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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 58
Y
yanici Offline OP
Member
It is my practice to surface fasten light fixtures (i.e. flouescent strips) in ceilings using steel drop in anchors. The reasoning being that in a fire the anchors will hold up and the fixtures will not fall on the firefighters.

I was curious if lead anchors or plastic anchors (in a light weight light) can be used or if there is some code on this.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
I see a lot of TapCon screws in this sort of work.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 58
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yanici Offline OP
Member
Yeah. Tapcons are nice. Some guys shoot a 1/4 x 20 stud too. I never seem to have the gun with me though.

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 58
Y
yanici Offline OP
Member
I'm still curious if there is some code on this, maybe even building code.

Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 482
Z
Member
Another vote for TapCons here, with the addition of a washer - a fender washer if there's enough room.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
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G
Member
TapCons are becoming the defacto standard for concrete/block fastening around here until you get up to "red head" sizes.
They even use TapCons for fastening "hurricane clips".


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
We used to use lead anchors, than we stopped and changed to steel anchors.

We where told it was a code violation to use lead anchors for vertical supports.

I have no idea if it is actually true.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
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I have found the lighter anchors, of any type, to be inadequate to reliably supporting a light... even a small one!

Tapcons are good, and are the only fastener to use if there is a sheet of steel over the concrete.

Drop ins, or their relativem the "mushroom" stud, are another good choice. The studs seem to help you line things up.

For drywall ceilings, toggles are the only way to go.

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
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e57 Offline
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Lead has a relitively low melting point, it may be on of the first things to fail in a fire. In dropped cielings I just get the cieling installer to shoot my support wires to the lid. Regular cieling, if I had not already cast in the light or support into the pour, Tap con, and if it's heavy, a lttle epoxy too. If its really heavy I break out the Hilti catolog for the under-cut anchors, and some epoxy... http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/modules/prcat/prca_navigation.jsp?OID=-11561


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 806
N
Member
I like a sleeve anchor called a "PowerBolt":
http://www.powers.com/product_06914.html


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