# LED Down Lights on Rmodel



## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

Can you just cut the holes and put the lights in now, while the walls are open and the mess is no big deal?


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

CoolWill said:


> Can you just cut the holes and put the lights in now, while the walls are open and the mess is no big deal?



I can but the painters will frown when they paint the ceiling.


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## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

A Little Short said:


> I can but the painters will frown when they paint the ceiling.


Can you put a shower cap on them like smoke detectors?


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

CoolWill said:


> Can you put a shower cap on them like smoke detectors?



Don't know about finding shower caps but you just gave me an idea. I could put some plastic grocery bags or even Saran wrap over the lights.
or
I could get some cardboard and poke a hole just big enough for the wire to stick through and put that in the ceiling over the holes to keep the insulation from falling down.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

The insulation does not fall in as much as you imagine.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

mofos be cray said:


> The insulation does not fall in as much as you imagine.



Tell that to the GC that fusses at me everytime I have to cut some of the ceiling and he has to sweep it up!
They started out with the walls up and I had to cut holes in the ceiling to get to the top plate. Now they have taken the drywall off the walls. I still have to cut to get old boxes out.



There are multiple layers of old insulation up there. Cutting the hole and dragging the wire over to the hole will cause tons of the stuff to fall.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

mofos be cray said:


> The insulation does not fall in as much as you imagine.


Ever see a ceiling insulated with vermiculite? What a mess. Even blown-in insulation can be messy.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

If there is a vapor barrier, you can carefully cut the hole without cutting the vapor barrier, especially with a dull pilot bit. 

If there is no VB, I guess you’re going into the attic with a child’s rake. Drill a 1/4” hole and push a piece of single conductor up there to find your locations.

For the record, this is what I do when there is a vapor barrier: I drill my holes with the hole saw without cutting the VB and then poke a small hole in the VB. I push lengths of thermostat wire up into the attic long enough to make it to a nice place to work at, usually near the hatch. I mount all my drivers on a framing member above the insulation. My 120V switch leg goes there as well. I cut the driver leads and butt splice to the LVT. I pre-fab as much as I can on the ground and go up with all the drivers linked together. I like to do it off a ladder at the hatch.

I hope that makes sense. Somebody is going to say splicing into the driver leads negates warranty, blah, blah, blah. I have been doing it since Lotus invented these things without a call back. Lotus even recommended it until they started making factory extensions.


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

We usually stuff a bag or something in each hole to stop the insulation from raining down.

I like to make the holes during the rough in if I can, should something happen it can be fixed.


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

*Wtf*



A Little Short said:


> I can but the painters will frown when they paint the ceiling.



Scope of work:
Install ceiling lights at the behest of the painters. :vs_laugh:


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Here’s the problem: When you cut your 4” or 6” hole, some insulation will fall out. Then, when you’re reaching in to get your cables, more will fall out. Every time you move your wiring, more insulation will fall and you will end up with a pile on the floor.

This is a stupid idea but maybe it will work. Drill your hole but not quite all the way so it’s really only hanging on by paper. Push LVT through the pilot hole and butt splice your driver lead to it like I said in the previous post. Attach the lead to the fixture and install the fixture, pushing the divot or whatever you call it up into the attic at the same time.

I hope I’m making sense. My powers of communication are failing me (not unusual).


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