How To Make a Cheap Ecotech DIY Radion Hanger
I was in need of a method of hanging two Radion LED lights over my frag tank. After a brief search online I decided that the cost of the Ecotech rail system was not only more expensive than what I was willing to pay, but also felt it might be on the heavy side.
I looked at a few tutorials but none of them looked as neat and light weight as I wanted.
It was time to think outside the box.
Having just completed the construction of a new DD Jumpguard for my main display tank, I was left with a few spare parts and decided to put these to good use!
What Do You Need For a DIY Hanging Kit?
- Ecotech Premium Hanging Kit – This is the most expensive part of the build but cannot be completed without it. It includes the hanging wires, ceiling mounts x 2, and wire restraints x 2.
- DD JumpGuard Brace Bar Set – Super cheap light weight aluminium box section made for use in marine.
- EasyFix M5 x 12mm Stainless Steel Button Head Socket Screws – I picked up a pack from Screwfix. They are just the right length the secure the brace bar to the Radion LED.
- A 4.5mm metal drill bit – the sharper the cleaner.
- A Junior Hacksaw
- Cableties
What Do I Do Next?
Bear in mind that the brace bars come in pre-cut lengths of 90.5cm. This means they would be suitable to accommodate up to a 4ft tank. For larger tanks, you could consider using M5 x 20mm bolts to pass through two brace bars into the Radion.
- Determine the length of your ‘hanging bars’ and mark the cutting point.
- Mark the points on the hanging bar through which you will need to drill – If you are hanging Radion XR15 LEDs the centre points are 12.8cm. In other words, the bolts will be 12.8cm apart. If you are hanging Radion XR30 LEDs the centre points are 25.3cm.
- Double check your measurements before cutting and drilling!
- When drilling, place masking tape over the point you are going to drill to prevent the drill bit from slipping. Place the bar on a piece of wood. The bar is extremely thin and a sharp bit will go through the top and bottom without any effort. Make sure you hold the bit at 90 degrees.
- Bolt the bar to the Radions.
- If you find that any of the drilled holes are slightly misaligned with the Radion holes, jiggle the drill around a bit to widen the hole. I did this on a couple and they are perfectly fine.
- Use cable ties to neaten the cables, and tuck the excess wire length into the box tubing (this goes around a few times).
- Attach the Ecotech hanging kit to your DIY rail.
How Do You Hang Your DIY Radion Hanger From The Ceiling?
It goes without saying that if your are attempting to hang lights above an existing tank, it would be a good idea to place a board over the tank to prevent the lights from falling in the water.
The most secure way of securing anything from a ceiling would be to determine where the joists are and use long wood screws to hang. However, if like me you are forced to hang your lights from the ceiling itself I would recommend using a product called GripIt Plasterboard Fixing (the yellow one).
The good news is that the cables are very long.
This lengths enables you to thread them through the included wire restraints while the light is placed on a surface at about counter height. Once both sides are threaded through you can adjust your DIY kit to your desired hanging height.
