# 3'' can location for basement



## BryanMD (Dec 31, 2007)

Don't EVER put yourself in the position of telling a clueless customer where to put fixtures. If you have time to waste get some graph paper to draw up the room and have HER show where SHE wants them. Make copies of the blank drawing but get her to sign the paper when she is done. 

THEN you can tell her that three of the locations are where joists are and she has to redo it. 

Go for ten switches... make the job worthwhile.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

14' x 40' lit with 3" cans???!!?!? 

Wow, good luck with that. 
Some customers can be freakin' annoying!


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## gemrock (Nov 25, 2008)

Tell me about it. Huge basement area and wants little cans. I tried to talk him into the standard 6'' but no go. Well what do you do the custom pays the bill in the end. Looks like apx. 40 cans for the job. originally he was going with a drop ceiling which would of been nice for wiring but apperance is not my choice. Now he's talking drywall I think I might of changed his mind. Sucks for the drywall guys. I guess I'll stick with the 3' plan as of right now unless someone has other ideas.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

I useally don't run into 3 inchers not often unless specal useage the smallest can size I normally used from time to time is 4 inch size however you have to keep in your mind the 3 and 4 inchers have wattage limitation there typically 50 or 60 watts the most you can dish out of little one.

For most basement set up pretty much SOP get 6 inch cans and use flush trim that work pretty good unless in theatre area or large tv area then get baffled verison so that way you don't get glare from the luminaires.

Merci,Marc


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## heel600 (Oct 31, 2007)

gemrock said:


> Looking for alittle help on hanging some 3'' recessed can lights.
> Customer wants 3'' can lights instead of 6'' cans and was looking for a good spacing for them. area is apx. 14' wide and 40' long.
> I was thinking about 3' spacing but sure seems like alot of them.
> They will be on dimmers and depending on how many needed we were shooting for 3 switches for all of them. Any thoughts?
> Thanks


 
3" can's are just a bad idea. They do have the mid sized 5" cans, much smaller looking than the 6" cans, yet you can use 75w bulbs. This would be a compromise.

If they still insist on the 3" (do you mean 4"?) cans, make it clear that it'll either be dark, are the ceiling will look like swiss cheese.

Just my 2 cents


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## NS contractor (Mar 9, 2009)

I would space the cans 48" on centre. We install lots of 50 watt MLV and 110 volt. 50 watt halogen pot lights in all areas. Kitchens, living rooms and basements. The MLV gives more light but they are more expensive and in some locations the noise from the transformers can be a problem.

It makes for a lot of pot lights but it is the look most designers and customers seem to want.

It is very rare for us to install the 5" frames. Normally we only install them in say an outside area, such as a covered in patio.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> 14' x 40' lit with 3" cans???!!?!?
> 
> Wow, good luck with that.
> Some customers can be freakin' annoying!


All I can see is dollar signs!









If a customer wants something, I go out of my way to provide it. 

If the customer wants gold-plated baffle trims, they get gold-plated baffle trims. If the customer wants 150 cans on one dimmer, then they will get 150 cans on one dimmer. Heck, if they want 6 cans in the headliner of a '53 Cadillac, who am I to say no?

What's wrong with a customer wants something that takes more time and material than a quick slam-bam-thank-you-ma'am get-in-and-get-out job? In todays' economy, rather than complain about 'annoying' jobs, be thankful that you _have the job to do_!


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

480sparky said:


> All I can see is dollar signs!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



:thumbsup::thumbsup:

150 cans on 1 dimmer!? Even I would not do that!

Unless the price was right.:whistling2: And they were willing to pay for the controls!:thumbup:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

leland said:


> :thumbsup::thumbsup:
> 
> 150 cans on 1 dimmer!? Even I would not do that!
> 
> Unless the price was right.:whistling2: And they were willing to pay for the controls!:thumbup:


 
Dimming panel.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

That's what I mean. Customers want something until they realize what it costs to do it right.


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

The customer is always right.

You always give them what they want. Anything can be done.
Until the numbers come across.then suddenly...... "well,can we scale it down a bit?"


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## NS contractor (Mar 9, 2009)

As long as it meets the code and is safe, it is up to me to do what the customer wants in their installation. 

One owner had us put so many pot lights in a bathroom, the cans were touching each other. We had to remove some because there wasn't anyway to get the drywall onto the ceiling. Was it ridiculous? Yes but the only unhappiness was about the ones we had to take out.

BTW, the money wasn't a problem to the owner. He could easily afford to get whatever he wanted.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

480sparky said:


> All I can see is dollar signs!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


"I can build anything you want if you draw it on the back of a large enough check"
One of my favorite signature lines. :thumbsup:


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## N84Christ (Feb 15, 2009)

*3 inch can and trims*



gemrock said:


> Looking for alittle help on hanging some 3'' recessed can lights.
> Customer wants 3'' can lights instead of 6'' cans and was looking for a good spacing for them. area is apx. 14' wide and 40' long.
> I was thinking about 3' spacing but sure seems like alot of them.
> They will be on dimmers and depending on how many needed we were shooting for 3 switches for all of them. Any thoughts?
> Thanks


got to lightingfx.com


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