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Weird Recessed Lighting Problem, hoping someone can help...

post #1 of 6
4/27/07 at 4:37am
Thread Starter 
The drywall work on my theater room has been completed. I've painted the walls and ceiling. Around the ceiling I have 5 small, 3" can lights for poster lighting. These can lights have a piece that contains the light bulb on a swivel that is supposed to just snap into the can housing (hope that makes sense). Anyways, last night was the night to snap in these pieces to finish off the lights. Well, it seems that the can housing isn't far enough down to where it's level to the drywall ceiling. I'm unable to snap the swivel piece up into the can. It's pretty frustrating. I've tried to pull down the can using a piece of fishing line while still trying to snap the piece in place, but it doesn't seem to work. I'm at my wits end and having nightmares of having to break up the drywall around each light and redo the can mounting.

I know this is an odd problem, but I'm just wondering if anyone has had this issue out there. It's a shot in the dark, but I'd though I'd at least try.
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post #2 of 6
4/27/07 at 5:23am
without knowing the design of your lights I suspect that they were never installed correctly or that the thickness of drywall exceeds the intended design. If you could post a picture it might help us suggest a solution.

In some case the can may me caught up on the drywall a bit and if you make the hole just a little bit bigger the can can be pulled into the proper position.

You might have mounted the cans Too high to start with and they will never come down low enough for the trim to properly engage. In that case you will have to figure out a work around that allow you to stick the trim to the drywall opening.

I suspect that there is a work around and you can avoid breaking up the ceiling.

Either post a picture or a link to the particular fixture so we can see it's design.
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post #3 of 6
4/27/07 at 6:01am
Part # and brand would help with research. Worse case scenario, you could take out the cans and install retrofit cans that are a slightly larger size. 4-5" cans are still relatively small. It'd be a lot of work, but cutting out the existing cans without breaking up the ceiling is possible.
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post #4 of 6
4/27/07 at 6:32am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the responses. I'll take a pic tonight and post it. The cans are secured to the floor joists in the ceiling with brackets. It would be hard to rip them out of there. I was thinking of possibly adding springs to the inner part of the cans and securing the other end of the springs to the light part. That way the snap in part could be held in by the tension. I have other recessed lights that use this method. Thanks again.
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post #5 of 6
4/27/07 at 6:43am
If you end up needing to take them out, I'm sure a dremel or similar rotary tool could cut the can apart. Just be careful not to hurt yourself.
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post #6 of 6
4/27/07 at 7:59am
With my stage lights they were already in place, I actually had a "stage", raised section to my bedroom which is the room I turned into the theater.
they cans there were old and my husband replaced them with new ones. to do so he did not have to disturn the drywall ceiling at all, he removed the innard of the can and that gave access to the screws holding the cans in. he was able to completely remove them and replace with new ones. Yours should be able to be removed and replaced. if a can light fails you should not have to rip down the ceiling to replace it.
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