Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Recessed Can Lights

kazoo · 10-29-2004, 08:56 PM

Not to discount other posters, but in all the years I've been doing remodeling, insulation between 1st and 2nd floors would be something I've not seen. I'd open the ceiling and only buy IC cans if insulation is present.

To address the issue of holes in solid sawn members, the rule of thumb is to avoid the top 1/3 of the member (it's in compression) the bottom 1/3 of the member (it's in tension) and make a hole no greater than 1/3 the total dimension, centered on the midline. Therefore, with a 2x8 floor joist, the maximum penetration would be 2.5", or 1/3 the dressed depth of 7.5"

Unless the house is turn of the century old, the branch circuit feeding the kitchen fixture is 14AWG, rated for 15 amps. Find the circuit, and determine if it feeds anything else in the dwelling. Then, start with (120 x 15 = 1800). Derate that by .8 to reach 1440 which is the safe wattage draw for the circuit. Deduct the wattage of any other fixtures on the circuit. If the kitchen lighting is all by itself, 6 cans with 150 watt indoor floods is well within the circuit ampacity, and a heckuva lot of light, too.

10-29-2004, 08:56 PM	#18 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	Not to discount other posters, but in all the years I've been doing remodeling, insulation between 1st and 2nd floors would be something I've not seen. I'd open the ceiling and only buy IC cans if insulation is present. To address the issue of holes in solid sawn members, the rule of thumb is to avoid the top 1/3 of the member (it's in compression) the bottom 1/3 of the member (it's in tension) and make a hole no greater than 1/3 the total dimension, centered on the midline. Therefore, with a 2x8 floor joist, the maximum penetration would be 2.5", or 1/3 the dressed depth of 7.5" Unless the house is turn of the century old, the branch circuit feeding the kitchen fixture is 14AWG, rated for 15 amps. Find the circuit, and determine if it feeds anything else in the dwelling. Then, start with (120 x 15 = 1800). Derate that by .8 to reach 1440 which is the safe wattage draw for the circuit. Deduct the wattage of any other fixtures on the circuit. If the kitchen lighting is all by itself, 6 cans with 150 watt indoor floods is well within the circuit ampacity, and a heckuva lot of light, too. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy Last edited by kazoo; 10-29-2004 at 08:58 PM..