replacing a ceiling decorative light with a pendant

[--tom]

When the in-situ ceiling light was dropped it was seen that the "hanging/fixing bar" was only screwed into the plaster, no joist available.
The new pendant is heavy, theres no access from above and no hacking about can be done from below.
Are expanding hanging bars available - i've seen them in the usa
The other difficulty is the instructions for the new pendant are utter rubbish and after half an hours contemplation no way of connecting the light to the supplied bar can be discovered.
Any suggestions?

 

[--tom]

I forgot to mention that the new pendant was a chandelier, hence the weight. The instructions show a very dim pic of a fitted chandelier and the text seems to have been written in invisible ink, it's mostly concerned with general electrical principles.

 

[scarypants]

If this fitting is heavy it needs to have suitable support.
What's its approx weight and what make of fitting is it?
I'd suggest that if weight was extreme, placing a noggin in the ceiling void but you said this can not be done. Normal raw plugs and wall anchors may not be enough!

 

[TicklyT]

Thinking this out as I go along, so bear with me.....

Cut a piece of battern about 10" or so long that you can feed into the ceiling void from below. pre-drill pilot screw holes for ceiling rose, and trial fit screws to start the threads. Tie a piece of string round the middle of the battern and feed it into ceiling. Pull string tight to centre it, and hold it in place whilst you fit the screws holding the rose to battern.

Similar , but a bit stronger - Make up an 'H' shape from three batterns about 10" or so long, using just one screw at each end of the crossbar as hinges / pivots.
Fold it flat and feed into ceiling in line with joists, then turn it so it opens out as the ends touch the joists.
Fit rose using long wood screws as above.

The load would still be carried by the plasterboard, but spread over a larger area than with most fixings.

 

[ColJack]

why no access from above?
why no hacking about from below? ornate plastered ceiling?

 

[--tom]

Thanks for your replies, good stuff.
A1. the fitting was bought from a "pound-shop" for lights! I forgot to take the name but its some weird chinese arrangement.I'll enquire.
A2. tried slipping in a "noggin" from below but the cables interfered - there is no back box or plastic connectors, merely tape wraps and i'm scared of opening a rats nest.
A.3 The other difficulty is, as i mentioned, it's impossible from the "instructions" to determine how to even hang the thing - if i pre-fit the bar i cannot get the rose to screw on, and if i pre-fit the bar to the rose i can't get the bar fixed on!

 

[--tom]

Ok:the fitting is from Wilkinsons store in Nottingham. It's either a Wilco beaded pendant shade 3, or a wilco beatrice beaded pendant.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The fixing bar does it have two holes to screw up into ceiling and a couple of flanges that have thread holes to connect the fitting too.
I can't see how you can fix bar to ceiling but then not lamp
but can fit lamp to bar proir to ceiling?

 

[ColJack]

a photo of the fitting would help us to figure out how it's mounted..
if we can't see the problem we can't very well fix it can we?

 

[--tom]

I cant do photos, but i understand your difficulty. sorry about that.
PBD, you'r right i'm wrong about pre-fitting. on second attempt i cant properly pre-fit the lamp to the bar.
Another difficulty is that the "main" lamp fitting point is threaded female to, presumably, screw on to a hollow male stud on the bar. This would involve stripping the lamp entirely and threading the cable( n & E) thro the stud on the bar.and re-assembling.
I've persisted so far out of interest, but i think the whole thing is going back.interesting that the same lights in the store display are fixed in an entirely different manner!

 

[ColJack]

no digital camera or mobile with camera in this day and age?
no webcam either?

do us a sketch of the parts you have then..

 

[VanSolo]

do us a sketch of the parts you have then..

View media item 13072

 

[mattylad]

make a hole big enouigh to get noggins up there & fit a plaster ceiling rose to cover the hole

 

[--tom]

Thanks lads for the replies, but the thing is winging back to "Wilco's" _ i'm a bit digitally challenged, typically, i use the big red Viagras for life's problems. Dont think it will work in this case, actually, come to think of it now that i am thinking about it, i might just sign off and nip in the kitchen with a proposition "listen, if i put those shelves up, and do the lawn would there be any chance of a ......."
Thanks again