A light lift or motorized chandelier hoist is a must if you’re installing a chandelier on a high ceiling. I purchased a chandelier for my foyer which has a 17-foot ceiling but before the chandelier was installed I started thinking about how I would change the light bulbs and clean the chandelier.
Without a chandelier light lift, I would have to pay someone to change light bulbs or clean the chandelier because with a 17-foot ceiling, the bottom of the chandelier is approximately 10’5″ above the floor and the top of the chandelier is approximately 14’5″ above the floor. This would require at least a 15-foot ladder to clean the chandelier or change the light bulbs.
I spoke to a neighbor who already had a chandelier and she strongly recommended getting a motorized chandelier light lift. I called my electrician and he recommended an Aladdin chandelier lift.
The Aladdin chandelier lift motorized winch and cable lift system were installed in the attic and are completely invisible. When the chandelier is in the normal position at the top of the ceiling, the canopy is flat against the ceiling and hides the Aladdin lift connection. The electrician installed a separate circuit and circuit breaker for the light lift motor.
There is a key switch located in the closet. A key and lock are used so that the key can be removed if there are children in the house to prevent children from playing with the chandelier lift. The key switch is a dead man’s switch so that it must be held continuously while lowering the chandelier. A remote control is also available but I did not have a need for a remote.
As soon as the chandelier starts to lower, the electric power is automatically disconnected from the chandelier to prevent electric shock. The chandelier lowers together with the chain and canopy at a rather slow rate to prevent any accidents and can take a minute or two to completely lower. The electrician adjusted the cable length so that the chandelier lowers enough to easily change light bulbs and clean the chandelier but not so low that it will hit the floor.
After changing light bulbs or cleaning the chandelier, the key switch is turned in the other direction to raise the chandelier. When the chandelier canopy reaches the ceiling, it automatically stops in the correct position and restores electric power.
Use LED chandelier bulbs so you can use the chandelier every night without worrying about your electric bill. With LED bulbs from 0.4 W to 8 W, you can leave your chandelier on all night without even noticing it on your electric bill. LED bulbs may not have to be changed for years but you’ll still need a motorized light lift to clean your chandelier.
This photo shows a heavy Alabaster chandelier in my foyer with the Aladdin light lift motor hidden above the ceiling
Light Lift Manufacturers
Aladdin Light Lift – This is the lift elevator I installed for my chandelier. Aladdin Light Lift was founded in 1990 to manufacture a patented motorized chandelier lift system to raise and lower chandeliers for cleaning and bulb changing. This was the first reasonably priced motorized chandelier lift system to be manufactured in the United States and is tested by Underwriters Laboratories.
Peter Albrecht Company FlexiLift and Pile-On Chandelier Hoist. Peter Albrecht Company has manufactured heavy-duty motorized light lifts and other equipment for the theater industry since 1917.