Hi,

long time lurker sticking my head up for the first time!

I'm after some advice on what to do about insulating my attic space. The
issue is that the previous owner of the house installed lights in the
bathroom
(among other places) that partly protrude into the attic, along with all the
associated wiring. He didn't bother to insulate those parts of the attic, so
I guess he didn't have this problem, but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about
creating a fire hazard.

Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Glenn.

On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 17:36:23 -0000, "Glenn Booth" wrote:

Hi,

long time lurker sticking my head up for the first time!

I'm after some advice on what to do about insulating my attic space. The
issue is that the previous owner of the house installed lights in the
bathroom
(among other places) that partly protrude into the attic, along with all the
associated wiring. He didn't bother to insulate those parts of the attic, so
I guess he didn't have this problem, but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about
creating a fire hazard.

Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Glenn.



One method I heard about to keep the insulation off the back of the light, is to use a terracotta
plant pot on the ceiling above with the power leads going through the hole.

On the other hand, I believe you can get purpose made pot equivalents with an intumescent liner

Rick... (The other Rick)

"Rick" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 17:36:23 -0000, "Glenn Booth"
wrote:

Hi,

long time lurker sticking my head up for the first time!

I'm after some advice on what to do about insulating my attic space. The
issue is that the previous owner of the house installed lights in the
bathroom
(among other places) that partly protrude into the attic, along with all
the
associated wiring. He didn't bother to insulate those parts of the attic,
so
I guess he didn't have this problem, but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about
creating a fire hazard.

Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Glenn.



One method I heard about to keep the insulation off the back of the light,
is to use a terracotta
plant pot on the ceiling above with the power leads going through the
hole.

Make a large pot. Seal up the hole, cut a notch in the rim for the cable
and seal the rim to the plasterboard with silicon.

On the other hand, I believe you can get purpose made pot equivalents with
an intumescent liner

Rick... (The other Rick)

On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 17:36:23 -0000, "Glenn Booth"
wrote:


but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

You can get proper covers to put above the lights - you can also use
an appropriate size pot flowerpot to do the same job and keep the
insulation away from the lamp.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Peter Parry wrote:

You can get proper covers to put above the lights - you can also use
an appropriate size pot flowerpot to do the same job and keep the
insulation away from the lamp.


My own suggestion is to use empty biscuit tins (first, eat all the
biccies :-)

The volume of a "standard" biscuit tin (about ten inches each side and
about three
inches deep) should be enough to disperse any heat, and the tin
material
should take care of any fire worries.

Mungo

Glenn Booth wrote:
Hi,

long time lurker sticking my head up for the first time!

I'm after some advice on what to do about insulating my attic space. The
issue is that the previous owner of the house installed lights in the
bathroom
(among other places) that partly protrude into the attic, along with all the
associated wiring. He didn't bother to insulate those parts of the attic, so
I guess he didn't have this problem, but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about
creating a fire hazard.

Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Glenn.

Screwfix, amongst other places, sell 'fire hoods' for this purpose:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...1089&id=102507

Mathew

In message , Glenn Booth
writes
Hi,

long time lurker sticking my head up for the first time!

I'm after some advice on what to do about insulating my attic space. The
issue is that the previous owner of the house installed lights in the
bathroom
(among other places) that partly protrude into the attic, along with all the
associated wiring. He didn't bother to insulate those parts of the attic, so
I guess he didn't have this problem, but how do I go about protecting the
lights when I put down insulation? Is there a 'correct' way to do this?
Ultimately I would like to board the attic floor as well as insulate it.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about
creating a fire hazard.

Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Glenn.



I noticed in B&Q they had proper metal covers for down-lighters. About
100mm square by 150mm high, galvanised steel. 2 in a box for a tenner
ISTR. Located somewhere among all the down-lighter kits in the lighting
aisle.


--
steve

Hi,

"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
ups.com...

Screwfix, amongst other places, sell 'fire hoods' for this purpose:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...1089&id=102507

Typical. I've had my head buried in the Screwfix catalogue for weeks,
(every time I visit the plumbed-library) and I didn't see those. Thanks
very much for the pointer. I was too busy drooling over cordless SDS
gear.

Thanks also to all who suggested the tight-git's 'flowerpot' version. Much
cheaper,
and probably almost as effective (but probably not as easy to impress the
loss
adjuster with).

I'll work out the price difference, multiple by 'value of wife and children
in case
of fire' and go with the winner!

thanks,
Glenn.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Peter Parry wrote:

You can get proper covers to put above the lights - you can also use
an appropriate size pot flowerpot to do the same job and keep the
insulation away from the lamp.


My own suggestion is to use empty biscuit tins (first, eat all the
biccies :-)

The volume of a "standard" biscuit tin (about ten inches each side and
about three
inches deep) should be enough to disperse any heat, and the tin
material
should take care of any fire worries.

Ceramics do not get hot and a tin is not air-tight.

"Glenn Booth" wrote in message
...
Hi,

"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
ups.com...

Screwfix, amongst other places, sell 'fire hoods' for this purpose:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...1089&id=102507

Typical. I've had my head buried in the Screwfix catalogue for weeks,
(every time I visit the plumbed-library) and I didn't see those. Thanks
very much for the pointer. I was too busy drooling over cordless SDS
gear.

Thanks also to all who suggested the tight-git's 'flowerpot' version. Much
cheaper,
and probably almost as effective (but probably not as easy to impress the
loss
adjuster with).

I'll work out the price difference, multiple by 'value of wife and
children
in case
of fire' and go with the winner!

Large pots are cheap, but seal up the hols, which can be with broken put and
silicon, notch the rim for the cable and seal the rim using silicon.
Totally fireproof and sealed. Having the ceiling sealed is important for
fire and keeping heat in the house.

In article ews.net,
Doctor Drivel wrote:

[Nothing]

Seems your love of snipping others posts has finally worked for you too.
Keep up the good work.

--
*We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ews.net,
Doctor Drivel wrote:
Large pots are cheap, but seal up the hols, which can be with broken put
and silicon,

Didn't the death of Best give you a warning about alcohol abuse to this
extent?

--
*I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" through a haze of senile
flatulence wrote in message ...
In article ews.net,

Doctor Drivel wrote:

** snip more senility **

His cardigan must stick with all that dribble down the front.

"Owain" wrote in message
...
wrote:
My own suggestion is to use empty biscuit tins (first, eat all the
biccies :-)
The volume of a "standard" biscuit tin (about ten inches each side and
about three inches deep) should be enough to disperse any heat, and
the tin material should take care of any fire worries.

Or the catering-size round instant coffee tins can usually be purloined
from offices etc.

If you clean the labels off, punch some holes in the top, and fit a
lampholder, you have a contemporary stylish luminaire without queueing
for hours at Ikea, and the lampholder and flex from B&Q will only cost
you £3.47 more than Ikea would charge for the whole thing.

Boy are you cheap...and nasty.

"Dave Plowman (News)" through a haze of senile
flatulence wrote in message ...
In article ws.net,

Doctor Drivel wrote:

Large pots are cheap, but seal up the holes,
which can be with broken pot and silicon,

Didn't the death

.....On the good ship Plowman they all did sail
.....he was the skipper to no avail

.....he sent the crew atop the mast
.....until he spouted to them at last

.....I'll keele haul ye, I will be jabers
.....so cut the masts and make em into cabers

.....because of cabers the ship did wreck
.....I have my cabers said cap'n, so what the heck

.... the breaking of law the police did pursue
.....Cap'n Plowman was dragged into public view

.....the court did hear on sinking, the cap'ns outburst
.....the "cap'n then children are in the boats first"
.....this cowardly act was viewed with sighs
....."he must go down" from the jury were cries

.....the judge did say in all his day
.....a case so bad he did not sit
....."the mans a fool I will commit"

.....the judge, he screamed, "an idiotic fool"
.....the capn' now resides as uk.d-i-y newsgroup tool

In article ews.net,
Doctor Drivel wrote:
His cardigan must stick with all that dribble down the front.

The thought of having you anywhere near my front is not nice. Or back,
come to that.

--
*OK, who stopped payment on my reality check?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about creating a fire hazard.

As an alternative to flower pots (proprietary or from the garden centre), my
preferred solution is to remove the halogen abominations and install some
lighting that doesn't need several power stations to run.

Decent CFLs will use a fraction of the energy, and hence, have a fraction of
the heat output, so are much more suitable for domestic space lighting
requirements. They also have a much better pattern of light, so actually
need a lower light output, too, for the same level of illumination. Flush
mounted fittings (if you have limited headroom) are available that can be
insulated right over the top without overheating, whilst halogens (suitably
protected) with insulation over will probably overheat (especially dichroic)
and pop with frightening regularity.

Christian.

Hi,


"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. ..
The lights in question are dichroics, and get very hot, so I'm concerned
about creating a fire hazard.

As an alternative to flower pots (proprietary or from the garden centre),
my
preferred solution is to remove the halogen abominations and install some
lighting that doesn't need several power stations to run.

We concur. I don't like halogens, and they are greedy. I was hoping to avoid
having to make good the resulting six big holes in the ceiling though!

Decent CFLs will use a fraction of the energy, and hence, have a fraction
of
the heat output, so are much more suitable for domestic space lighting
requirements.

CFL? Cold fluourescents maybe? I haven't heard that term.

They also have a much better pattern of light, so actually
need a lower light output, too, for the same level of illumination. Flush
mounted fittings (if you have limited headroom) are available that can be
insulated right over the top without overheating, whilst halogens
(suitably
protected) with insulation over will probably overheat (especially
dichroic)
and pop with frightening regularity.

The ones here already pop with frightening regularity. We have them all over
the place - I think there are 18 in the kitchen alone. I'm going to
start replacing them with something a bit more eco-friendly. With all the
ceiling lights on in the kitchen it's burning something like 500 watts,
which is
totally unecessary in my book.

I think I'll have another look in the attic and see how much work would be
needed to replace them. Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,

Glenn.

CFL? Cold fluourescents maybe? I haven't heard that term.

CFL = Compact Fluorescent. i.e. a normal energy saving lightbulb.

I think I'll have another look in the attic and see how much work would be
needed to replace them. Thanks for the suggestion.

You could look for a fitting of similar dimensions that takes something like
the 7W or 9W CFL golf balls that Ikea were selling last time I looked. That
way you don't need to fix the holes in the ceiling.

Christian.