Despite my best measuring and stud-finding, I caught about half of an oddly-placed ceiling joist when cutting for my recessed lighting cans. (gotta love old houses) Moving the hole isn't an option due to the placement of other joists and spacing of the lights. I was able to get a sawzall in there to cut out the joist for clearance but I'm concerned about heat.
How do I properly do this with only about 1/8" clearance to the joist? If I swap to LED bulbs will that be good enough?
Swapping to LEDs should dramatically reduce the heat load. Not much gets hotter than big old incandescent PARs. Even CFLs will help.
If you needed to notch the joist near the middle of the span, you probably want to sister 2x4s or whatever you can on either side of the notched member.
LED if you can find the right light frequency for you liking. I use CFL's in mine. Either one will not transfer heat to the joist.
I hope you didn't cut away very much of the joist, it's holding up the second floor of the house...
You can probably look up the spec sheet for your light fixture online, it may have information on minimum clearances. The outer shell of the fixture shouldn't be getting all that hot, but it is a concern.
stuart in mn wrote: I hope you didn't cut away very much of the joist, it's holding up the second floor of the house...
This is a very small dormer roof. 2x8 joists run E-W across the dormer. This one I cut is a totally random N-S joist that goes between the "real" joists. My guess was that they scabbed in a piece for holding lath. Not structural anyway. I stabbed my flexi-cam up there and its just a random piece.
You can probably look up the spec sheet for your light fixture online, it may have information on minimum clearances. The outer shell of the fixture shouldn't be getting all that hot, but it is a concern.
The spec sheet lists minimum clearances for insulation, but none for wood. I find that rather odd, but it really doesn't say anything re: rafters and joists.
It shouldn't get that hot, you're right, but this is a 1937 house. Its make out of kindling 
trucke wrote: LED if you can find the right light frequency for you liking. I use CFL's in mine. Either one will not transfer heat to the joist.
Ok. Not sure I can find one to my liking, but at least I will be able to find one that matches the freaky-white CFLs in the vanity fixture.
Like is a strong term. Matching I can do 
Duke wrote: If you needed to notch the joist near the middle of the span, you probably want to sister 2x4s or whatever you can on either side of the notched member.
Its hard to describe why its not an issue, but suffice it to say it was not a structural member. But thanks for the advice.
I would go with all LEDs anyway. Some of the newest ones are very nice
Datsun1500 wrote:curtis73 wrote:Then why not remove it and sleep better not worrying about the heat?Duke wrote: If you needed to notch the joist near the middle of the span, you probably want to sister 2x4s or whatever you can on either side of the notched member.Its hard to describe why its not an issue, but suffice it to say it was not a structural member. But thanks for the advice.
Because I can't fit a 16" 2x8 through a 3" hole, and I can't get my hand up there to fully remove it. Maybe someday I'll rip down 2 feet of plaster and get it out, but not today.
mad_machine wrote: I would go with all LEDs anyway. Some of the newest ones are very nice
Got some new "daylight" LEDs and put them in today. So far cool to the touch, great color, and only $29.95 each! 
Depends on the can light.
Some can lights are designed as zero clearance fixtures.
curtis73 wrote:mad_machine wrote: I would go with all LEDs anyway. Some of the newest ones are very niceGot some new "daylight" LEDs and put them in today. So far cool to the touch, great color, and only $29.95 each!
expensive yes... but with 3 or 4x the expected lifespan.. if not more?
Can I put one in my canoe?
Canoe
Canoe deleted
Ignoring the nautical elephant in the room, it's pretty amazing how inexpensive LED bulbs have become in just 3 years. I bought a 12 pack of HD house brand "60w" daylight bulbs for $18 the other day.
akamcfly wrote: Ignoring the nautical elephant in the room, it's pretty amazing how inexpensive LED bulbs have become in just 3 years. I bought a 12 pack of HD house brand "60w" daylight bulbs for $18 the other day.
Menards had a sale on Feit LEDs a year ago, 5 pack for $9.99 I bought six packs and gave some as our Christmas White Elephant gifts!
In reply to curtis73:
You should be able to find better deals than that.
What about an insulated can? Those are speced to be able to have blown isolation covering them.
even if you spend a lot on LEDs, their safety, lifetime, and energy saved should add up. Two years ago I was house watching for my mom while she was away for a week, I changed ALL her fixtures to LED and her electric bill dropped by around $20 a month. She is a night owl, so her lights are on from dusk till around 2am, your results may vary
I am really glad I mostly skipped the compact florescents (which I hate) and went to LED's.
BTW - I was just thinking to to myself today "I wonder what Curtis was doing 3 years ago"
https://www.lotusledlights.com/
they make 1/2" thick lights and other trick stuff.
Gearheadotaku wrote: https://www.lotusledlights.com/ they make 1/2" thick lights and other trick stuff.
I have them in almost every room that originally had an overhead light. The builder of this house used the same ugly light in every room. It always reminded me of an opaque white glass nipple with gold trim. Not very pretty at all. The small, barely there, thin LEDs throw out more light, use more energy, look better, and put out almost no heat.
As an aside, I have an LED flashlight from Fennix, it clocks in at 960 lumins and puts out enough heat that if I aim it at your skin, you can feel it from a couple inches away
Appleseed wrote: In reply to curtis73: You should be able to find better deals than that.
Not 3 years ago. He bought them in 2013.
AnnaRipley wrote: Have you ever heard of high-power recession led light that fits your need?
A canoe for recessed lighting that can't even spell recessed. Nice.
iMarcelx said:In reply to curtis73 :
Maybe the ones from [CanoesLightsRUS, down on Electric Avenue] can help you out with some solutions :)
dang, this thread has been zombied twice already. i guess there's a market for canoe shaped lights?
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