Hanging lights on Toggle Bolts alone

[CivicS14]

First off - I get it, not recommended. Of course hitting a stud is the best way to go.

My question is has anyone done it and can you provide your experience? Success or failures. I would like to hear about it.

Almost all post is about not doing it but I can’t find any on people’s actual experience.

Just wondering why a bolt listed for 50lb on a 1/2” drywall ceiling and using two, why can’t it be used for a fixture a third of max capacity?

 

[Retro Reefer]

Toggle bolts are fine but I wouldn’t trust that style, get the ones with bigger wings made for hanging plants..

 

[Retro Reefer]

How to simply and accurately hang lighting over your reef

I have seen quite a few post from people who have struggled to accurately hang floating canopies over their reef tanks so I thought I would show you how I use a simple 4,000 year old tool to easily and precisely hang my lighting fixtures... The items you will need are: scrap cardboard large...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[CivicS14]

Thanks all. Anyone with long term experience having one hung up this wat?

 

[sharpimage]

I hung my chandelier over my kitchen table with one. It was up for 5 years before I sold the house. A light will be fine

 

[Scurvy]

I hung my two Orphek’s woth those plant hangers. No issue at all.

 

[Retro Reefer]

As long as your drywall has not been compromised at some point (got wet) you will be fine, I wouldn’t necessarily trust them to their listed capacity but two hangers that are rated at 50lbs each will easily hold a 30-40 lb light.

 

[motortrendz]

I have the 75lb version of the ones the op showed. I have a sailboat hanging from a frameless shelf... just make sure the drywall is strong. (Not wet or patched in that area. ) the toggle works very good. As itll fold inside the void space and then clamp tight to the sheetrock before you put the attaching bolt in. I used 2 other styles that all sagged over time. This style has held for over a year with no sag. It has a very large footprint to squeeze on so it doesnt put pressure on a small area of drywall.

 

[malacoda]

People worry too much sometimes ... especially when they have a near $1,000 light hanging above a box full of water.

If you follow the weight listings of the bolts, you should be fine.

I have a GHL Mitras hanging from toggle bolts. Been up for at least 2 years.

For a little extra safety factor, I used this type instead the type you listed:

Toggler High Performance Anchors

The toggle is much beefer. And because its beam-shaped and a little but longer than the inverted 'V' formed by the standard type Retro Reefer posted, it'll distribute its load across a bit more surface area of the drywall.

Probably overkill. But, while I'm perfectly comfortable hanging my light from toggle bolts on a drywall ceiling, even I don't mind a little extra peace-of-mind.

A few lousy smartphone pics of the GHL hanging hardware bolted to the anchors (light just came on a little while ago and the blue of the morning ramp-up really messes with the camera):

 

[WVNed]

The problem is not the bolts. The problem is how well was the drywall attached to the studs in the ceiling.

 

[CivicS14]

thanks again everyone. it looks like the most common response is the ceiling. The good news is the house was a new construction built last year before I moved it and I watched it go up. They did a good job putting the drywall/ceiling in.

 

[lapin]

You should be fine so dont read this

Great... drywall anchors failed.

This sucks I'm at work and the drywall anchors holding up the light for my 10g failed and the light fell into the tank fiance says it still works but isnt sure if the tank cracked. Now I have to figure out a way to hang the light over the tank..

www.reef2reef.com

 

[AZMSGT]

People worry too much sometimes ... especially when they have a near $1,000 light hanging above a box full of water.

If you follow the weight listings of the bolts, you should be fine.

I have a GHL Mitras hanging from toggle bolts. Been up for at least 2 years.

For a little extra safety factor, I used this type instead the type you listed:

Toggler High Performance Anchors

The toggle is much beefer. And because its beam-shaped and a little but longer than the inverted 'V' formed by the standard type Retro Reefer posted, it'll distribute its load across a bit more surface area of the drywall.

Probably overkill. But, while I'm perfectly comfortable hanging my light from toggle bolts on a drywall ceiling, even I don't mind a little extra peace-of-mind.

A few lousy smartphone pics of the GHL hanging hardware bolted to the anchors (light just came on a little while ago and the blue of the morning ramp-up really messes with the camera):

These are what I used for my lights. Work great. Holds my light bar and 3 radions.

 

[motortrendz]

People worry too much sometimes ... especially when they have a near $1,000 light hanging above a box full of water.

If you follow the weight listings of the bolts, you should be fine.

I have a GHL Mitras hanging from toggle bolts. Been up for at least 2 years.

For a little extra safety factor, I used this type instead the type you listed:

Toggler High Performance Anchors

The toggle is much beefer. And because its beam-shaped and a little but longer than the inverted 'V' formed by the standard type Retro Reefer posted, it'll distribute its load across a bit more surface area of the drywall.

Probably overkill. But, while I'm perfectly comfortable hanging my light from toggle bolts on a drywall ceiling, even I don't mind a little extra peace-of-mind.

A few lousy smartphone pics of the GHL hanging hardware bolted to the anchors (light just came on a little while ago and the blue of the morning ramp-up really messes with the camera):

These are the exact ones I used to put up this shelf...

 

[CivicS14]

You should be fine so dont read this

Great... drywall anchors failed.

This sucks I'm at work and the drywall anchors holding up the light for my 10g failed and the light fell into the tank fiance says it still works but isnt sure if the tank cracked. Now I have to figure out a way to hang the light over the tank..

www.reef2reef.com

looks like he used the simple drywall anchors not toggle bolts.

i was hoping to find anyone with any experience with a toggle bolt failing but not one person has came forward. Not even on the red sea fb group that has quite a large number of members.

 

[jd371]

People worry too much sometimes ... especially when they have a near $1,000 light hanging above a box full of water.

If you follow the weight listings of the bolts, you should be fine.

I have a GHL Mitras hanging from toggle bolts. Been up for at least 2 years.

For a little extra safety factor, I used this type instead the type you listed:

Toggler High Performance Anchors

The toggle is much beefer. And because its beam-shaped and a little but longer than the inverted 'V' formed by the standard type Retro Reefer posted, it'll distribute its load across a bit more surface area of the drywall.

Probably overkill. But, while I'm perfectly comfortable hanging my light from toggle bolts on a drywall ceiling, even I don't mind a little extra peace-of-mind.

A few lousy smartphone pics of the GHL hanging hardware bolted to the anchors (light just came on a little while ago and the blue of the morning ramp-up really messes with the camera):

Yeah, I've used these before; not for hanging lights but have used them to hang flat screen TV's and shelves. Out of the toggle type anchors I prefer these.