Home-made "flip-up" light brackets

[Keith P]

I bought an Oceanic Tech 70G (hope I don't sound like a broken record on the forums). Just ordered a Maristar light. The light does not come with any mounting/hanging hardware.

I want the light to be hight adjustable, not hang (meaning mounted to the top of the tank), and swing upward out of the way to do maintenance. I think I also want the light to stay horizontal when being flipped up (aining down, not into my eyes!).

Before I start designing a bracket, what material should I be using? aluminum, stainless, other?

I was thinking aluminum with black powdercoat...

 

[tosiek]

stay away from aluminum. when it corrodes its more powdery and its toxic to SW tanks, and even powdercoated its gonna get to the metal. Think its deadly to inverts. stainless is gonna cost you an arm and a leg and its a PITA to weld/cut without the proper tools. Galvanized steel is also a PITA to weld, but its covered in aluminum so your also screwed. cold or hot rolled steel, or acrylic or some type of plastic, but then your dealing with heat transfer issues.

 

[Keith P]

Hmm, that doesn't give me any choices...

Delrin brackets, bolted to the eurobracing?

 

[gnatp2]

I was trying to find the same thing as well. Gave up. good luck!

 

[tosiek]

hhmm.. where you get delrin? stuffs expensive and hard to get anywhere i look.

 

[Keith P]

I work at a MFG plant / Machine shop. I "find" things around the shop :shhh:
Maybe delrin for the mounts on the "hot side" and nylon on the rest?

Light fixtures are made of aluminum. There must be a way...

 

[Keith P]

Ok. I'm going forward with this project.

304 stainless or 316???

 

[Keith P]

I'm moving forward on this project.
I'm going to use a stainless lifter like this:

The hinge will automatically lift. Now I need to find a catch/latch to hold it down. I was looking at these. It's hard to see, but the knob and pin is spring loaded and the threads stay stationary:

It operates like this one (but this one is not available in stainless):

I need a better latch that has a chamfer, so as I pull down the light, it automatically catches... Still searching. Any input?

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I cant wait to se how this works out. Btw I think if you powdercoat alum. you will be ok. Powdercoat is tuff. think of all the auto applications its used for. JMHO

 

[joseney21]

you can put one of these on it, it would take some ingenuity to figure out how to attach it though

 

[boba1000]

What about anodizing the aluminum . I do not know if this gives any protection but can be a beautiful finish.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

can you powder coat aluminum???

 

[Keith P]

You can powder coat or anodize aluminum. Neither are bullet proof. I'd rather just do it from stainless.

I like the gate latch! I'm looking for a stainless one now. They seem to use gravity to lock them. So I'm looking for a spring loaded one or one that I could easily add a spring to.