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[Shaun Crawford]

ok, done enough searching for information on this... so now i give you guys some background info and ask a question

i am taking over a contract at a local bar. currently (and yes i know this is all wrong, which is why this post is here, because i refuse to be liable for any consequences of this)... at the back of the stage there are 8 par64s and 6 scanners hanging on a 3/4" black iron pipe, which is zip tied (yes... zip ties) with heavy duty zip ties to the bar ceiling trusses.

same thing in front of the stage, over the area the crowd dances in...

now, what i need to do is properly hang a pipe or truss of some sort (as close to the drop ceiling as possible) to handle the pars and scanners.

so normally i would use proper truss hangers, grade 8 hanging chain and safety cables on everything and proper clamps on the proper truss. but what would be nice is a proper single pipe going across the ceiling that could do this.

any ideas what products available to do this? the ceiling is not that high, so getting the lights as close to the drop ceiling as possible is what needs to be done (without removing the tiles, since right now there is a major heat loss).

[Tony "T" Tissot]

What is the roof structure like?

I've hung chain through the drop ceiling before - all the way up to points on the steel ceiling truss/beams. 1 1/2 inch pipe for the batten.

We used those plastic "desk grommets" to dress it.

[Shaun Crawford]

i guess my main question would be, whether it would be ok to use 1.5" or 2" piping that would normally be used as water or gas lines?

then if i use 2", i could go ahead with the standard hanging hardware for hanging trussing again.

[Rob Timmerman]

While I'm ordinarily not a fan of the stuff, if you've got low ceilings, light loads, and a permanent install, Unistrut or similar might be your best bet.  It's used all the time suspended by threaded rod for hanging pipes in commercial applications.  Otherwise, 1.5" nominal schedule 40 black iron pipe is pretty much an industry standard for the entertainment business.

[Kent Clasen]

Shaun Crawford wrote on Fri, 30 November 2007 23:07

any ideas what products available to do this? the ceiling is not that high, so getting the lights as close to the drop ceiling as possible is what needs to be done (without removing the tiles, since right now there is a major heat loss).

Shawn,

The schedule 40 pipe would be fine.

Another option is to use the Skyhook from Leviton:

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?a=b& item=68404

I have not actually used this, but it may be worth looking into it.  

[Shaun Crawford]

Tony / Rob / Kent

Thanks guys, that cleared everything up. Now I just have to get some cash and start ordering some stuff.

Thanks,
Shaun

[Tim McCulloch]

Kent Clasen wrote on Sat, 01 December 2007 07:51

Shaun Crawford wrote on Fri, 30 November 2007 23:07 any ideas what products available to do this? the ceiling is not that high, so getting the lights as close to the drop ceiling as possible is what needs to be done (without removing the tiles, since right now there is a major heat loss). Shawn, The schedule 40 pipe would be fine. Another option is to use the Skyhook from Leviton:  http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?a=b& item=68404 I have not actually used this, but it may be worth looking into it.

Hi Kent-

The Hyatt Regency's in-house AV has those.  The Hyatt had to install recepticals in their ballroom ceilings for these things.  They have to be structually supported as well as provided 120/240 20amp service.  They interface via the ballroom lighting controllers (dmx, amx, crestron? I don't know).  Now clients and housemen can screw up cues just like the pros!

This is probably overpriced for a bar install, as a guess...

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc

[Duane Massey]

In low ceilings unistrut hung by 3/8" rod is a great solution, and doesn't have the "sway" factor of chains or cables. You also don't have the extra space taken up by clamps (unless you use the "O" clamps).