Ceiling Light Fixture

[Spinney]

Hi, I'm hoping someone here will be able to help. Recently the ceiling light in the sitting room fell down and was hanging by the wires. When I took it down I noticed there was a long nut which had fractured. It's like an extension nut but has a hole along one side for the wires to pass through. It attaches the light fitting to the ceiling mount. I've tried to upload a picture of it but it keeps failing, I think I need to do 6 posts before I can upload things.

I've not been able to find one anywhere and I dont even know what they're called:blush5:!

Any help in finding a replacement would be much appreciated.

Neil.

 

[telectrix]

without a pic, we're struggling. there are so many different types of fixing. might be a better idea to get a new fitting. they're cheap as chips these days.

 

[ruston]

Or down to the boot sale and pair the assembly up from from a 50p fitting.

 

[Spinney]

Thanks for the replies, I'll try and upload a picture after I've made some
more posts.

 

[Spinney]

I'm still unable to post a picture. Is there a size limit on uploads? I'm just getting an upload failed message.

 

[telectrix]

pic should be low resolution. only a few kB.

 

[Strima]

Try a hosting site such as photobucket.

 

[Spinney]

Right, finally managed to get a picture uploaded, thanks for the advice.
This is the nut that's causing me so many problems:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Guitarist]

Take it into your local Lamberts or similar engineering hardware stockist and I'm sure they will match you up with something similar. Any idea what the thread size is?

 

[ruston]

What is the purpose of the gap ? can you "spot" three nuts together cutting the middle one in half if you need the gap?

 

[Guitarist]

What is the purpose of the gap ? can you "spot" three nuts together cutting the middle one in half if you need the gap?

I think he needs the gap for some of the wires to pass through. A longer nut could be adapted if a "V" were cut into the mid section. My only concern is that it's a non-standard thread size.

 

[ruston]

I thought that about the gap. I think the threads are probably metric, depends on how badly he want's the fitting and if he has a tap and die set lol.

 

[Guitarist]

I thought that about the gap. I think the threads are probably metric, depends on how badly he want's the fitting and if he has a tap and die set lol.

I'm not so sure mate. Those pitches look very flat to me. Probably a special made just for that fitting

 

[ruston]

Yeah it's hard to say , looks like it has had abuse to have snapped like that , easy enough to thread a bit of tube and and make one up though if you have the gear.

 

[Richard Burns]

I would tend to see if you could find a coupling nut of the same thread and drill a hole in the side for the cable. I think cable barrel nuts would not come in the required size.
As Guitarist says, probably a special, I have not seen one quite like that before.
Though I do think I have seen something but I think it was an externally threaded rod not internally threaded.

 

[Guitarist]

Whatever it is, it is a poor design with the manufactured "weak point", along with being cast. Not surprised it snapped.

 

[ruston]

Most of them are , I just hate them. Especially the types with the two flush side screws. Sooner wire a 10mm shower switch in a dark corner lol.

 

[Strima]

Could be BSF/BSW but the flat on the threads could be American Sellers thread which is very similar to Whitworth. Very odd, cast nut with an inherent weak spot.

 

[Guitarist]

Could be BSF/BSW but the flat on the threads could be American Sellers thread which is very similar to Whitworth. Very odd, cast nut with an inherent weak spot.

If I was cynical, I'd say that they wanted it to snap so that you would buy a new one..... Good job I'm not cynical. :devilish:

 

[Spinney]

Thanks for all the input.

Its a standard 10mm thread. I took it to a hardware store today and the gentleman there was very helpful but hadn't seen anything like it before. He's given me a much stronger brass fitting as he agrees it's a very poor and brittle design, like Guitarist he was 'cynical'! There is no hole in it so it will require drilling, which could be challenging.