Category Archives: Tech Lighting

New Lighting Fixture Collections by Tech Lighting

Posted on October 29, 2007 by colby
Tech Lighting has been one of the creative leaders in low voltage bendable track systems and high end contemporary lighting for more than 20 years.  Tech Lighting began by manufacturing Kable Lite a low voltage cable lighting system.  Kable Lite was the beginning of low voltage lighting.

Since then, Tech lighting has added six new types of lighting systems.  They are known most for the Monorail, a low voltage bendable track system.  The Monorail lighting system allows you to shape your idea to any custom space matching and complimenting existing architecture.  Once the Monorail lighting system is in place hand blown Murano pendants or architectural lighting heads can be added.  This system is known across the world for it’s flexibility in design and handsome beauty.

Here are Some of the New Lighting Collections from Tech Lighting

“In this industry it’s all about being innovative and breaking new ground with bold, exciting new designs and products,” said Steve Harriott, Vice President Sales and Marketing for Tech Lighting.  “This company has a reputation as a trendsetter in the lighting industry, and these new products feature all the hallmarks that have made Tech Lighting products popular with designers and homeowners alike such as ingenious design and quality craftsmanship.”

New Lighting Pendant Designs Include

Cabo Pendant – Onyx cylinder which provides a warm textured look

mini larkspur pendant Mini Larkspur Pendant – Cone-shaped slumped glass shade, rich with color and pattern

New Wall Lighting Collection Designs Include

cabo wall sconceCabo Wall Sconce – Onyx cylinder with die cast base

aviza wall sconceAviza Wall Sconce – Richly layered glass mounts flush to the wall with minimal hardware.

New Flush Mount Ceiling Lighting Fixtures Include

boxie flush mount lightBoxie Ceiling Light – Elegant square glass shade with polished surfaces, mounts to a die-cast base

Polly Ceiling Light – Minimalist flush mount design featuring a frost white shade supported by plated clips
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Casablanca, Tech Lighting & Leucos Install

Posted on March 29, 2007 by colby

We have a new lighting design and install to share with you.  This install was the whole 11th floor of a condo right on the beach in Ormond Beach, Florida.  It was very hard to focus while looking at the surf for many afternoons.  Our customers renovated this floor and we were the last sub contractor to arrive at the job.

We came in as the second lighting designer, they were not happy with the first one.  This is how it began.

Lighting the Living Area Using a far away Electrical Box

This has proven to be one of our remodel specialties.  We have a lot of customers that purchase an older condo that has very limited electrical boxes in the ceiling.  Tech Lighting low voltage Monorail track systems tend to be the best solution for this problem.

This is the only electric box in the living area old lightingYes this existing fixture was hot.

We removed this fixture and deposited it directly into the trash shoot, I dont think they will miss it.  Then we mounted a 300watt transformer on the electric box and ran 22 feet of low voltage monorail track in a question mark design.  (this was the first design)new lighting This design helped us bring light to all areas of the living area.  On either side of the couch we used the upside down table lamp design, this is done by suspending a mini pendant where there would normally be a table with a lamp.  This frees up a lot of space and looks hot.  We also sprinkled accent spot lights along the track.

Displaying Art with Limited Lighting Resources

Our next task was to flood a number of walls with light when the closest power source was in a closet near by.  tech lighting wall rail

This was a challenge but we made it work.  We used two six foot Tech Lighting wall rails with 150watt remote transformers located in the near by closets.  The wall rails turned out great as you can see.

We had to light a similar wall situation in their southern hall way using Tech Lighting Power Jack canopies, Om heads and halogen PAR20 lamps.  after tech lighting This phase of the job was quite trying because of the existing air conditioning duct that ran the length of the hall way.  That left us with only a couple inches of plenum in certain spots.  We used half inch pancake junction boxes to mount the fixtures in.  The duct also made it difficult to create an even light spacing through out the hall.  In the end we accomplished this phase and it turned out with adjustable accent lighting with a clean balance.

Murano Mini Pendants Over the Dining Room Table

Our customers wanted three Tech Lighting Murano Firebird Owl pendants for over there dining room table.  Their electrical box was two feet off from the center of the table.  This little obsticle made us come up with a swirl design so we could still balance pendants through the center of the table.  The Firebird Owl pendants turned out great tech lighting owl pendants We hand bent the design by using template that was shaped into a circle and cut out of a 3/4 inch piece of plywood.

We Could Not Leave Out the Casablanca Ceiling Fan

Our customers fell in love with the Casablanca Stealth fan in brushed nickel, teak blades and the inteli-touch wall control.  We installed two of these fans one in the television area and one in their office.  casablanca stealth fan

This condo turned out to be another successful lighting design and install.

Posted in Casablanca Fan Company, Installation, Leucos, Tech Lighting | Leave a comment

Designing & Installing a Tech Lighting Monorail System

Posted on February 27, 2007 by colby


The Tech Lighting Monorail System is a system of unlimited imagination. With a little creativity, patience and some advanced handyman / electrical skills you can build the Monorail to be functional and a beautiful system of architectural light. The following will show you the how to steps and tips we have learned through designing, installing and many many mistakes of over thirty Tech Lighting Monorail track systems.

Tools and hardware you will need for the installation

  • Plumb Bob (laser prefered)
  • Battery Drill with phillips bit
  • Hand level
  • Hacksaw (if cutting sections)
  • Vise
  • Ladder (height to be determined by ceiling height)
  • Masking tape
  • Bending plywood block (if curved sections)
  • Voltage tester
  • Pencil
  • Graph paper
  • Measuring Tape

Begin With: Designing your MonoRail System Check List

  1. In the design phase of your project, start with understanding what you want to light. Sometimes sunlight gets in the way so be sure to do this at night and in the day. This will give you an understanding of the functionality of your lighting system and a general direction of where the track will need to be. This is probably the most important step.
  2. At this point you want to use the measuring tape to measure out the room from side to side to side. That maybe too many sides. Begin sketching out your track system layout. This will help you find the shape of the track you are about to install by sketching until the desired shape is found. Remember that the Monorail System can be curved by hand to fit your architectural space.
  3. Remember that the MonoRail Run must be placed so it goes directly over the powered junction box.
  4. This leads you to the decision of what style and what colors compliment your space.
  5. You will need to decide which spot light heads and/or Tech Lighting pendants you will want to use if lighting specific items and where they will be located on the monorail system.
  6. With the proper measurements and a final drawing you will be able to determine how many pieces of rail you will need. Remember to add a pair of end caps to each end of the run.

Determine How much Lighting and what hardware will be needed

Add the number of spot light heads and Tech Lighting pendants together then multiply them by the bulb wattage in each to determine the wattage of the transformer. Surface mount transformers can be used on almost all ceiling surfaces and simply mount directly to the junction box beneath the run. The surface mounts look like neat little spaceships attached to the ceiling. A remote transformer with a power feed canopy will provide a cleaner look but, the remote transformer must be located in a semi-near location accounting for voltage drop to the power feed canopy.

Based on the ceiling height and the location of the items wanted to light determine how far from the ceiling you want the system to drop. Standard power feed canopies drop the MonoRail System two inches from the ceiling. The surface mount systems are determined by what size transformer is needed from two to five inches.

If you desire the rail to be lower than what is standard than you will need to add a power extender to the power feed canopy or the surface mount transformer. The maximum drop for the MonoRail Track System is eight feet.

The size of the rigid standoff rail anchors can be determined by matching the drop of the power feed to the Monorail System. If an extender is used add the distance of the power extender and the surface transformer or power feed canopy distance to determine the size of the standoff. Adjustable cable standoffs can be used as well but, are not recommended for curved tracks. You’ll need a standoff for every three feet of run and the power feed from the transformer counts as one standoff. Note that power extenders and standoff’s are field cut-able so you can customize your MonoRail height.

Installation of your Tech Lighting MonoRail Track System

  1. Receive and check in all of the specified parts that you will need for your shiny new track system.
  2. Begin by taping off where the furniture that will be beneath the MonoRail System is before moving it out of the way. This will give you a feel as to where the furniture will be while you lay the system out on the floor.
  3. Assemble the MonoRail on the floor by mirroring its exact location as it would be on the ceiling. Make all necessary cuts and curves that relate to the sketch made.
  4. Connect and mount the surface transformer or the power feed canopy on the existing junction box.
  5. Measure out the placement of all the standoffs on the ground marking the track at each location.
  6. Use the Laser Plumb Bob to determine the location of the ceiling anchors that will secure the standoffs to the ceiling. I like to stand on a ladder and mark the ceiling with a sharpie where every the laser falls. Be sure not to look into the laser as it damages our eyes, just another problem we don’t need.
  7. Each standoff comes with a drywall anchor that will be used at each mark done by the sharpie marker. If you have a concrete slab as in many condos a small 3/8” anchor can be used and set with a 3/8” masonry drill bit.
  8. Mount all of the standoffs in the ceiling. Be sure not to over tighten or the anchor might loose its anchor. Remove all of the lower mounting harnesses on each standoff.
  9. With a little help raise the assembled MonoRail track system fitting it into each standoff and the power feed. Tighten each harness by loosening the Alan key that allows the base to rotate screwing in the lower mounting harness.
  10. Level out the system by using the hand level and adjusting each standoff. By this time you may want to do it by eye but the level always proves to be right.
  11. Insert the end caps for that cleaned up end look.
  12. Assemble and place the spot light heads in there desired place on the Monorail run.
  13. The pendants take a little more effort. The splice on the pendant is the hardest part of this step so take your time and follow the instructions closely when modifying pendant cord length.
  14. Run the system for 20 minutes.
  15. Turn off the system and check for any connections that are hot to the touch. Warm is acceptable. Note that halogen lamps generate heat. Those connections that are hot must be retightened.
  16. Your Tech Lighting MonoRail System is ready to rock and roll.
  17. If you need any further assistance during your installation call your Tech Lighting Monorail Experts.

Read about How to Install a Chandelier

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