Building a DIY canopy- fire hazard??

[Gluestick]

We're building a canopy, which is going to have MH lighting in it, with fans, of course.
Are there any precautions that we should take for making this thing as fireproof as possible? I know that people build their own canopies all the time, but since those lights let off so much heat, I wondered if there was anything special you had to do...
Thanks much!
Valerie

[BurntOutReefer]

assuming wood?
If I remember, woods combustion temperature is like 750 F.....much hotter then MH ambient heat will ever get, even without fans....BTW...I have 2 400w under a DIY wood hood......no issues....

[Phyxius]

No problems with mine and wood. I didn't want the lights directly on the wood top so I placed some wood spacers underneath the lights reflectors. It created a gap in between the lights and the top and created a air gap for air circulation. 2 fans blowing in keep air moving and the heat down. My top has stuff sitting on it like vases and all the other decorations my wife has :( and they don't even get warm.
Pic shows the spacers. Some people I read have used small metal spacers with the screws to add some clearance

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/78452Picture_120__Small_.jpg

[Pbrown3701]

I just added MHs to my hood (see other thread on DIY page). While my hood is not DIY NOR wood, i used aluminum to support the lights and plastic spacers where it connects to the hood. Aluminum has a very good thermal conductivity and will cool rapidly if there is some space between the lights and the wood.

[BlakDuc]

By putting plastic spacers between the reflector and the aluminum, you just lost that big heat sink. You need metal on metal contact for it to conduct the heat.

[Pbrown3701]

you misunderstood me (or I mis-spoke)... the lights are mounted directly to the aluminum. The ends of the aluminum rods are connected to the hood via a plastic spacer.

[mushumatt]

I find no problem the only problem i would see that would be a fire hazard would be the wiring.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k101/mushumatt15/Zack023.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k101/mushumatt15/Picture355-1.jpg

[moumda]

I agree with the spacers but be aware that some types of wood can have an auto ignition temperature of about 160 deg f. We had a fire at work that the safety department researched and came up with these figures. Use fans!

[salth2owannabe]

I just put MH lights in my wood hood. I found the round aluminium spacers at home depot (most hardware stores and come in various sizes to match machine screws) and a piece of aluminium flat as a heat sink between the two spacers. This moves the lights 1" off of the hood. Looks good - works well.

[Gluestick]

Thanks for the info guys!
I sincerely appreciate it, and the pics look great! KUDOS!