RedSea Reef LED Housing Screws

[firefighterj80]

Hey R2R community. Anyone happen to know the thread/ length size of the housing screws for the LED 50/90? I know RS sells the kit but $14 + shipping seems absurd for four screws.

 

[tbrown]

If you have any of them you can take them down to an Ace or TruValue and match them up?

 

[firefighterj80]

I tried that but they are a very specific bolt. Just going to buy them from RS i think

 

[tbrown]

I tried that but they are a very specific bolt. Just going to buy them from RS i think

Sounds like a plan. I like checking Ace and TruValue for unique/hard to find nuts and bolts. Sometimes they're on the Zon as well.

 

[firefighterj80]

Problem buying online is there's no way to determine perfect match. RS does this on purpose I'm certain.

 

[UncommonSense]

Problem buying online is there's no way to determine perfect match. RS does this on purpose I'm certain.

I got a metric/imperial thread gauge many years ago for this exact issue…

It seem like even the highest end lighting manufacturers outsource their mounting equipment/etc design to generic hardware companies… more often than not, the fasteners are all carbon steel…

I typically try to replace all hardware I can with grade 316 stainless steel on any lights I end up working on!

I tried that but they are a very specific bolt.

It’s possible that your fasteners are so corroded that they won’t thread into the thread gauge at your local hardware store… alternatively, I’ve seen numerous hardware store thread gauges with every single threaded reference completely stripped out…

 

[firefighterj80]

I got a metric/imperial thread gauge many years ago for this exact issue…

It seem like even the highest end lighting manufacturers outsource their mounting equipment/etc design to generic hardware companies… more often than not, the fasteners are all carbon steel…

I typically try to replace all hardware I can with grade 316 stainless steel on any lights I end up working on!


It’s possible that your fasteners are so corroded that they won’t thread into the thread gauge at your local hardware store… alternatively, I’ve seen numerous hardware store thread gauges with every single threaded reference completely stripped out…

It's not just a matter of metric size. 1/3 of the bolt is threaded then a smooth shank. It doesn't look like any bolts I've seen at a hardware store. I pulled one(clean) out of my light and couldn't find a match locally.

 

[UncommonSense]

It's not just a matter of metric size. 1/3 of the bolt is threaded then a smooth shank. It doesn't look like any bolts I've seen at a hardware store. I pulled one(clean) out of my light and couldn't find a match locally.

It sounds a lot like a “shoulder bolt”!

If you know the shank diameter, thread pitch, shoulder diameter, and shoulder length, you can spec an identical replacement in 316SS online!

 

[firefighterj80]

Except it has a Philips head and minimal transition from threaded to smooth. Unfortunately RS is just going to have to be the place to buy them. But thank you for the suggestions

 

[commod0re]

Sounds like you’re just looking for a partial thread
you should be able to get partially threaded machine screws with any style and shape of head from a supplier like McMaster-Carr
No shame buying the exact ones from RS if they sell them though