farwest Loc: Utah

Has anyone done track lighting for photos on a large wall? Wanting to pinpoint light on individual photos on the wall so I'm looking at 10 to 20 lights on a track but everything I search for has pretty big lights for a photo. Also wondering about the color temperature of the lights.

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

There are all sizes of light sources from standard size R30 floods to MR11 or 16 mini floods. The floods can be quartz-halogen or LED. Personally I would use the LED because of less heat that could damage the photos. Color is important and LEDs come in different colors from 3000 Kelvin to 6500 Kelvin. Most have a CRI of 90 or better but you might find the 3000K more pleasing. I have engineered and installed several track lighting systems for galleries.

Lucasdv123

I just installed some in my remodeled home which took 9 months to complete.had I known how much heat they produce,i would have researched a lot more.i told the wife that we are using them only in the winter.

Dave327 Loc: Duluth, GA. USA

There are hundreds of types available. The correct fixture and type of lamp will depend on how far the track is from the wall. I have found the best site is www.usalight.com - they do carry a line of small LED track fixtures with lamps of various sizes, color temperature and color corrected. I would try to go with LED to avoid the heat mentioned previous.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Ikea has many good choices.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Once you install the track, you have a huge choice of available lamps and fixtures - everything from very small halogens to full size R30 lamps and the associated fixtures. You can choose from LED, Halogen or conventional incandescent (I would avoid most off-the-shelf fluorescents because of their generally poor color rendering index). You can choose floods or spots and a color temperature you find pleasing. I had a long back hallway that I turned into a B&W gallery. I prefer full size R30 Halogen floods for their excellent CRI and I prefer fairly warm 3,000K color temperature, but you may prefer something cooler that is closer to daylight (maybe 5000K). I used 16 lamps, pointed to alternating sides for a 30’ hallway controlled by a high power dimmer (1200W). I avoided LEDs, even though they are more energy efficient because they change color as they’re dimmed. I don’t notice the large “cans”, but of course you can use smaller halogens with a minimal fixture. Here’s a shot of my installation:

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have been using track lightg in my studio display areas for years. As others have mentioned there are all manner of fixtures to illuminate your prints. When I make my display prints, I judge the color balance and density under the same lighting, color temperature and volume, matching that in my showroom. Currently, I still use incandescent lamps- I use reflector spotlights so they are carefully aimed and focused on each print.

I have a dimmer on each track circuit so I can adjust the lights for various times for days when natural ligh comes through the windows. I had to use the heavier-duty dimmers with external heat-sinks to accommodate the wattage. I may soon convert to LEDs when the lamps I prefer become available.

A tip- Before installing the tracks, make certain that they are at the correct distance from the wall to enable the correct angle of incidence so that folks viewing the prints at an average eye level with not see glare or excessive reflections on glazed frames or prints with more lustrous finishes. A couple of feet will usually do the trick but I did a bit of a testing before securing the tracks to the ceiling. I placed a lamp in an ordinary clamp-on socket and temporarily suspended it from above above and visually worked out the best distance and angle.

Over the years I have used Litolier brand track lighting hardware. They have not changed their track configuration as far as I know and they have a wide variety of fixtures. I have noticed, lately, they also have an up-to-date complete line of LED components. There are a few surplus dealers in my city where I was able to pick up some nice used fixtures at a very low cost. I have a few adaptations that enable wiring drop lights to the tracks that I can place over desks and counters. I'm sure there are other competitive brands as well.

farwest Loc: Utah

Thanks for all the replies this will get me started.

Gorzek

Check at Home Depot or Lowes for various styles of track lighting. Attach are photos of my client projection room. Don Gorzek

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Having done this for a living many years earlier, I can only suggest that you get an estimate from a Lighting-Contractor for the task. There are hundreds of possible scenarios in this arena and the Kelvin Temps do matter and some lighting is inappropriate for Artwork and even harmful over time.

Track lighting is also quite pricey and some of the newer LED style designs are really a better choice than the older Halogen Based systems that get so hot and discolored after a couple of year's time. The good aspects of it are that you can move them along the rail to specific points of focus to allow for changing pieces of art to be introduced to the wall on demand. And that these rails will accept several varieties of task-specific fixtures you may wish to employ and to include a projection device that is WIFI ready as well.

I would tread slowly and talk to as many folks as possible about your options before embarking on a project such this because it will probably entail electrical modifications to your space almost always and that will be a separate and additional cost to digest.

Good Luck

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Track lighting is really easy to install if there is already an overhead light fixture in the room. If you’re comfortable with basic electrical wiring, it’s trivial. After turning off the appropriate breaker, you just remove the existing fixture and replace it with the mounting plate. There are 3 color coded wires that match the house wiring that you connect with wire nuts and the mounting plate uses the same mounting screws that held the original fixture. Takes about 5-10 minutes, and there are dozens of videos on the subject. You then slide the track into the mounting plate and tighten. You’ll also need to screw the track to the ceiling, either being careful to screw into a ceiling joist or use butterfly-type anchors. Stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot typically carry a low cost kit that includes mounting plate, track, hardware and several fixtures, or you can buy all the pieces including straight or right angle joiners to add track. Once the track is up, you can then choose the fixtures and lamps that suit you.

There are only two caveats. First, make sure that the total wattage of all the lamps desn’t exceed the max wattage rating of the dimmer if you use one. Standard dimmers are typically 600 watts but can be replaced with higher wattage ones if you have lots of lights. Second, the track has 2 conductive rails on one side and one on the other. If you examine the fixtures, you’ll see two contacts on one side and one on the other on the base that rotates into the track. When you slip the fixture into the track and rotate to lock it, make sure that the side with 2 contacts aligns with the side of the track with two rails (ie: rotate it in the correct direction). If after installation, you find that one ore more fixtures don’t light, the odds are you have it rotated the wrong way. Just remove and reinsert.

Finally, do all this with the power OFF! Any reasonably handy person can do this easily, but if you’re uncomfortable, then hire a pro. Track lighting is incredibly versatile, allowing you to place the correct light where needed and easily reconfigure as your needs change, hence the reason you see it in so many stores. I use it in my kitchen, gallery, office and workshop, with appropriate fixtures and lamps for each purpose and the quality of light I want to achieve.

alby Loc: very eastern pa.

just went through picking some different LED lights .... check out mr8 led... only 1 inch dia. virtually no heat.. i also use mr11, mr16 and mr20... come with different beam width.. from spot to extra wide flood. also different color temp. so many, many choices for fixtures.

rcarol

LEDs will generate much less heat than the alternatives but equally important is that they will draw far less current through your electrical system. This could be very important if you install a large number of spotlights on your track.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Agree. The only issue is that unless they are special purpose (read expensive), their color temp changes (gets cooler) as they are dimmed, and I find that unpeasant and unacceptable. If always operated at full brightness, then I agree completely.