Mounting ideas for multiple Philips CoralCare Gen 2 fixtures

mfinn · Oct 12, 2020

I have a pair of these coming and was wondering if anyone has put any thought into mounting multiple units.

Snoopy 67 · Oct 12, 2020

We know they come with a hanging kit, & are HEAVY.
Do you need another option?

mfinn · Oct 12, 2020

Snoopy 67 said:
We know they come with a hanging kit, & are HEAVY.
Do you need another option?

I was just looking for ideas.
I have no firm plans yet.
The lights are supposed to be here tomorrow.
Hanging in some fashion is the main option.
I currently a a 60" x 8 bulb, with 2 60" XHO Reef Brites hanging, so I know my anchor points are strong enough.

Snoopy 67 · Oct 12, 2020

Pics after installation.

mfinn · Oct 12, 2020

I was thinking about connecting them somehow with some aluminum angle bar and using a hanging wire on each end.
But not sure yet.

Snoopy 67 · Oct 12, 2020

With the weight on these guys I would use a solid bar or tube.

ReeferBean · Oct 12, 2020

If you had an 8 lamp Powermodule with a hanging kit connected to a stud/ joist you should have no problem hanging those. I think that would offer the cleanest look.

JeffB418 · Oct 12, 2020

I just got my 3 units. I’m gonna hang them over my 180g display using 1”x1” 80/20 black aluminum stock from McMaster carr. Turns out the tabs line up perfectly with the slot. So I’ll use some of the standard t screws into the slots to link all 3 lights together with 2 6ft bars. Then going to hang that from the ceiling with heavy duty wire or chain to eye hooks into my joists. Way overkill but that’s how I work.

Since these mount so nicely to 80/20 you can do anything you want. Could do what I’m doing and then make legs that rest on the ends of your tank. Or make wall mounts that stick out. Or if you have an 80/20 stand, make cantilever arms that mount to your stand. Hope this gives you some ideas!

RRTV-Cody · Oct 12, 2020

mfinn said:
I have a pair of these coming and was wondering if anyone has put any thought into mounting multiple units.

I have multiple and it's not fancy but does the job just fine, I mounted them on crossbeams in my canopy.

RRTV-Cody · Oct 12, 2020

Here they are..

mfinn · Oct 13, 2020

JeffB418 said:
I just got my 3 units. I’m gonna hang them over my 180g display using 1”x1” 80/20 black aluminum stock from McMaster carr. Turns out the tabs line up perfectly with the slot. So I’ll use some of the standard t screws into the slots to link all 3 lights together with 2 6ft bars. Then going to hang that from the ceiling with heavy duty wire or chain to eye hooks into my joists. Way overkill but that’s how I work.

Since these mount so nicely to 80/20 you can do anything you want. Could do what I’m doing and then make legs that rest on the ends of your tank. Or make wall mounts that stick out. Or if you have an 80/20 stand, make cantilever arms that mount to your stand. Hope this gives you some ideas!

This looks similar to what I was thinking.
Where are you attaching the hanging cables?

mfinn · Oct 13, 2020

Well my 2 fixtures arrived today.
Cool looking lights, but I am shocked at the weight.
On Marine Depot's website it says 15lbs.
The actual weight is closer to 22lbs. each.
I am going to have to rethink this.
I was hoping to get away with only going with 2 cables to the ceiling.
Not sure I'd trust 2. May have to do 4 or come up with thicker cables.
I'm probably close to 40lbs now with my ATI 8 x 80 watt and 2 x 60" Reef Brite XHO's.

Snoopy 67 · Oct 14, 2020

Google strength of cable @ diameter you have, doubt you have to worry.

mfinn · Oct 14, 2020

Snoopy 67 said:
Google strength of cable @ diameter you have, doubt you have to worry.

Yeah, and I also googled the strength of the toggle bolts ( 4 ) I used on my ceiling mounting board ( 1" x 3") that I have my ATI fixture hanging from and they are 85lbs each. The hanging cables in the kit will be pretty close to being centered between 2 on each end. So I guess I'm going to be ok.
I'm only going to be going up in weight by 4-5lbs. But when I figured that what Marine Depot listed the weight at being 15lbs each. So the additional 13-14lbs the actual weight is was a "oh no" moment for me.

Snoopy 67 · Oct 14, 2020

Agreed on the "oh no".
I would have started with "S".

Mooses · Oct 14, 2020

mfinn said:
Yeah, and I also googled the strength of the toggle bolts ( 4 ) I used on my ceiling mounting board ( 1" x 3") that I have my ATI fixture hanging from and they are 85lbs each. The hanging cables in the kit will be pretty close to being centered between 2 on each end. So I guess I'm going to be ok.
I'm only going to be going up in weight by 4-5lbs. But when I figured that what Marine Depot listed the weight at being 15lbs each. So the additional 13-14lbs the actual weight is was a "oh no" moment for me.

You should have close to 340lbs of available load with your mounting board using the toggle bolts. I would throw away 20% for a "safety factor"; so that brings us down to ~270. Your 2 new lights add an additional ~45lbs. If your existing lights total up to ~40lbs, your only at 85lbs of load; out of a possible 270lbs.

1/8" aircraft cable from Home Depot has a tensile strength of 400lbs (for 1 cable). I think you should be perfectly ok with your setup as long as I am understanding everything correct.

mfinn · Oct 14, 2020

Mooses said:
You should have close to 340lbs of available load with your mounting board using the toggle bolts. I would throw away 20% for a "safety factor"; so that brings us down to ~270. Your 2 new lights add an additional ~45lbs. If your existing lights total up to ~40lbs, your only at 85lbs of load; out of a possible 270lbs.

1/8" aircraft cable from Home Depot has a tensile strength of 400lbs (for 1 cable). I think you should be perfectly ok with your setup as long as I am understanding everything correct.

Yeah, my first reaction to how heavy these fixtures are, was without stopping to add up all the factors involved.
Currently my plan is to run two 3/4" x 3/4" angle iron ( powder coated or epoxy paint) from the last bolt mount on each fixture connecting the two fixtures similar to jeffb418's use of 80/20. Then use one cable attached in the middle of each fixture.