Distance of Grid?

[mapplegate94]

I am currently designing lights for a production that is going into a space that has never been used for theater before. My problem is that I need to hang a pipe that will hold 3 source 4 pars and 1 6x9. the ceiling is only 9 feet 9 inches. So, I am wondering how high I can safely hang this pipe (it is going onto the I beams above the ceiling) while putting the lights on it and not burning up the ceiling tiles or encountering other problems. I want it as high as possible so that we don;t run into problems with it blocking people's view of actors. Thanks.

 

[MPowers]

If the lights hang below the pipe, you can get as close as your hardware and instrument clamps will allow.l There is no danger of "burning up" the ceiling. For very long term use or permanent installation, some tiles might bow with humidity changes and the heat, a few might discolor or fade at a different rate than the rest of the ceiling, but that is the worst.