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Looking for the best Monorail Lighting System for your project? We’ve put together our monorail component buying guide and simplified the process to help you choose and build your own solution.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Monorail Systems are a modern adaptable more sophisticated contemporary version of track or cable lighting systems. A single hand bendable ‘rail’ comprised of 2 strips of conductive malleable metal available in various finishes are fused together in a plastic cover. The Monorail is suspended from the ceiling in straight or curved runs, with a variety of connectable 12V light head and pendant options available.
Wall Mount Monorail Systems are also an option to consider.
Monorail lighting can be purchased and installed right out of the box with a pre-selected kit or as a modular bespoke solution to tailor your choices. For a predetermined quick solution check out: The Best Monorail Lighting Kits
To build your own tailor made solution, use this step by step guide to build your own system from our selection of best selling Monorail components from quality manufacturers.
Step 1: The length of rail you will need is the distance you want it to cover plus some extra to allow for curves and bends if you choose to include them. Measure the length of the space you want to provide lighting in, this can be between two chosen positions in a straight line or a combination of directions. The rail length you need will determine how many supports and rail connectors are required.
4ft Monorail Satin Nickel Clear Plastic Cover to be cut and shaped at installation by the installer. No special tools are required.
4ft Monorail Antique Bronze in Clear Plastic Cover to be cut and shaped at installation by the installer. No special tools are required.
$$ – Check Current Price
4ft Monorail Chrome in Clear Plastic Cover to be cut and shaped at installation by the installer. No special tools are required.
$$ – Check Current Price
Other options of monorail lengths in various finishes are also available
$$ – Check Out Alternative Length Option Prices
Step 2: Choose the rail height you want to suspend the lighting from. The rail is suspended by flexible or rigid standoffs, cleverly named as they stand off of the ceiling or wall!
How many monorail standoff supports are required will depend on how many curves the rail has. Estimated a support at the end of each bend and at each end. Straight runs can be supported at the ends of a 4ft rail with medium to light heads/pendants. One of the supports may be the power feed – see below.
We recommend that the rail needs to remain quite high in the room so the light can spread and not become too intense and a long drop height for pendants will look great and become a real feature.
Length 48″ in a Satin Nickel finish and can be cut by the installer to your required length during installation.
The rigid standoff is recommended for curvy runs or runs requiring greater support for heavier Heads and Pendants, particularly heavy glass ones.
Length 5.1″ available in a variety of finishes for a minimal hanging height from the ceiling. Shown in the bronze finish.
The rigid standoff is recommended for curvy runs or runs requiring greater support for heavier Heads and Pendants, particularly heavy glass ones.
Also available in combinations of other drop heights in bronze, chrome and satin nickel finishes.
Length 12′ in a Satin Nickel finish. The drop height can be cut by the installer to your required length during installation.
The adjustable standoff’s cable virtually disappears for a clean and elegant look.
The adjustable standoff in a Bronze Finish. $$ – Check Out Current Price
Monorail for sloping ceilings can still suspend a rail with a vault standoff that will adjust the drop angle to 90 degrees whatever the roof pitch.
Step 4: The monorail now requires a will have a 12V low voltage safe to touch power supply to run through it and a power feed gives it that supply and can be fed into the monorail in a variety of ingenious ways according to your requirements.
The Monorail Low-Profile Power Feed Canopy allows for the closest-to-ceiling possible mounting of a Monorail run. Bronze, Satin nickel, black and chrome finishes available.
Monorail Centre Power Feeds are used to bring power to a Monorail system when the transformer or canopy cannot be located directly above the run. Bronze, Satin nickel, black and chrome finishes available.
To install a Monorail system to a vaulted ceiling, add a power vault adapter to each power feed. Bronze, Satin nickel, black and chrome finishes available. Installs to the power feed (sold separately) and adjusts to any angle to position rail parallel to the floor. When using a dual-feed canopy or surface transformer order two.
Step 5: A transformer reduces the normal mains power voltage down to a safe to touch 12V extra low voltage that is fed into the monorail to power the lighting.
The capacity of the transformer will determine the load from your chosen quantity of light fittings, ie how many you can put onto one system. These remote transformers will need to hidden from view near to the power feed that connects to the monorail.
150W Remote transformer: Check Current Price
300W Remote Transformer: Check Current Price
Step 6: Now it’s time to select the light sources beginning with the directional lighting. The heads are connected to the monorail as a visually appealing method to introduce task, ambient and accent lighting.
There is a wide range of Compatible Heads
6″ drop aged brass head with a dedicated 8W LED source. Ideal for task and accent lighting.
6″ drop satin nickel head with an MR16 lamp base for your own selection of LED lamp.
Step 7: Decorative pendants can be suspended over tables and kitchen islands from a monorail system to add a wonderful layer of accent lighting.
There is a very wide range of Compatible Pendants
8W Dedicated LED glass pendant of excellent quality.
8W Dark Grey and inside gold finish, a pendant of excellent quality.
7″ pendant of excellent quality.
Step 8: With the system complete it’s now time to select the light sources:
MR16 LED Lamps: for the heads and pendants that take your choice of lamp. An advantage of choosing lamps is the flexibility to swap over color temperatures, 2700K and 3000K are popular choices.
Dedicated LED: Many heads and pendants will have an LED source of light built inside of them. It is not usually a changeable LED source but it will last a VERY long time! You do not need to purchase LED lamps for this type.
Be aware that 12V Cable lighting was originally designed for higher wattage low voltage halogen lamps. LED will work but dimming can be problematic for MR16 LED lamps without some tweaks.
If you are choosing to dim your LED Cable Light System then be aware that an arrangement of low wattage LED lamps may not have a large enough load for the dimmer switch you are using to provide a smooth flicker free dim. Be prepared to replace some of the lamps to halogen to increase the load or find a compatible dimmer switch. This is a characteristic of all 12V transformers, not just this system.
For lots more on suspended lighting choices check out: The Best Track, Monorail, Freejack & Cable-Lighting
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