Lighting question - can anyone help?
Discussion
Hi all, I've just installed some pendant lighting and have hit a problem. The base simply wont sit tight and flush with the ceiling, here is a pic to illustrate
The screw at the base has been done tightly, but it simply wont hold the base tightly.
Does anyone know what I could use to attach this to the ceiling?
Any help appreciated!
The screw at the base has been done tightly, but it simply wont hold the base tightly.
Does anyone know what I could use to attach this to the ceiling?
Any help appreciated!
Can't really see the fitting underneath - I assume it is some sort of a ceiling rose style bracket and the white semi-dome screws on to it.
If that is the case, can you recess the bit that attaches to the ceiling into the ceiling board a little? Mark around the bit screwed to the ceiling and get your least favourite chisel and cut a little of the ceiling board away to allow the dome to screw on further before you hit the end of the thread.
If that is the case, can you recess the bit that attaches to the ceiling into the ceiling board a little? Mark around the bit screwed to the ceiling and get your least favourite chisel and cut a little of the ceiling board away to allow the dome to screw on further before you hit the end of the thread.
SeeFive said:
Can't really see the fitting underneath - I assume it is some sort of a ceiling rose style bracket and the white semi-dome screws on to it.
If that is the case, can you recess the bit that attaches to the ceiling into the ceiling board a little? Mark around the bit screwed to the ceiling and get your least favourite chisel and cut a little of the ceiling board away to allow the dome to screw on further before you hit the end of the thread.
The ceiling is flat, and the semi-dome is only attached by the little screw fitting underneath in the picture. It sits flush whenever you hold it in place, but as soon as you do the screw up and take your hand away, it falls down slightly.. The fitting underneath where the wires are connected arent connected to the semi-dome at all.If that is the case, can you recess the bit that attaches to the ceiling into the ceiling board a little? Mark around the bit screwed to the ceiling and get your least favourite chisel and cut a little of the ceiling board away to allow the dome to screw on further before you hit the end of the thread.
I've trying loosening and tightning the little screw hundreds of times to no avail, which is frustrating.
Any other ideas?
Just to clarify, is the little screw the bit of plastic around the cable that somehow screws into the bracket fixed to the ceiling sandwiching the dome between the two?
If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
SeeFive said:
Just to clarify, is the little screw the bit of plastic around the cable that somehow screws into the bracket fixed to the ceiling sandwiching the dome between the two?
If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
Yep, the screw is the bit of plastic - it doesnt fix onto the ceiling bracket at all, only the semi-dome, which it is supposed to hold tight to the ceiling. Have checked and there doesnt seem to be anything pushing it downwards.. I'm lost! If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
Unlight said:
SeeFive said:
Just to clarify, is the little screw the bit of plastic around the cable that somehow screws into the bracket fixed to the ceiling sandwiching the dome between the two?
If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
Yep, the screw is the bit of plastic - it doesnt fix onto the ceiling bracket at all, only the semi-dome, which it is supposed to hold tight to the ceiling. Have checked and there doesnt seem to be anything pushing it downwards.. I'm lost! If so, is this running out of thread or is it hitting something behind the bracket (like the ceiling) stopping it from going right home?
So the semi-dome is hollow with no flat base, the other bit of the dome (some kind of bracket or flat base) is attached firmly to the ceiling after removing the old wiring attachment that held the old light (a ceiling rose), and the wires are all tucked out of the way in the ceiling.
When you do the screw up firmly to put the semi-dome on, it does not push the dome all the way up, but you can push it up tight to the ceiling by hand easily when the screw is as tight as you can get it?
SeeFive said:
When you do the screw up firmly to put the semi-dome on, it does not push the dome all the way up, but you can push it up tight to the ceiling by hand easily when the screw is as tight as you can get it?
Thats pretty much it, have attached another image which I hope illustrates it better! 
Unlight said:
SeeFive said:
When you do the screw up firmly to put the semi-dome on, it does not push the dome all the way up, but you can push it up tight to the ceiling by hand easily when the screw is as tight as you can get it?
Thats pretty much it, have attached another image which I hope illustrates it better! OK, so it seems from the pics that you have to be running out of thread on the screw that goes into the bracket fixed to he ceiling, or the thread is bottoming out at the bottom of what is screws into before it is right home. Here's some things to check and sadly not many options on what to do about it.
1) If you look at the threaded bit of the screw, could it go all the way through the fitting and hit the ceiling board (I.e, it is overly long and needs a hole in the ceiling board to accommodate the bit that sticks through), stopping it from going all the way home and sandwiching the semi-dome properly? It does not look like it in the picture but it's probably good to confirm for yourself as you will be able to see that clearer than we can in the pics.
2) Is there a non-threaded bit of the screw which could be too large/long, stopping it from doing up and sandwiching the semi-dome properly? If so, maybe there is a component missing that should be outside the dome to accommodate this. So, is there a possibility that there is something missing on the outside of the semi-dome that would push it higher (and further up the thread) - like a fat shaped washer or something? Was there a parts diagram in the box that you can check to make sure it was all in the box?
3) Or (if the hole is not all the way through) is the recess in the bit mounted to the ceiling not deep enough to accommodate the full length of the screw thread? If so, this is a manufacture / design fault and the options are not good - like cutting the screw down a bit which means that it could be difficult to get it started when you try to do it up.
The way I cut a threaded item is to put a nut on it on the side of the cut that will be used, and then cut the thread. When you wind the nut off, it cleans up the thread. In this case, if you have to cut it, you may not have a suitable nut to put on first, meaning that the thread will not be clean at the start - risking cross threading. At this point, I'd be talking to your supplier as it seems that it just isn't going to work without some significant hassle.
Of course, you could sink the bit attached to the ceiling into the board slightly deeper than the gap lef when the screw is tight, and then the semi-dome will push right up before you run out of thread. But that is a big bracket, and your ceiling may need fixing should you ever put a smaller fitting on it at a later date.
But it really does seem like you are running out of thread somehow.
ETA - I am going senile. I blew the picture up and there is a thread that I could not see. Also, it looks like the wedge shaped bit that holds the thread is separate to the round bit of the thing that fixes to the ceiling with two screws.
I think that could be where your problem lies. Let me have another look at the blown up pic before you start cutting or recessing.
Edited by SeeFive on Friday 26th November 22:44
Blowing up the picture gets a bit grainy but I think I can see a thread on the plastic bit that screws on to the little metal bit sticking down by the cable. So, hopefully all should be well there unless it has been made badly.
Now, the wedge piece that holds the thread that the semi-dome screws on to. It looks like it is separate from the plate that fits to the ceiling with the two screws. I reckon that this is the bit that is allowing it to drop down. It looks a bit pissed in the picture, perhaps it is not located properly. It's tough to see, but it also looks like it slides in to the bracket from the back of the picture. Is that the bit that is allowing the up and down movement? Is it located properly in the round base?
Now, the wedge piece that holds the thread that the semi-dome screws on to. It looks like it is separate from the plate that fits to the ceiling with the two screws. I reckon that this is the bit that is allowing it to drop down. It looks a bit pissed in the picture, perhaps it is not located properly. It's tough to see, but it also looks like it slides in to the bracket from the back of the picture. Is that the bit that is allowing the up and down movement? Is it located properly in the round base?
I'm not really getting how it works - I was imagining that you put the dome in place and then screwed up the platic collar underneath? So my think was to put a washer between the collar and the dome to force the dome up a bit.
ETA - I put some lights up in a house the other day that have a bracket (like this [ but horizontal) screwed to the ceiling and then the lamp fitting attached to the ends, and they didn't go flush to the ceiling either.
ETA - I put some lights up in a house the other day that have a bracket (like this [ but horizontal) screwed to the ceiling and then the lamp fitting attached to the ends, and they didn't go flush to the ceiling either.
Edited by Deva Link on Friday 26th November 23:52
So the screw on the cable does not screw onto the little metal bit in the wedge on the baseplate?
Looking at the round bit mounted onto the ceiling, it looks like there is a little tab on its edge. Does the dome locate onto that and twist into place like a bayonet fitting light bulb? Have a look at the inside of the dome for similar locators that could take the tab. The thread on the cable could be not the thing that holds it all in place if as you say it does not fit onto anything on the baseplate.
If so, and you have difficulty getting it on, you may have the baseplate attached a little too tight to the ceiling to allow that tab to locate properly. It looks a bit close to the ceiling in the picture.
You have my interest but I am clutching at straws now - I need to get the bits in my hands to see what is going on properly.
Looking at the round bit mounted onto the ceiling, it looks like there is a little tab on its edge. Does the dome locate onto that and twist into place like a bayonet fitting light bulb? Have a look at the inside of the dome for similar locators that could take the tab. The thread on the cable could be not the thing that holds it all in place if as you say it does not fit onto anything on the baseplate.
If so, and you have difficulty getting it on, you may have the baseplate attached a little too tight to the ceiling to allow that tab to locate properly. It looks a bit close to the ceiling in the picture.
You have my interest but I am clutching at straws now - I need to get the bits in my hands to see what is going on properly.
Deva Link said:
I'm not really getting how it works - I was imagining that you put the dome in place and then screwed up the platic collar underneath? So my think was to put a washer between the collar and the dome to force the dome up a bit.
Yep that's the way it works, will try to pick up a washer to see if it works, only problem is it might look a bit out of place.Still tempted to just get the no more nails out!!
SeeFive said:
So the screw on the cable does not screw onto the little metal bit in the wedge on the baseplate?
Looking at the round bit mounted onto the ceiling, it looks like there is a little tab on its edge. Does the dome locate onto that and twist into place like a bayonet fitting light bulb? Have a look at the inside of the dome for similar locators that could take the tab. The thread on the cable could be not the thing that holds it all in place if as you say it does not fit onto anything on the baseplate.
If so, and you have difficulty getting it on, you may have the baseplate attached a little too tight to the ceiling to allow that tab to locate properly. It looks a bit close to the ceiling in the picture.
You have my interest but I am clutching at straws now - I need to get the bits in my hands to see what is going on properly.
Thank you for all your efforts!Looking at the round bit mounted onto the ceiling, it looks like there is a little tab on its edge. Does the dome locate onto that and twist into place like a bayonet fitting light bulb? Have a look at the inside of the dome for similar locators that could take the tab. The thread on the cable could be not the thing that holds it all in place if as you say it does not fit onto anything on the baseplate.
If so, and you have difficulty getting it on, you may have the baseplate attached a little too tight to the ceiling to allow that tab to locate properly. It looks a bit close to the ceiling in the picture.
You have my interest but I am clutching at straws now - I need to get the bits in my hands to see what is going on properly.
The dome is completely smooth on the underside, with no connections at all, it is a good bit bigger than the ceiling fixture so there is no way to connect the two together, it seems to be simply the little plastic screw connector holding it up by force, then the weight of the light is pulling it back down again for some reason!
If the dome clamp is working on the lead as opposed to the hanging cable, it will slip down. Surely there's some way of it grabbing the weight bearing cable?
Or do you need to put a cable tie around the power lead to fix it to the weight bearing cable at the point where is exits the actual ceiling rose?
I'm assuming that the screw fitting at the bottom of the dome is some sort of compressive gland to grab the wire and cable?
Or do you need to put a cable tie around the power lead to fix it to the weight bearing cable at the point where is exits the actual ceiling rose?
I'm assuming that the screw fitting at the bottom of the dome is some sort of compressive gland to grab the wire and cable?
Edited by Paul Drawmer on Saturday 27th November 07:12
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