Help! 8020 Light Mount for Peninsula w/ 4x Reefbreeders 24"

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Hi all,

We need some help figuring out a floating light stand using 8020 for our NUVO 200 INT peninsula tank.

We are using 24" ReefBreeders that weight 12.5lbs each and are mounted in the following configuration:

IMG_20210117_164041_01.jpg




Here are the dimensions of the tank:

  • Tank: 70.9"L x 30"W x 21.7"D
  • Stand: 70.9”L x 30”W x 35.4”D

PXL_20210111_173043223.jpg


Ideally we will be hanging the lights around 11" above the tank.

Nice to haves:
  • Ability to have lights swing up or down if we need to adjust spread or work in the tank
What parts do we need to support those lights without the bar flexing?

Thanks!
 
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You need one heck of a mount. That is on heck of a cantilever. Is there any way you could suspend the end from the ceiling?

Would like to avoid it.

I just ran the numbers and it seems like if I run the following:

  • Wall - 70"H 1020
  • Above Tank: 68"W 2020

Assuming a 50 lb load evenly distributed, we end up with .4" deflection, which doesn't seem bad? I am probably doing the math wrong!
 

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Would like to avoid it.

I just ran the numbers and it seems like if I run the following:

  • Wall - 70"H 1020
  • Above Tank: 68"W 2020

Assuming a 50 lb load evenly distributed, we end up with .4" deflection, which doesn't seem bad? I am probably doing the math wrong!

Half an inch is quite a bit, plus it will wobble about. You can always double-up the double-high extrusions as the beam (and might have to for the loading at the junction).
 

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Here's a few things to think about along the way.
GnNPCNn.jpg

(Development and test process)
n0tQnRp.jpg

(Mounting the starters for Kessils...three A350WE and three A360WE, then just Six A360WE...and providing for an Apex EB832, then swapped for an EB8)
ARAmFsi.jpg

(Installed the second set of linear actuators to prevent any torqueing of the light frame)
Eq8L70X.jpg

(Using a couple of wall studs on the left for stablization and anti-torque of the support frame along with ceiling joist for additional cantilever support)
f5PgKKO.jpg

(Additional detail of wall support - used lag bolts to secure modified 2X6 to the wall, then secured cantilever to the 2X6. Please note, **this cannot support the cantilever by itself**, only stabilize it. the cantilever weight is distributed across the ceiling joists)

This "aggravated" cantilever in my instantiation supports around 150lbs of combined light frame, lights, power supplies & cables. The weight is evenly distribute across four linear actuators capable of 200lbs each, lift and stationary. The support cantilever is an additional approximate 40lbs (I like aluminum), with the entire weight let's say around 200-250lbs total (frame, cantilever, all the components) supported across 4 ceiling joists and stabilized by two wall studs.

You can easily modify this approach to use a single linear actuator and a series of pulleys for four lift points on the light frame (I'll let you work that out, but it can be done) if need be. Lots of ways to do this, just measure a half-dozen times before you cut, ensure things are well supported, and test if at all possible before deploying over water.

If you need any more detail shots, parts pictures, etc., just let me know.

*This is not a "cheap way" of doing a lift, but in my case it was very necessary so I could access all the way around my reef. I imagine it might come in handy for a peninsula build as well.

Cheers,
Ray:cool:
 

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Ran some numbers. It’s actually equivalent to a 61# distributed load. The problem is, without a support over the tank, you need to resist 160ft-lbs of torque at a minimum. That’s more than enough load to pry bolts out of studs. Doable, just needs designing.

How were you going to mount this? To the wall? To the stand? Mounting will have a big impact on the design.
 
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Knyx

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Check out Reefdudes on YT he did what you are trying to do.
 
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To clarify, would a vertical running between the wall and the end of the tank be allowed? If so this becomes much more doable.

Yep! Was planning to do a vertical beam bolted into the wall's stud with the above tank floating beam bolted to that vertical beam via a gusset and a bracket on either end.
 
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Second question: One beam or a pair?

Prefer 1 beam.

I was thinking maybe 1515 on the vertical wall mounted beam. Then run 1530 on the above tank beam, doubled up with that 30 portion facing downward on the vertical beam to reduce deflection.

Also, the tank stand from IM has tracks on it, but only on the inside, so it would be possible to maybe run a beam out perpendicular from that if we could figure out the track size and a way to mount on it. Not sure if the stud is more structurally strong or if a perpendicular mount from the stand is.

Here's a photo the track is only on that piece facing directly up:

PXL_20210119_170812432.jpg
 

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Ran some numbers. It’s actually equivalent to a 61# distributed load. The problem is, without a support over the tank, you need to resist 160ft-lbs of torque at a minimum. That’s more than enough load to pry bolts out of studs. Doable, just needs designing.

How were you going to mount this? To the wall? To the stand? Mounting will have a big impact on the design.

Yeah, thats my concern. Maybe add a backing layer of 8020 to the wall to act as the load point...
Prefer 1 beam.

I was thinking maybe 1515 on the vertical wall mounted beam. Then run 1530 on the above tank beam, doubled up with that 30 portion facing downward on the vertical beam to reduce deflection.

Also, the tank stand from IM has tracks on it, but only on the inside, so it would be possible to maybe run a beam out perpendicular from that if we could figure out the track size and a way to mount on it. Not sure if the stud is more structurally strong or if a perpendicular mount from the stand is.

Here's a photo the track is only on that piece facing directly up:

PXL_20210119_170812432.jpg

An extrusion to extrusion joint is preferred to a point load wood-extrusion joint.

I assume a vertical or 30/45 degree wire rope is out of the question? It would basically remove all issues of deflection and risk.

Also the torque guides here are good: http://fandl8020.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/EBN-Spring15.pdf - end anchoring into another extrusion which is then attached to the wall beam at a few points gets rid of any of the major concerns. The fasteners into the extrusion, when torqued down, are immensely strong against all sorts of loads.

The biggest risk here is honestly not the steady state of the beam, but what happens when you inevitably bump into the beam, lean on it, have a kid pull it, etc. The extra loading for say a surprise 20+ lbs on the end of the beam would be my safety margin to design for, since stuff happens.
 

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Beam.png

Deflection with the load. Why? Because I was bored at work this afternoon :) So that's about 3/8" of sag for a single beam as long as you can keep the upright well supported.

I do recommend a 1530 for both the vertical and horizontal, mainly for the angle plates you can get that will tie those together. Like this, it will quite stiff.

However, there is nothing preventing this from twisting side to side which concerns me. If you did two of these that were bolted together they would be much better able to handle side loads. Something to consider.
 
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Beam.png

Deflection with the load. Why? Because I was bored at work this afternoon :) So that's about 3/8" of sag for a single beam as long as you can keep the upright well supported.

I do recommend a 1530 for both the vertical and horizontal, mainly for the angle plates you can get that will tie those together. Like this, it will quite stiff.

However, there is nothing preventing this from twisting side to side which concerns me. If you did two of these that were bolted together they would be much better able to handle side loads. Something to consider.

If we hang one from the ceiling the wife just wants to hang the whole thing.

Should we just build an 80/20 rack for the four lights and hang them from the ceiling?
 
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Actually - what if we did two Ls coming off the wall mounted to two different studs then connected them at their individual ends - that could look pretty cool?

Something like this:

20210119_235313.jpg


Use 1515 for the cross joists and recess the lights up into the canopy slightly since they are only 1" deep

Two questions:

  1. Would this work?
  2. How would we make it so we could raise / lower this?
 
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Raise lower is hard, since manually doing it is lifting a ton of weight for the whole beam + arm. I'd probably focus putting the lights on slides on the extrusions, since that sounds like way less of a hassle to me. There are a few 8i020 attachments which are designed as slides for the inner channels
 
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Raise lower is hard, since manually doing it is lifting a ton of weight for the whole beam + arm. I'd probably focus putting the lights on slides on the extrusions, since that sounds like way less of a hassle to me. There are a few 8i020 attachments which are designed as slides for the inner channels

Neat! Can you drop a link so I don't screw parts up?
 

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