On Monday, April 19, 2021 at 1:25:31 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:51:04 -0400, Retirednoguilt
wrote:

On 4/19/2021 11:25 AM, Sid 03 wrote:
We are installing can lights in the ceiling on the 2nd floor of our house where there is about 6" of blown insulation. The remodeling cans are non-ic rated. The included instructions state that the cans should be installed with the insulation no closer than 3".

How do you keep the insulation away ?
Thought about cutting both ends from a coffee-can and placing that around each can-light from the attic ? Maybe 1/2" wire screen and bend a cylinder to be placed around each light ?

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.


If the rating is predicated on using incandescent or CFL bulbs, and you
use CFLs, there's much less heat generated. In fact, the greatest risk
from heat will not be a fire in the attic but damaged electronics in the
base of the LED bulb. If I were in your situation, I'd not worry about
keeping the blown insulation away from the base of the cans and use LEDs
that are rated to be used bulb down. (I had a few LEDs that I started
using in swag lamps. After a few weeks, they began to flicker and even
go out after being on for more than about one hour, only to work again
after being allowed to cool completely when the cycle would repeat. I
moved them to table lamps and they've not flickered once.)
In a can it is better to just use the retro fit kit. They are designed
for the application. These things use from about 11 watts to 18 watts.
They are not nearly enough to be worrying about overheating the can.

That's good info, but we have already installed about 8 of these lights on the first floor and working, now she wants some on the 2nd floor, so I had to buy what matched (what she wanted)
Yes, I can get in the attic and get to the lights from above.
Q: If I do use boxes pre-built or I-built, would you just build 4 sides and box it in, or 4 sides and a cover/Top ? (maybe drill a couple of 3/4 holes to let some heat escape)
I have never seen a pre-built box, if some has a link to one, please post it.