R56 Kit

I installed 2 of these today and think they are a great product but there are some things I learned during the installation that may be helpful to others.- I highly recommend watching the Youtube installation video several times. The instructions are adequate but I found it helpful to watch the video and get an overall understanding of how the installation goes. My installation was one of the most difficult because there were no screws in the can that I could use. The video talks about installation in cans that have no screws or screws in a triangular configuration or screws that are not in a triangular configuration. I had a no-screws installation.- One thing that is mentioned in the paper installation instructions that I hadn't see elsewhere was that the product requires that the hanger bars for the light can are resting on the drywall. If your hanger bars are above the drywall, they don't recommend the installation. This means they are assuming some of the strength of the installation is coming from the drywall, which makes sense but it was something I wasn't aware of prior to purchasing.- Having a right angle drill is very handy for this installation. Instead of using it to try to start the self-tapping screws, I recommend drilling a pilot hole with a 3/32 drill bit and then starting the screws by hand with a stubby screwdriver. I found it easier to get the drill bit to grip on the galvanized steel can than the screws.- When you are screwing in the threaded pipe, be careful of the wires coming out at the top. It's very easy to cause abrasion on the wire insulation at the top of the pipe as you screw it into the plate. I wish there was a way to protect the wire insulation because I didn't like the damage that was done to the wire insulation.- If you are installing a fan, it's important that you screw the baseplate into the distancing screws firmly. This prevents the baseplate from rotating when you are mounting the fan.Like I said, my installation was difficult but no fault on the product. I would use it again. The only improvement I can suggest is figuring out some way to keep the wires from being abraded/cut by the threaded pipe as you screw it in.

I REALLY wanted to replace the recessed can light over our kitchen sink w/ a pendant light. First thing my husband realized when we started looking at pendant lights is that the hole in the ceiling would NOT be covered by the canopy that comes w/ most pendant lights. We considered calling the electrician who replaced our ceiling fan w/ a bigger one a few years ago. Then I started google search and discovered The Can Converter. Showed it to my husband, who has decent but not professional skills w/ electrical tasks. He watched some of the vids, and decided that he was up for the challenge. It worked! In under 3 hours start to finish, PLUS several hours of watching instructional vids and reading the instructions that came with the kit, he was able to install our new mini-pendant. I LOVE our new kitchen light!

I wanted to install a medium chandelier in place of a 6" can light. Although I read the directions prior to the installation, it wasn't until I got into the project that I realized you really need to understand how your existing fixture is assembled, what kind of hardware it has, and whether it already has three screws holding the can in place versus four. If so, you can skip a few of the directions instead of being perplexed for a while. I've never dealt with a retro fit for one of these so I really had no idea what to expect.It's helpful to note that there are different directions for installing track lighting, ceiling fans, and fixed mount lighting. Referring to the parts list in the BACK of the book after the French section is useful, though I didn't realize it was there until later. Again, read first.Overall, it was not difficult to install. Once the conversion kit was in place, it was helpful to have a second person hold the chandelier for installation until I made sure the kit could handle the weight. It supported a 30 lb. fixture without any problem. I was concerned because it didn't seem very sturdy at first. In the end, it worked well. My only complaint is the cheap, white plastic cover that conceals the original fixture. It's beveled, but not attractive. It looked awkward against the chandelier so I primed it with Krylon and then painted it to match the chandelier with a bronze metallic paint. That was a huge improvement. I wish I had realized that first as I had to take the chandelier down and reinstall after painting. Allow for 60-90 minutes on this project.

This converter kit was my solution to going from a can light to a Fandelier, which is a small chandelier with clear ceiling fan blades tucked on top that only come out when used. I hand my husband install this over my bath tub. It allowed me to add an elegant spa like feel to my bathroom. He said this converter kit was easy to install. He did have to drill one hole in our existing can to have it lined up properly. Would highly recommend this product. Just watch weight limit.

This can converter is strong, easy to install and it works! It comes with 2 ceiling medallions to choose from which is a very nice addition. If you want to transform a recessed light to a chandelier or pendant or even a ceiling fan, this is what you need.

The conversion kit does the job, I hung an outdoor ceiling fan (consider weight limits). The kit works fine but be prepared to use the instructions as a general guid. A regular drill didn’t work for me, not enough can diameter clearance. I also found it easier to attach the 3 kit support pieces before attaching the actual hanging plate. The first installation took about 2 hours but once I made several installation and tool adjustments the time dropped to around 45 minutes from start to finish(including hanging the fan… a reasonable amount of time in my opinion. I have 4 additional fans to hang on the back porch and will be using the conversion kits.