Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions The Rattle Battle...

OK Axiomites, I need some creative thinking here. ( wise cracks invited)

Since I've got the EP500 I've had alot of Rattle in my room (NO its not in my head...). Anyways, I've managed to eliminate/minimize most of this except a buzz coming from my pot lights.

Now I have tightened all the nuts and screws on the pot itself and added felt between the finishing fixture and the pot itself so all I can think of that's left is the flood light itself. I seem to beable to stop the buzz if I place my fingure on the flood light so...

What I'm looking for is either something commercially available or a creative idea of using something that I can fit between the flood light itself and the pot light fixture, in order to dampen or stop the movement of the light. This obviously would have to offer some insulative property...

Are there any kind of spacers or fasteners available for this kind of application?


Any thought of what I could use in a more permanent way...?


Thanks for any ideas, Jag

You know, you really shouldn't be telling us about an illegal hobby...

Maybe bluetac? A rubber wedge? Dunno. Try throwing away the speaker covers!

In reply to:

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Try throwing away the speaker covers!

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Jag-
Sorry for the ignorance- What's a pot light?

As has been alluded to already, I know the definition I would have given in college, but I'm assuming it's a recessed ceiling light maybe?

Jag, although designed for a different purpose, this may help. Cut off what what you need and stuff inbetween the can and the bulb. I would also replace the felt you used, as it could be a fire hazard.

Shawn

Mark, this will help.

Have you tried removing the bulb to to see if it still buzzes? If the thing that's buzzing is something directly touching the bulb -- which I guess would be the socket -- then maybe you just don't have a tight fit in there.

I'd look for some electrical tape rated for high temperatures (such as 3M Polyimide tape) and wrap it once around the bulb threads -- not the entire thread area, but just the part closest to the glass. Then put the bulb back in as see it if still buzzes.

Thanks for all the good ideas folks, I'll check them out.

And kcarlile, what can I say? I'm from B.C. after all... And it aint so illegal here



Jag

Hehehe - MarkSJohnson, I didn't know either, although I had the same idea as to waht it was...

Apparently, this (and consequently, not this) is a pot light.

LOL, how else do you think I can afford my Axioms...

LOL

DSOTM in SACD Multi-channel would floor me under those circumstances. Of course, so would a plate of warm chocolate-chip cookies.

I miss those days.

Hey, if "altered" a bit more, would the colors coming out of Axioms be "bright" colors?

Bwah-ha-ha-ha!

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Really, I couldn't!

Jag,

I recently installed a few of these lights in my hallway. The bulb screws into the socket, which is mounted in the center of a round metal plate. That metal plate is held by an L shaped bracket with a wingnut holding the assembly to the side of the can. Behind the metal plate with the socket in it, there are the 2 wires that go from the socket up to where the wires enter the can. If you remove the bulb, them remove the wingnut, the plate with the socket in it will drop down. You can try turning the plate, thus twisting the wires, to remove some of the excess slack from the wires. Maybe they are vibrating on top of that plate, behind the bulb...

Look here or here for a pic of what I am talking about... You can clearly see the wires up there in the second link.

One other thing to check if you have "remodel" light fixtures (installed in a finished ceiling by cutting a round hole, and inserting the light from below) is that the clips holding it in place are tight. When the light is installed, the clips are usually pushed from inside of the can, and they extend outward on the outside of the can until they hit the back of the ceiling. You should be able to see 3 or 4 of them inside of the can. Lightly tap each one with your finger, and see if any of them rattle...

Haha - Don't we all?

Thank goodness for 7-Eleven...
My room mate in my dorm would "wake and bake" every day and still managed to graduate with honors. I have a degree in chemical engineering and haven't used it to this day. I'm an I.T. manager now. We would listen to the 80's stuff on some crappy Jensen speakers until one of the cones got destroyed. Now that I look back, the whole deal reminds me of the movie "real genius". Crazy times

Back to the topic
Have you checked the trim ring on light? I have a similar problem with my gas fireplace vibrating (I'm not sure if it can be corrected due to the heat)

Thanks Michael good suggestions. These aren't reno pot lights so no clips.

My pots are pretty much as you described. I have gone into the pot and checked out the wires and also made sure the wing nut is nice and tight. Also I have removed the light and also used my finger to touch it while the rattle occurs and both seem to stop the rattling sound so I'm pretty sure its the light vibrating in the fixture.

This is why I'm thinking of a way to "secure" the bulb in the fixture. I think the real problem is the design. Having the socket mounted on this L-bracket that is fixed to the side on the can allows for alot of movement when a heavy flood light is in place.

Thanks for the input, I'll keep trying some of these other ideas or at the worse just remove the bulbs when I doing serious listening.

Cheers, Jag

Hi tleigh, yes I have checked the trim ring. This was what I initially thought was the problem, and I do think it did contribute to the problem. However, after putting in some felt pads ( the kind one uses for furniture feet to protect hardwood floors ) between the ring and the can I still get significant rattling.

Thanks for the help, Jag

Aaahhh, now I understand why there are a few people who say Axioms are "bright"... They're all POT HEADS!

Cheers, Jag

The only pot I'm involved with anymore is the kind you stir, and I'm even backing off from those.

LOL

Ya, I hear you and the scrubbing.....TERRIBLE!



"What's that Hun? Dishes? Oh OoooKaaay, I'm coming..."

Jag

Jag,

Could you post a pic? Or is the link already posted by DJ the type of light u are using?.....

I have a couple of ideas, but a picture would help.

1st – there are a number of high heat resist rubber seals that can be purchased to seal the area around the steel connection of the light. (I used some I bought from a pet store to seal the lights above my salt water aquarium. Both were cheap and lasted for a couple of years.)

2nd – depending on the space you could add a wire spacer that is wrapped around the bulb and takes up the space between the bulb and the housing. They are used in industrial applications to keep the bulb from moving and/or breaking against the side of the housing.

Just my 2 cents…….take care.

Hi DelD, thanks for the help.

Here's the pics (courtesy of Home Depot ) of what I have.


POT LIGHT

TRIM




This wire spacer sounds exactly like what I need.

Can you tell me do they have a specific name?

Where would you think I should look for them?

Much appreciated, Jag

Jag,

Well I would have thought you could buy these at a local hardware store, but I have searched the internet under every name I could think of and cant find anything that resembles the insulators I have seen before. They are usually square with the center of each side of the square coated in a plastic or rubber. You remove the bulb from the housing, insert the male end of the bulb into the square and reinsert into the housing. Sorry I cant not be any more help on this at the moment :-(

Also I thought of something else that might be easier to obtain. When you purchase outdoor floodlights there is usually a piece of fire resistant cloth or something similar wrapped around the male end of the bulb. (Looks like a thin disc that the bulb has been inserted into) This piece of material keeps moisture from getting near the metal socket. It may also keep the bulb from vibrating.

Again, sorry I cant find the other item, I will look more after work tomorrow.