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View Full Version : Mounting Radions inside a canopy?


Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 02:21 PM
Am looking for ideas on best way to mount my new Radions inside my canopy. I saw this on RC, and looks like it might work for me. However, where can I find this U channel railing material?
http://i39.tinypic.com/2m6wyv6.jpghttp://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b44/sumnerfan2/35b94e1a.jpg

fishytime
12-30-2011, 02:31 PM
I think I remember reading somewhere that ecotech doesn't recommend putting the radions inside a fully enclosed canopy.... Not sure if that is your intension or not but....

Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 02:36 PM
It's actually an inwall mounting, and the area is well ventilated with fans. They kept my current T5s cool enough. I will be mounting the power supplies outside of the area, so that should keep it even cooler. Our house is air conditioned so doesn't get warm in the summer either.

wingedfish
12-30-2011, 02:42 PM
Any electrical shop will have it. Unistrut is the name. Normaly it is galvanized steal so you have to ask for aluminum specifically.

Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 02:49 PM
Yes, that's the stuff. Thanks. Any reason why I can't use galvanized metal? It's a pretty dry area, no salt creep up there right now.

fishytime
12-30-2011, 03:04 PM
You could also look at "pocket door" hardware..... I'm not sure about cost but it may be cheaper and and easier to source out.....

Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 03:10 PM
Hmmm, yeah, thanks. We have a pocket door going into our dining room from the kitchen, and sure enough it has one of those channels up on top. And can probably get it at Home Depot....

no_bs
12-30-2011, 05:07 PM
And can probably get it at Home Depot....

That's what I suggest.

Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 05:13 PM
Actually just got back from Home Depot, and found what I think will work perfectly. It was in the electrical department and normally used to hide wires. It has the unistrut type channel, plus the piece that slides inside, all in one package, and only 7.68. I just need to cut some 6 inch lengths, drill a few holes, and should be ready to mount.
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/wire-channel-metal-ivory/911637

Thanks, everyone for the great ideas.

BigAl07
12-30-2011, 06:30 PM
You could also look at "pocket door" hardware..... I'm not sure about cost but it may be cheaper and and easier to source out.....

That's exactly what I thought when I first saw it too. But then again I work in "Building supply" so things like that come to mind before other uses :)

Reef Pilot we're going to need pictures... for proof of course :)

Reef Pilot
12-30-2011, 06:41 PM
Yeah, I can do that, when I get them all mounted. This railing from HD is pretty well perfect. It is deep enough that I can even reuse the eye-bolts that come with the Radions. Will take a while to cut and drill them all, and then remove my old lighting, so will be a few days before they are in.

With this railing, not only will the Radions be easy to remove (just slide them in and out), but also I can adjust them fore and aft to get the exact lighting position I want.

Nano
12-30-2011, 07:19 PM
+1 to the electrical channeling, but also you can buy aluminum channels like that for sliding doors and closets, I dont know if its the same or not

Reef Pilot
01-02-2012, 10:31 PM
Well, I got the Radions mounted and working. Couldn't have worked out better, with the Home Depot part, easy to fabricate, and works like a charm. The lights are quick to pull in and out, for inspection or cleaning, and easy to adjust fore and aft on the railings to find your optimum lighting position. I couldn't be happier the way this turned out. Here are a few pics.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/medium/0051.JPGhttp://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/medium/010.JPGhttp://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/medium/008.JPGhttp://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/medium/0111.JPG

lastlight
01-02-2012, 10:42 PM
Fantastic idea! Hopefully the hot air can still escape at a sufficient rate out the tops.

Does the Ecotech software allow you to monitor temperatures of the units?

Reef Pilot
01-02-2012, 11:15 PM
The Radions vent out the sides, so no problem with air flow. They must have been thinking ahead when they designed that. And my canopy area has openings at the back, where I also have 3 exhaust fans running. It's a lot cooler in there now with the Radions than my old T5's.

And this entire mounting set up cost me only $7.68 (plus tax) from Home Depot!!

Reef Pilot
01-02-2012, 11:48 PM
Does the Ecotech software allow you to monitor temperatures of the units?

No, not that I could see. They do have indicator LEDs on the light fixtures themselves, which tell you if there is a temp problem or fan malfunction. Maybe it will come in a future release.

At this point, the config software is pretty limited (a bit flakey, too), and I had to do a lot of fiddling before I got the lights working the way I wanted to. I am using the Natural mode, which just became available with the last release (in Dec), and it doesn't always work right. But I'm sure they will get the bugs worked out...

I do really like the colour of the fish and corals with the new lights. I don't have much for fancy corals yet (mostly softies and LPS for now), as I am planning to completely redo this tank, once I get my new tank set up downstairs.