Meridian Hanging Wires Manual
ReefBreeders / Installation Guide
Hanging Wire Kit
Suspends your Meridian from the ceiling on black coated stainless steel cable. Height, level and tilt all adjust by hand once the light is up, and every visible part is black to match the fixture. Fully backwards compatible with Photon V2s.
What's in the kit
Most Meridians hang on a set of two wires. Some configurations need three. Each wire is a single assembly, and each one attaches to the light at two points.
Hanging wires
Black coated stainless steel cable, adjustable from 6 inches (15 cm) to 9.5 feet (2.9 m) above the light. Each wire carries a carabiner, a cable lock and two cap nuts.
wire
Black carabiner
Clips onto your ceiling anchor. Sits at the top of the cable.
wire
Cable lock
The barrel in the middle of each wire. The release pin on top sets the height, and the thumb screw underneath sets the tilt.
wire
M6 threaded caps
Thread into the sliding bolts in the top channel of the Meridian. Also backward compatible with the Photon V2.
wire
Crimp
A crushable sleeve for securing the cable if you decide to cut it to length.
Before you start: the anchor point
The kit does not include ceiling hardware. It is designed to hook onto securely fastened eye bolts that you supply and install.
- Anchor into structure. Eye bolts should go into solid wood or metal framing, not into drywall alone and not into a ceiling tile.
- Space the anchors to the light. Set them so each wire hangs plumb, straight down, once the caps are threaded into the fixture.
- Check what is above the tank. Pipes, ducting and wiring all live in ceilings. Know what you are drilling into.
How many wires you need
| Configuration | Wires | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Most Meridians | Set of 2 | 25 lb / 11.3 kg |
| Meridian 63 | Set of 3 | 37.5 lb / 17 kg |
| Meridian 63 Edge Bar Bundle | Set of 3 | 37.5 lb / 17 kg |
| Meridian 45 Edge Bar Bundle | Set of 3 | 37.5 lb / 17 kg |
The cable lock
One barrel sits partway along each wire, and it does two jobs. Getting familiar with it before you start makes the rest of the install straightforward.
Top of the barrel
Release pin, sets height
Cable feeds in one direction on its own. To raise the light, just pull the cable coming out of the lock. To let cable back out and lower the light, press the release pin in the top center.
Underside of the barrel
Tilt screw, sets angle
A small thumb screw. Loosen it one or two turns and the cable can slide through the lock, which shifts the balance forward or back and tilts the light. Tighten it again to lock the angle.
Installing the wires
Unplug the light before you begin. Work slowly and keep the fixture supported at every stage. A second pair of hands makes this much easier.
-
Build a temporary rest
Lay scrap timber across the top of the tank, a couple of 2x4s or a piece of plywood, and set the light on top of it. Everything that follows is done with the fixture safely supported, not dangling. Be sure to place the light in its intended final position, centered both width-wise and length-wise over the aquarium.
-
Assemble ICS rails first, if you are using them
If your setup includes ICS rails, fit and center them now and secure everything so the whole thing is one rigid assembly before any wires go on.
-
Hang the wires and lower them to the light
Clip a carabiner onto each ceiling anchor, then let cable out until the capped ends reach the light. Press the release pin to feed cable out.
Support the light before pressing the release pin. At this stage the fixture is on the timber, so you are fine. Later, once the wires are carrying the weight, pressing that pin without taking the load will drop the light. -
Thread the caps into the light
Each wire has two M6 threaded caps. Thread them into the slide bolts in the top channel of the Meridian. Leave them loose for now, just a few turns each.
-
Plumb the wires, then tighten
Slide the bolts along the channel until every wire hangs plumb, pointing straight down. Once they all look true, tighten the caps fully by hand.
Repeat for both wires, or all three on the larger configurations.
-
Lift the light into position
Pull the cable coming out of each cable lock a few inches at a time, alternating between the wires. Going a little at a time on each keeps the fixture level as it rises rather than lifting one end first.
-
Deal with the excess cable
Coil it above the light, or trim it. See the next section before you cut anything.
Trimming or coiling the excess
Once the light is at the height you want, there will be cable left over above the lock. You have two options, and only one of them is reversible.
Reversible
Coil it
Wind the excess into a loop and tuck it above the light. Nothing is lost, and you keep full adjustment range if you ever move the light to a different tank or change the mounting height.
Permanent
Trim it
Cut the cable and secure the end with the included crimp. Leave enough length to lower the light all the way back down onto the timber for maintenance, or you will have no way to get it down cleanly later.
Tilting the light
The tilt screw underneath each cable lock lets you angle the fixture forward or back, which is useful for aiming light at a specific part of the aquascape or keeping it off the front glass.
-
Loosen the tilt screw
One or two turns on the screw in the bottom center of the cable lock. No more than that, or the screw may come out.
-
Move the cable through
Take hold of the cable on both sides of the lock and gently draw it through, forward or back. Support the cable as you do it rather than dragging it against the lock, so the coating is not damaged.
-
Lock the angle in
Tighten the tilt screw again. Repeat on the other wires until the fixture sits at the angle you want.
Specifications
Figures cover the whole hanging assembly, not the fixture alone.
| Cable | Black coated stainless steel |
| Adjustment range | 6 in to 9.5 ft above the light / 15 cm to 2.9 m |
| Attachment to light | Two M6 threaded caps per wire, into the top channel |
| Attachment to ceiling | Black carabiner. Eye bolt not included |
| Capacity, set of 2 | 25 lb / 11.3 kg |
| Capacity, set of 3 | 37.5 lb / 17 kg |
| Compatibility | Meridian and Edge. Backward compatible with the Photon V2 |
| Tools required | None for the wires. Cutters if you trim the cable |
Common questions
The things people ask us most about the hanging wires.
How do I adjust the wire length?
To raise the light, pull the cable coming out of the cable lock. To lower it, support the weight of the light and press the release pin in the top center of the lock. Never press that pin without taking the load first, because the light will drop.
How do I tilt the light?
Loosen the screw in the bottom center of the cable lock about one to two turns. Lift the cable on either side of the lock and gently move it through, forward or back. Tighten the screw again to lock the position in.
Do I need two wires or three?
Two covers most Meridians. Three are required for the Meridian 63, the Meridian 63 Edge Bar Bundle and the Meridian 45 Edge Bar Bundle. A set of two carries up to 25 lb (11.3 kg) and a set of three up to 37.5 lb (17 kg).
What should I anchor into?
Securely fastened eye bolts, which are not included, going into solid wood or metal framing. Drywall alone is not enough. We cannot take responsibility for the anchor point or the structure behind it, so if there is any doubt about what is up there, get it checked before hanging a light over your tank.
Can I cut the cable to length?
Yes, and each wire includes a crushable crimp for securing the cut end. It is permanent though, so leave enough cable to lower the light back down for maintenance. If you are unsure, coil the excess above the light instead.
Can I use these with ICS rails?
Yes, and it is a common setup. Build and secure the rails first so the fixtures form one rigid assembly, then hang the whole thing on a single set of wires. The weight limit applies to everything the wires are carrying, so add up the fixtures, rails and hardware together.
Can one set hold two lights?
It can, as long as the combined weight of both fixtures and all the hardware stays under 25 lb (11.3 kg) for a set of two. Joining the fixtures on ICS rails first is the cleanest way to do it.
Will these work on my Photon V2?
Yes. The M6 threaded caps are designed for the Meridian and are backward compatible with the Photon V2.