# Dusk to dawn light installation tips?



## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Got one of these to install tomorrow. Don't ask me why, the customer insisted. It's to be installed over siding. It comes with a large bolt, washer and nut. I'm worried that when I tighten this big bolt down, it's going to damage the siding. 

Is there anyway I can install this thing and not have it look ********? Cut siding and caulk?


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Why the h...oh wait. 

i don't know man, looks like it has a weather head type cap on it. In other words, the bottom has to be mounted jamb up, then the top drops on and set screw tightens, so i don't think cutting the siding would be a good idea.

i assume you're talking vinyl siding, won't squish that much.:laughing:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

That's definetly Canadian, The ones we see either mount right at the flange or mount to a 1 1/4 sweep


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> That's definetly Canadian, The ones we see either mount right at the flange or mount to a 1 1/4 sweep


Not sure what you mean. For this one I'm going to have to have a guy in the attic on the other side to hold onto the big bolt while I tighten it down from the inside. Kind of like installing mast clamps.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

jza said:


> Got one of these to install tomorrow. Don't ask me why, the customer insisted. It's to be installed over siding. It comes with a large bolt, washer and nut. I'm worried that when I tighten this big bolt down, it's going to damage the siding.
> 
> Is there anyway I can install this thing and not have it look ********? Cut siding and caulk?


The damaged siding will be covered by it so don't worry about it, It will probaly stay there for 20 years.


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

There is a lot of leverage on a yard light like that. And the back is curved to accommodate a pole. It will destroy the siding. I would get a piece of 3/4 puckboard or painted 3/4 plywood and some white j channel. Cut the siding, install the j channel and then the plywood/puckboard.
This would be after I told them it isn't a good idea in the first place and showed them some wallpacks.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

jza said:


> Got one of these to install tomorrow. Don't ask me why, the customer insisted. It's to be installed over siding. It comes with a large bolt, washer and nut. I'm worried that when I tighten this big bolt down, it's going to damage the siding.
> 
> Is there anyway I can install this thing and not have it look ********? Cut siding and caulk?


Wow ! Gotta love homeowners who pick the wrong fixture for the job , lol ! Since this picture shows this thing mounted to a pole , I'm assuming the mount has a radius to it ? I agree that you will crush the siding , but I wouldn't cut the siding . Use spacers ( fender or strut washer ) between the wall sheathing and siding . Use enough that the bracket will snug up good but not totally distort the siding , then caulk the hell out of the top and sides .


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## mnelectrician (Dec 1, 2008)

I think they make a siding block that goes over vinyl siding. You'd still have to put something behind it so it doesn't deform.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

jza said:


> Not sure what you mean. For this one I'm going to have to have a guy in the attic on the other side to hold onto the big bolt while I tighten it down from the inside. Kind of like installing mast clamps.


The most common FEMA type heads down here come with a 1 1/4 sweep that has a four bolt flange on it.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

drumnut08 said:


> Wow ! Gotta love homeowners who pick the wrong fixture for the job , lol ! Since this picture shows this thing mounted to a pole , I'm assuming the mount has a radius to it ? I agree that you will crush the siding , but I wouldn't cut the siding . Use spacers ( fender or strut washer ) between the wall sheathing and siding . Use enough that the bracket will snug up good but not totally distort the siding , then caulk the hell out of the top and sides .


Good call. 10 or so washers and some caulking it shall be.

This is such a pain in the ass


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Dear god someone went and made an already ugly fixture uglier with that dumb sheet metal pole mount crap.


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

This is such a pain in the ass.[/QUOTE]

Remember charge accordingly!


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

Shockdoc said:


> The most common FEMA type heads down here come with a 1 1/4 sweep that has a four bolt flange on it.



Those things are the biggest pieces of junk ever.

You can't repair them.
The shades blow off in the first windstorm.
The light itself breaks off the bracket in a big windstorm.

I out and out refuse to install them.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

I have simair luminaire which few manufacters call it Ballast in Arm. (BIA)

The surefire way you can mount this on the sliding is if you have sliding block adpatour from Arington otherwise you will have to make one from strach and most the BIA's will able work with flat surface as well so there is interal opening you can instrest two bolts in most case.

Make sure you hit the building stud due this sucker can be pretty hevey ( useally about 2X more weight than cheap NEMA D-D's are ) 

Otherwise you can make a homemade fitting by find a pole or large EMT or thickwalled PVC pipe of minuim of 4 inch diam and cut that in half that will help a bit as well.

Merci,
Marc


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> Dear god someone went and made an already ugly fixture uglier with that dumb sheet metal pole mount crap.


Hey now, that was no easy task.

Props to the guy that figured out how to make uglier into ugliest.:jester:


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Cut siding. Install PVC block. Caulk siding around block. Install light. J-channel may also trim it up nicely, but isn't absolutely necessary.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

It's ugly. Just dangle it with some galvanized tie wire from a staple driven into the soffit, and rope over to it with UF cable. No one will notice, cause its impossible to make it more ugly than it already is.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

jza said:


> Good call. 10 or so washers and some caulking it shall be.
> 
> This is such a pain in the ass


Worked awesome!

Drilled a 7/8th hole through the siding and plywood into the attic. Used tin-snips to make the hole in the siding larger, to accommodate 10 or so large washers to stand the fixture off of the siding. Went into the attic and installed a small piece of 2x6 wood with a pre-drilled 7/8th hole. Loosely installed the bolt with lots of big square washers. Helper set the light in place from a ladder outside and I tightened it down from the inside. Caulked around and tested the fixture. 

In and out in under 3 hours.


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

jza said:


> Worked awesome!
> 
> Drilled a 7/8th hole through the siding and plywood into the attic. Used tin-snips to make the hole in the siding larger, to accommodate 10 or so large washers to stand the fixture off of the siding. Went into the attic and installed a small piece of 2x6 wood with a pre-drilled 7/8th hole. Loosely installed the bolt with lots of big square washers. Helper set the light in place from a ladder outside and I tightened it down from the inside. Caulked around and tested the fixture.
> 
> In and out in under 3 hours.


Did you install the lag bolt?


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Yes.


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

make some spacers out of pipe (just big enough for your bolts) and cut them for length (the thickness of your siding).
drill the hole in the siding slightly larger to accommodate the pipe
when you tighten the bolts down it wont distort the siding.

ive had to do this before when mounting security cameras


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

gnuuser said:


> make some spacers out of pipe (just big enough for your bolts) and cut them for length (the thickness of your siding).
> drill the hole in the siding slightly larger to accommodate the pipe
> when you tighten the bolts down it wont distort the siding.
> 
> ive had to do this before when mounting security cameras


That won't leak much.


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

sbrn33 said:


> That won't leak much.


not when you seal them with clear silicone caulk:laughing:
always think things through or they may mistake you for greenhorn


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