Hanging a ceiling lamp

komodosp

Trying to hang a ceiling lamp and I can't figure it out.

It's the type where you hook the connector to the ceiling, then push the "cup" (which conceals all the wiring) up to the ceiling.

But there doesn't seem to be a way of fixing the cup to the ceiling, it always dangles by about a centimetre or two. The instructions (pictures only) seem to suggest that you simply have to push it up and I suppose the tension in the cord maybe holds it in place, but it always slides down a little bit.

A suggestion I received from their [Ikea's] telephone help line was that maybe amount of cord coiled up inside the cup was too much and was pushing it out (and I should shorten the cord), but I've even tried pulling it all out so there is virtually no wire left inside, with the same results.

I've tried to diagram my problem below... The blue cup should be against the ceiling, but I can't see any way of holding it in place except the grip the cup has on the cord but that doesn't seem to be strong enough.

dodzy

Always happens with the ikea lamps. Have fitted plenty for people and always the same. You can get a roll of white insulating tape and wrap it around the bottom of the flex while applying upward pressure on the cup. This'll help minimise or eliminate the unsightly gap at the ceiling. It'll be unnoticeable as it's the same colour as the flex and cup. (Assuming the fittings are white)

komodosp

The flex is red (and textile!) so it will probably be noticeable, but I will see if I can get it in such a way that it is nearly all inside the cup, thanks for the tip...

cletus

komodosp wrote: »

The flex is red (and textile!) so it will probably be noticeable, but I will see if I can get it in such a way that it is nearly all inside the cup, thanks for the tip...

Remove as much excess cord as possible, then maybe try a small dab of white builders caulk between the cup and the ceiling

dodzy

cletus wrote: »

Remove as much excess cord as possible, then maybe try a small dab of white builders caulk between the cup and the ceiling

You'd be waiting a hell of a while for it to set.
OP, superglue. Just at the base of the cone. Hold for 30secs. Should be ok.

Jimmy_M

I think there's a rubber seal just inside the cup that grips around the cable.
Before you go the superglue route, try pushing the cup up as far as you can keeping the cable tight, and put a peg or even a small vice grip on the cable to hold the cup flush to ceiling - take it off in a couple of days and see has the rubber settled upwards.

Dozer Dave

There should be a sleeve that slides down over the cable, you push the cup up to the ceiling and push up this sleeve up into the cup. Does this part not come?

dodzy

Jimmy_M wrote: »

I think there's a rubber seal just inside the cup that grips around the cable.
Before you go the superglue route, try pushing the cup up as far as you can keeping the cable tight, and put a peg or even a small vice grip on the cable to hold the cup flush to ceiling - take it off in a couple of days and see has the rubber settled upwards.

Dozer Dave wrote: »

There should be a sleeve that slides down over the cable, you push the cup up to the ceiling and push up this sleeve up into the cup. Does this part not come?

Its a poor design but it almost works. You will see the cone move over time, ever so slightly, but enough to cause an unsightly gap. These corded lights need intervention to ensure flush surface contact. Coiling up the surplus cable into the cone does not help and you would be better off to always cut off the unneeded cable before doing anything else.

komodosp

Sorry for resurrecting this old thread, but I had to share this.

I was back in Ikea since, and it seems not even *they* can hang the bloody things!

goz83

I bought one of their death star lights https://goo.gl/images/FnNSxA

It was a right pain to get the cup tight to the ceiling, but in the end, I did it without cutting the cable. It is actually quite simple when you know how.