Radio XR-15 mounting solution

[Raidendex]

I am looking to potentially do something silly like below with 4 XR-15s

Anyone have some clean solution of how to do this? Not really sure how valuable titling them around even would be versus just spreading them over the tank to give good coverage, but in case there is point in doing this I would need some sort of frame (probably could use those extruded aluminum beams) and some sort of articulating attachment that can easy slide onto the frame and move around a bit as well as attach in a clean way to the XR-15, so I could tilt around fairly easily.

This is btw on top of a 3'x3' tank 2' height, so if you have other lighting suggestions feel free to share as well for an SPS tank eventually... haven't even built the stand yet

 

[Reefer911]

Yeah I would go with T slot extruded aluminum. You can pretty much build whatever idea you have with those

 

[Raidendex]

How would you attach radions to that with ability to articulate them? so far I'm envisioning some sort of DSLR type mount granted those are not really set up to interface to either radions or t slots.

 

[Reefer911]

Are you mounting from above, like attached to the ceiling?

 

[Raidendex]

Not sure yet if ceiling or wall, but either way not on tank itself.

 

[Martingale]

80/20 would do this easily, but not cheaply.

 

[Reefer911]

If mounting from the ceiling, might consider a single piece of 80/20 mounted vertically and centered above the tank. Then attach 4 short pieces of 80/20 which would hold the Radions. I’m thinking you might be able to find an attachment that would allow the short arms to be angled the way you want. Hope that’s clear.

 

[Raidendex]

Cool, thanks will look at those.

And to attach Radions to all that just drill holes in these or is there something better?

 

[Reefer911]

There are vendors who 3-D print XR15 mounts that slide right into the t-slot

 

[Reefer911]

So those brackets wouldn’t be needed

 

[Raidendex]

OK, thanks. I have a 3D printer, so I suppose will make one myself then

 

[Reefer911]

OK, thanks. I have a 3D printer, so I suppose will make one myself then

Nice

 

[SPS2020]

Why would you want to mount them in such a fashion? There will be unintended hot spots and light spillage, IMO.

 

[Raidendex]

Not sure, was part of the question if this would even be that useful.

Don't imagine it would make any hot spots, these lights should be fairly spread out, but not sure if it would light undersides any better with 10 degree tilt either, so I may just mount them all level in the end.

 

[mfinn]

XR15's are pretty light so I used 1/2" x 1/2" steel tube to connect 2 together and a ceiling hanging kit. I used the Sky ceiling hanging kit. It's cheaper and the black color matches the Radion fixture.
If I were looking for a way to hang 4 fixtures, I would go with as small a material as possible.

 

[SPS2020]

Not sure, was part of the question if this would even be that useful.

Don't imagine it would make any hot spots, these lights should be fairly spread out, but not sure if it would light undersides any better with 10 degree tilt either, so I may just mount them all level in the end.

If you can suspend from the ceiling, you could make an aluminum frame and space them however you like. 3x3 is an interesting size.

Here's a BRS video (one of many), where Randy looks at spacing and mounting height of the XR15.

 

[Raidendex]

XR15's are pretty light so I used 1/2" x 1/2" steel tube to connect 2 together and a ceiling hanging kit. I used the Sky ceiling hanging kit. It's cheaper and the black color matches the Radion fixture.
If I were looking for a way to hang 4 fixtures, I would go with as small a material as possible.

Yeah I definitely want to make something fairly slim otherwise I might as well make a hood and cover the top of the tank completely hehe

 

[mfinn]

Yeah I definitely want to make something fairly slim otherwise I might as well make a hood and cover the top of the tank completely hehe

Here are my 2

 

[Raidendex]

Yep, that looks nice and clean.

Only thing I would change is route cables to single point on frame and run them as one down.... or an outlet in the ceiling and run them up for even cleaner look hehe... hmmm am I installing outlet on my ceiling now

 

[Raidendex]

Nope.. easier idea, now that I thought about it for another 10 seconds lol.. some low profile power strip on the ceiling (unless XR-15 have a super long cord...), plug Radions there and then run cord from it to the wall and down the wall in those cord hiders and paint them wall colors. And maybe a small box to cover the power strip on the ceiling.