Wanted to build - LED hanger

[H@rry]

Someone point me in the direction for a DIY hanging arrangement for 2 Chinese Black Box LED units for frags swaps. I need something to hang them from that is quick and easy to set up / take down and will fold flat (well mostly flat) to fit in the trunk of a car. I'm thinking something like PVC pipe.

 

[jsker]

use a restaurant wire shelf. Link get some large zip ties and attach the lights to the shelf and hang them or rig up a L and hang them from that.

 

[ebushrow]

You can also use electrical conduit ( metal tubing) have it bent at the big box stores and buy connectors... paint it black and bolt it on your stand....I think there is a thread in the diy section with ideas in it.....really easy to do if you are just ok at diy like I am.

 

[H@rry]

This is for frag swaps - one day events - set it up and tear it down 6 hours later. Needs to fold up or disassemble easily to fit in the car.

 

[ebushrow]

Use 1" pvc....easiest thing....just don't glue it together.

 

[TheEngineer]

Use 1" pvc....easiest thing....just don't glue it together.

+1 simple, easy and looks fairly nice. Most people have it setup like two upside down capital tees (one on each side) with a bar that spans the tank which connects them. Paint it black and you'll never notice it.

 

[H@rry]

I built it yesterday. I already had a lot of 3/4 pvc so I used that. I wanted to make sure that the longest piece would fit in the trunk of the car so I had to cut the upper and lower bars in two and connect them with a coupler. The top bars sagged a lot when I put the LED units on so I replaced the couplers with a tee and made short legs down to the rim of the tank below. It seems pretty stable now.

 

[Reefrookie220]

My conduit light rack over my 125 folds flat and slides out of the pipe straps it's mounted with very easily. PVC made me nervous lol.

 

[H@rry]

Show me some pics. I might just change my mind.

 

[Reefrookie220]

Here's the only on on my phone at the moment.

I mounted pipe straps the the back corners of the stand and slid the conduit in. When it slide out the conduit folds into a rectangle and lays completely flat.

It's a 6ft rectangle but if you scale it down for your project I think you'll like it. No chances of a fitting slipping or pipe cracking.

PS, it can always be painted as well.

 

[H@rry]

Here's the only on on my phone at the moment.

I mounted pipe straps the the back corners of the stand and slid the conduit in. When it slide out the conduit folds into a rectangle and lays completely flat.

It's a 6ft rectangle but if you scale it down for your project I think you'll like it. No chances of a fitting slipping or pipe cracking.

PS, it can always be painted as well.

Yes, but that is a more or less permanent mount. What I need is something I can put in the trunk of the car, take out and put on a table (that I have never seen) over my tanks (which are also in my car), and tear is all back down and pack up several hours later.

 

[SteveSTL]

What do you use for a stand for the tank?

 

[H@rry]

What do you use for a stand for the tank?

No stand, the tanks sit directly on a table provided by the event host.

 

[SteveSTL]

I take it there's an inch or 2 of clearance around the tank? Make a 3/4 or 1" PVC frame around the bottom of the tank with a T in the middle of each short side for a riser. 6" above the top of the tank another T for a brace and then an L at the top for the top piece of PVC. Hang the lights from the top piece. If the lights don't hang that high above the tank, get rid of the brace. If you want to be extra sure, you could put a bike intertube or bungee cord around the top frame and uprights to hold them tight.
Nothing has to be glued and everything is interchangeable. so it should all fit in your trunk.

 

[H@rry]

Here's what I did. Asking for critique.

 

[SteveSTL]

OK, so what don't you like about this one?

 

[TheEngineer]

Looks like it will do the trick to me

 

[H@rry]

OK, so what don't you like about this one?

I don't like having to have the center legs to prevent the sag. If I were to do it over I would use at least 1" PVC, maybe larger. I was just using what I had laying around left over from another project.

 

[TheEngineer]

You could snake a broom handle inside the PVC to give it some rigidity.

 

[H@rry]

You could snake a broom handle inside the PVC to give it some rigidity.

I hadn't thought about that. I don't think it would go in 3/4 PVC. It wouldn't be long enough though and if it were it would be too long to go in the trunk of my car.