Soleil.
 
smokey0418

smokey0418

Well-Known Member
bam0813 said:
Use a yoke and you only need 2 ratchet ropes
Click to expand...
I made 4 aluminum blocks that are split and attach to the bars on the ceiling .
Two at the front have eyes , the back each have a pulley.

I then have my ratchet strap from the front eye to the back through the pulley down to the fixture.

Each eye and or pulley are directly above there lift points.

I have couple box levels glued on and can raise or lower and level in a few moments.

Very surprised someone is not selling them.
 
Comparator

Comparator

Well-Known Member
If you have the ceiling hieght then connect a rubber coated wire w/ loop on each side like the cased leds came w/. A clip to each mounting location makes one wire going across the front and back. Now just click your x2 ratchet ropes to these x2 wires. If growing big plants & have proper, finned, thermal mngmt then zip tie the lights to the ceiling & let the plant grow into its intensity. Every inch counts. I know it's an old thread but that's how I do it. ✌
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I just connect the corners across with some twisted chain then use the same kind of chain to hang from using little 'S' hooks. Lift the cross chain and set the hook for height on each end. My 8-tube T-12 fixture weighs in at 36lbs and it's worked fine for it for 20 years now. My little LEDs or HIDs are a lot lighter so it's really easy. Can get the light right up tight to the ceiling as well.

The cross chains can be adjusted to lay flat against the top of the light to get 3 more inches of clearance or even run over the support bar at the top so no hanging chain is used. If I want to tilt the light I just put the hanger hooks to one side or the other to get the angle I want.

ChainsAttached.JPG

The fluoro fixture in my DIY grow tent. Wife uses it for starting her tomatoes and other plants every spring. Going to switch out the ballasts and replace the T-12 fluoro tubes with T-8 LED tubes. Already have the ballasts and tubes so just need to clip out the four old ballasts and replace with 2 smaller ballasts that do 4 tubes each so should shed about 5-8lbs as a bonus and save a lot of power. Will wire it so I can use 4 or all 8 tubes. With the others I could use 2, 4, 6 or 8.

tentJPG.jpg

:peace:
 
Comparator

Comparator

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
I just connect the corners across with some twisted chain then use the same kind of chain to hang from using little 'S' hooks. Lift the cross chain and set the hook for height on each end. My 8-tube T-12 fixture weighs in at 36lbs and it's worked fine for it for 20 years now. My little LEDs or HIDs are a lot lighter so it's really easy. Can get the light right up tight to the ceiling as well.

The cross chains can be adjusted to lay flat against the top of the light to get 3 more inches of clearance or even run over the support bar at the top so no hanging chain is used. If I want to tilt the light I just put the hanger hooks to one side or the other to get the angle I want.

View attachment 5175870

The fluoro fixture in my DIY grow tent. Wife uses it for starting her tomatoes and other plants every spring. Going to switch out the ballasts and replace the T-12 fluoro tubes with T-8 LED tubes. Already have the ballasts and tubes so just need to clip out the four old ballasts and replace with 2 smaller ballasts that do 4 tubes each so should shed about 5-8lbs as a bonus and save a lot of power. Will wire it so I can use 4 or all 8 tubes. With the others I could use 2, 4, 6 or 8.

View attachment 5175872

:peace:
Click to expand...
Yes, same concept. I've usually put ReBar under the tight wires, slide that rebar onto the two ceiling hooks for max hieght! Nice!
 
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