Replies

1. 
   JTC1 | Nov 11, 2009 02:32am | #1

   Yes!

   Have done it in an upscale kitchen.

   We built a semi-barrel ceiling (not a full 180*). Ledge at bottom of arched area provided a place and camo for both 4' fluorescent and rope lights. We attached the rope lights to the back of the cornice molding.

   Wattage and light level is very low with the rope lights, may be more useful as "mood lighting".

   Ropes are available which will "daisy chain" together to provide virtually any length.  Light level could be increased by adding a second pass of rope lights.

   Electrical inspector was OK with "permanently" cord connected rope lights (fluorescents were hardwired with conduit joining the fixture housings).

   Jim

   Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
2. 
   migraine | Nov 11, 2009 02:59am | #2

   Yes, you can.  I have done it.  In the past, it met code.

   The one thing I found is the the rope lights tend to give the least amount of cold spots(the biggest problem to overcome), but they really don't give off much light other then accent of the cove.  Plus, the ones that I used were able to be cut on 10" increments.

   There are other haligen lighting out there that will light better.

   I have used these people in the past and their service has always been great.

   They are locted in Orange, and Costa Mesa, calif

   http://www.lightbulbsetc.com/

   
   

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   Edited 11/10/2009 7:00 pm by migraine

1. 
   etherhuffer | Nov 11, 2009 03:12am | #3

   A friend did this with bulbs that pierce onto the wire, and was low voltage with transformers. 1500 for one room! Ouch!

    

   I am going to look at LED rope too, which is whiter and different power consumption.  

1. 
   alwaysoverbudget | Nov 11, 2009 03:49am | #5

   i have about 200' buried up in a bedroom cofferd ceiling,thats a lot of lights.

   but you would be very strained to read by these alone.nice accent/mood lights

   do you know that you can buy them on ebay etc in long lengths? i think mine was a 250'.

   oh ,and i'm very surprised that if these lights are left on for several hours,doors shut ,they put off enough heat to actually feel.the older i get ,

   the more people tick me off

3. 
   Gene_Davis | Nov 11, 2009 03:32am | #4

   You can do it with rope light, but the effect, IMHO, is second-rate, when compared to using something like Levelite from Celestial Lighting.  I've done both, and wish I had not used rope.

   It relates to the kind of light you get from a little point light like the bulbs inside rope, versus the far larger and brighter bulbs in the Levelite system.  I say far larger, but the Levelite arrangment can go into a 1x1 channel.  The brightness of the bulb fights the light falloff you get with the little bulbs, which make the rope light cove show individual upwashes, rather than one big blended stripe of light, which is what you want.

    

    

   View Image

   "A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."

   Gene Davis        1920-1985

4. 
   gfretwell | Nov 11, 2009 04:51am | #6

   If you do rope, I would use cord and plug connected assemblies and put a receptacle in the tray you are dropping the light in. These things have a bad habit of losing 18" segments. I think that 25,000 hour rating on the box is when the last bulb burns out, not the first one.
   They come from the same wonderful folks who brought you the drywall.

5. 
   UKchippie | Nov 11, 2009 09:35am | #7

   On the project shown in the attached photo we ran three lengths of rope light in the channel to increase the light output, looks good but only suitable as mood lighting rather than main source of lighting in room.

1. 
   gfretwell | Nov 11, 2009 09:39am | #8

   I have a similar arrangement in a long hallway on an occupancy sensor. It is part of my "light follows you wherever you go" system.
   It is garden variety 5.5" crown attached to a 45 degree ripped down 2x attached at the bottom about 8" below the ceiling.

   Edited 11/11/2009 1:40 am ET by gfretwell