# Square recessed lighting



## Jer (Nov 13, 2008)

Hey guys,

Was going to put eyeball can lights in my kitchen and come to find out the 2x4 rafter depth isnt enough for anything but the mini lights. Would square recessed lights be any good in this application or would they not give enough for task lighting? I have seen them in Halo, Capri and Progress brand. Any preferences for quality?
Thanks in advance for any input.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Never seen one that will fit a 3½" space.


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## Jer (Nov 13, 2008)

Hi Sparky, I should have mentioned that I have furred the rafter bottoms down to meet flush with the dining room ceiling so there is actually 4.25" now rather than 3.5.
Progress specs there box height to be 4.25 so it theoreticaly would fit.
It is however non IC rated and not available in IC rated so I am waiting for their tech support to call me back and let me know if the top of the box can be in contact with the wood slat roof sheathing.
If not, do you know of any other options in a recessed lighting?
Thanks


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

The squattest square one on Progress' website is 9½" tall. The shallowest I can find anything is 4¾.... a fluorescent fiber optic unit that I'm sure ain't cheap.


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## txgencon (Jan 4, 2011)

You're either talking about trusses (with a 2x4 bottom chord) or a very narrow (and probably old construction) room. Surely there isn't a floor above. What is above the area where you are considering the installation of recessed can lights? Or are you saying that there is a roof directly over the area?


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## Jer (Nov 13, 2008)

No floor above, believe it or not this is the actual roof framed with 2x4 and yes very old construction. Original area of home built in 1904 but kitchen area that I'm working on was added on later.


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## alyna (Mar 29, 2011)

Recessed lighting is fine for general bathroom lighting or shower enclosures, but make sure you have a different light source for both vanity and full-length mirrors...


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## Minimalist (Feb 6, 2011)

Contrast makes a recessed light that will fit into a 3 1/2 drop, both in 'new work' and 'remodeling' housings, and they have square trim kits. The flange could be better but for a tight space you can't beat it for MR16 light. Only trade off is they are amp pigs, drawing like 4.2 amps per.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Instead of furring them down you might better had nailed 2X6's or even 2X8's to the side of them for more support, more insulation and this would have given the more room for lighting. Granted for the extra support you would have to pad out your walls to catch the new rafter tails.


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## Jer (Nov 13, 2008)

woodchuck2 said:


> Instead of furring them down you might better had nailed 2X6's or even 2X8's to the side of them for more support, more insulation and this would have given the more room for lighting. Granted for the extra support you would have to pad out your walls to catch the new rafter tails.



Good mornin Woodchuck,

I considered doing that but the kitchen framed with 2x4 transitions to a large dining room framed with the old full two X six inch rafters. Furring kitchen 2x4 3/4 in. brought bottom of framing flush with that (doesnt add up I know) and I didnt want to turn this into that big a project so I re-enforced the kitchen ceiling with new 2X4 along side each rafter and three rows of cross bracing (ten foot ceiling span).
The roofing is the rubber membrane stuff and faces southwest so even in my climate zone it doesnt hold snow for long at all.
So any thoughts on 150 watt Progress brand ten inch square recessed for task lighting a kitchen? I planned on using six of them in a 10x 16 area.


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## lightguy (Jun 11, 2009)

You could use this twicebright.com/12v/CL1220TIF.asp

It's 2 1/2" from the finished side of the ceiling. ICAT and if you use an IR lamp you're getting decent light output.


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