Introduction: Ugly Led Bulbs in Hi Hats? Zero Dollar Fix.
So I get some 700 lumen (60watt) LED spot light bulbs. These things are amazing. they use about as much electricity as a night light, generate next to nothing in heat, and last 8x longer than a regular bulb. I got them real cheap, but thats another story. The problem is, they are butt ugly. They sit way back in the hi hats in my house. When the light is off, even when it is on, they look bad. Here's a zero dollar fix that re-uses stuff right out of your recyclable waste bin.
Step 1: First a Safety Warning
LED bulbs are very low heat. This solution takes advantage of that. If you use a regular bulb and try this solution, you will burn your house to the ground. Well maybe not that bad,but I'm not gonna try it with a regular bulb.
Step 2: The Semi-opaque Gallon Milk Jugs!!!!
what a great plastic cover!!! the light goes through, but blurs what is behind it! cut out a circle from the jug with some folding tabs to lock it in place. when you fold the plastic, is pretty much stays, so push, pull, fold to get the tabs to push well enough on the sides of the high-hat on the inside to stay in place.
Step 3:
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4 Comments
8 years ago on Introduction
Careful you don't burn your place down with that. Aside from the safety concerns (hot lights with a plastic cover means that heat is going.... somewhere else), that is a very clever solution.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
did you miss the part about only using low heat led bulbs in the instructions?
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Nope. But I just finished a very illuminating DIY tutorial at Home Depot describing the fire code requirements for recessed LED bulbs. If your cans are properly spaced and appropriately insulated in the ceiling (or not), then you're absolutely right. Cover as much as you want to. :D
Sorry to safety patrol.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
and also rest assured, when I tried this out for the first time, I sat in the room for 2 hours waiting and watching. after 2 hours I took off the cover and it wasn't warm at all, and even the bulb to could touched/unscrewed without letting it cool down. I could never do that with the regular incandescent bulb.