Lowered ceiling

All,

Just looking for general thoughts at the moment on the following:

Im planning at making some improvements to my home cinema room. The plan is to created a new lowered ceiling below the current ceiling. This will be around 10 - 15 cm lower. What I want to do is leave a gap around the edge of the new ceiling to form a sort or recess, probably around 10 cm. Mounted on the top around the new ceiling I plan to put some form of dimmable lighting. Other lighting will be provided by dimmable spot lights.

Any thoughts on the following:

- Material to use for the lowered section. Plasterboard? Wood?

- What sort of lighting to use for the edge light, neon, fl. tubes.

- Presumably the way to mount it is via wooden battons screwed into the existing joists.

- The area will be ventilated as it wont be sealed in at the sides. Am I allowing enough room above my spot lights or will they get to hot. Thanks in advance,

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton
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Dimmable fluorescents - you'll need special rather pricey electronic ballasts, but the results are great. No (or little) change in the colour temperature of the light - unlike tungsten - so ideal viewing conditions.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

conditions.

Cheers, just done a quick google and didnt turn up any results. Any ideas on a supplier?

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

Mine are Osram. You'll almost certainly need to order them from a specialist. Where are you?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Just do a google on Quicktronic .

DG

Reply to
Derek *

conditions.

works great. If you need to cut cost, just put one big standard fl light in the middle, and by the time the light reaches the edges it'll be all evenly and softly illuminated. When doing this, ensure your old ceiling's painted white.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

conditions.

works great. If you need to cut cost, just put one big standard fl light in the middle, and by the time the light reaches the edges it'll be all evenly and softly illuminated. When doing this, ensure your old ceiling's painted white.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

conditions.

works great. If you need to cut cost, just put one big standard fl light in the middle, and by the time the light reaches the edges it'll be all evenly and softly illuminated. When doing this, ensure your old ceiling's painted white.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

I'm doing a similar thing. I made a wood stretcher and put cup hooks in it and the ceiling. The thing is suspended by lengths of chain (angled slightly inwards). This makes it easy to level and adjust the height and also means I can simply unhook it for access. The idea is to stretch a canvas across which will act like a giant lightshade. If it was painted with emulsion I think it would be opaque and I'd get the edge illumination effect (which was the original idea). I haven't stretched the canvas and flameproofed the whole thing yet and there is the possibility that it will twist (especially when the canvas gets wet) but that is really down to the stretcher construction and not pulling the canvas too tight. (Water-based fire retardant available from Brodie and Middleton in Drury Lane btw). hth

Reply to
choco

Staffordshire.

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

Ok, had a look at various web sites but its still not totally clear what I need to do. What I propose is as follows ...

- Set up my new ceiling joists in required configuration.

- A fix fluorescent tubes in required positions.

- Wire some how to an Osram Quicktronic ECG

- Wire said ECG to my light switch (well exsiting ceiling rose).

As far as the ECG is concerned ...

- How is the dimming actuated - standard dimmer switch (which I have already installed)?

- Presume its possible to connect a number of tubes to one of these ECG's. Any wiring diagrams or descriptions of how to do this available?

- As far as starting the tubes is concerned, the dimmer switch has the ability to switch on in a dimmed state - will this cause any problems as I gather the tubes require a certain voltage to start which if I am correct is created by the ballast.

Thanks in advance,

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

No. The dimming facility is part of the ballast, in my case. It is possible to dim 'special' 50Hz fluorescent ballasts using a special dimmer, but this is an old hat way of doing it. Much easier to use modern high frequency ones which also give a better range from min to max.

The dimmer control for mine is simply a pot which carries a safe low voltage so is easy to situate wherever required. Several fittings may also be ganged to the same pot. I've actually used a motorised ALPs one which can also be operated by a remote - same idea as a Hi-Fi one where the volume control turns.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I presume then that the dimming control is not inline with the mains and that the system is wired directly to the mains and then the dimmer control is on a seperate circuit?

Im not sure I could implement that as it would involve major redirecting of cables etc. I need some sort of inline solution that could work with the existing dimming switch I think.

Other than that I would have to replace the dimmer with a normal switch and put the dimming control elsewhere. How easy is it to make the dimming remote control?

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

Yes. The dimmer control is wired direct to the ballasts, and doesn't involve mains

Then you're restricted to tungsten.

I bought a kit. Actually for audio, but fine for any sort of motorised pot.

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easy to make if you're used to that sort of thing - no more difficult than kits from Maplin.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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I have also seen those rope lights that you can get. Not sure how bright they are but the whole thing is only really for effect anyway. Main lighting will be by dimmable halogen spots.

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

Lighting which changes colour temperature when dimmed - like tungsten - really isn't a good idea in a TV viewing room for best results. Background lighting should be the same colour temperature as the TV itself. Otherwise, the eye tends to adapt to the overall 'colour' of the room. This may not matter to you, of course. But you'd be better off arranging the switching so you leave a few low wattage spots on full as background lighting.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Background

arranging

background

Thanks for the info.

Perhaps quicktronic is the way forward. Just to clarify that Quicktronic is essentially the balasts and they can be used with any tubes. I imagine that its not possible to control and on/off function on the dimmer is it? If so that could be perfect providing that I could put the dimmer into a matching dimming switch to go into the wall.

CM.

Reply to
Charles Middleton

I'm sure there are other makers. But any ballast will be suitable for any tube of the correct type - and most types are available in a range of colour temperatures from a decent supplier.

If using the remote ALPs type pot? Dunno if you get these with switches - I doubt it.

If using an ordinary pot, these can certainly be bought with a switch - same as most normal dimmers. Or you could use a grid switch arrangement and use a normal switch with a blank plate next to it drilled to accept the pot.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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