Is 6" recessed light actually 6"?

[MiamiCuse]

I am going to replace some of my existing recessed lights, and when I took one off and measured the knock out hole, it is exactly 7" in diameter. I thought that means I have a 7" housing but when I visited various web sites and looked at their 6" lights, most of them have a diameter larger than 6", may be 6.25", or 6.5"...is there anyway to ensure that the housing will fit? I don't want to have to enlarge the hole because those are all T4 plywood soffit.

If a 6" housing can measure different diameters, I guess it follows that trims and housings of the same size may not match up?

MC

[RBM]

You need to find what manufacturer made the fixtures. Everyone uses different measurements and socket arrangements etc. Something should be printed inside the trim or housing, or take a picture of the thing and post it

[MiamiCuse]

I checked and there is no mark inside the housing, it's pretty corroded and it's 35 years old.

[John Grabowski]

Try taking the sample to some electric supply companies or lighting showrooms to match it up. In the Halo catalog the actual dimensions of the housing are published. If you can, take a picture of the inside and outside of the fixture and post it.

[HeyBub]

I bought a salami at Sam's this week. It was labeled "Yard of Beef" but was only 18" long.

When I asked about this discrepancy at the check-out counter, the clerk said: "It's a short three feet."

Didn't that line come from the movie "The Night They Invented Burlesque?"

[Mark]

Are you replacing the light itself, or just the trim ring? If its the light, you may need to check the manufacture web sites for technical specs and see what they say the rough opening is suppose to be.

[MiamiCuse]

OK I exam AT Lite Lighting Equipment E-15522 Underwriters Laboratory, Inc.

I went to

and there is such a company but they don't seem to sell lights.

I have about 34 of these under my soffit eaves that need to be replaced.

Thanks,

MC

[RBM]

Atlite is the company that invented the "hi hat". They're from Long Island, NY and have been bought by Cooper, I believe. They're really old stuff is not compatible with any other brand, however newer models were functionally identical to Lightolier 1000 and 1100 series recessed fixtures. If you can pull a trim and post a picture we could give more info

[RBM]

Here is their online catalog: It appears that these days their selling mostly commercial lighting and Halo brand,(another Cooper brand) clones. If you scroll down past the exit and emergency lighting you'll find some older and original Atlite stuff. Listed under specialty, they list a couple of hi hats:

>

[John Grabowski]

I had a customer last year with a problem with two of her low voltage Atlite recessed lights. They were identical to the Halo H99 low voltage. It was a lot easier to order parts for Halo then it was for Atlite even though they are both owned by Cooper. One thing I found out is that the Atlite models are cheaper than the Halo's.

[RBM]

That's the same deal with their A149 , which is identical to Lightolier

1105. Twenty years ago the Lightolier trim cost about $25 and the Atlite $10 >

[MiamiCuse]

>>

Wow RBM you are the man, I see the light now, literally.

I have like 40 of these cans on the outside that needs replacement or repair, I will check their catalog and see what they have. I did not know they invented recessed lights. I believe these lights were installed in

1972, so they lasted 35 years is not bad.

MC