Cabinet lighting

[Nutmegger]

These seem pretty good and inexpensive at the same time:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LMSB3AK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't find them at local warehouses, but for jobs I can always order them on Amazon in advance.

They are NOT dimmable, but the light is great otherwise.
One "puck" per cabinet section seems to be enough.

I use in-the-wall rated 18-ga speaker wire instead of the thermostat.

It always helps when you have gaps between the cabinet sections -- you can route the wire from under the cabinets to the top through that.
Also helps when you have the "lip" on the front edge of the undercabinet surface -- that's a good place to hide the wire.

I stub out with Romex on top of the cabinets, install receptacles there and plug the transformers into that.
Depending on how fancy they want it, I can either set them up as switched receptacles, or use remotes like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Too bad the local supply houses don't have any of this, but to get the latest gadgets you have to buy stuff online, I guess

 

[kwired]

In that case you might consider stubbing in some thermostat cable also, and dangle the other end in the basement in case they go transformer on you.

Make your life potentially easier and put it anywhere you think you'll need it, and if you don't end up needing it just leave it in the wall. Even if it gets abandoned it's much cheaper than adding it later.

T-stat wire ???? Not sure that is compliant although I think it is class 2 wiring. I have used class 2 wiring but a higher gauge. Of course we use longer runs in other areas of the home.

As far as I can tell from Southwire the T-stat wire is class 2 by listed for thermostat control

Dennis hit on what I was going to say to some extent - low voltage doesn't automatically mean you have class 2 wiring, though with the LED systems mostly mentioned here they likely are class 2 and that cable may be acceptable. But if you have more traditional 12 volt incandescent lighting a 150 watt power supply will deliver 12.5 amps when fully loaded - that 18AWG thermostat wire will run kind of hot if that is what you are planning to use, and is one reason it is not code compliant for such an application.

I hope thermostat wire is good for more then just thermostat control - I have been using it for nearly 30 years for garage door operator controls (class 2 of course) or doorbell wiring, or some other limited power signaling applications - this is just as some common uses there may be a few others I can't think of off top of my head, but all are class 2 applications.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I hope thermostat wire is good for more then just thermostat control - I have been using it for nearly 30 years for garage door operator controls (class 2 of course) or doorbell wiring, or some other limited power signaling applications - this is just as some common uses there may be a few others I can't think of off top of my head, but all are class 2 applications.

I hope so also as I do the same but a control wire is a different animal than a supply to a fixture

 

[ceknight]

Dennis hit on what I was going to say to some extent - low voltage doesn't automatically mean you have class 2 wiring, though with the LED systems mostly mentioned here they likely are class 2 and that cable may be acceptable.

I've only used it for LV LED UCs, the supply counter throws it in with the other parts when I order a batch so I use it.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I've only used it for LV LED UCs, the supply counter throws it in with the other parts when I order a batch so I use it.

I still don't think that is compliant but probably not an issue. I saw 5 or 6 puck lights installed with telephone wire . House is still there after 20 years and the lights are also.

 

[ceknight]

I still don't think that is compliant but probably not an issue. I saw 5 or 6 puck lights installed with telephone wire . House is still there after 20 years and the lights are also.

Telephone wire, how very resourceful of them.

The lights I've been installing the last few years are Grace (both strips and pucks), w/ 15 vdc class 2 supplies. Mfr specifies 20 to 16 gauge supply wire, so I have to assume the 18-2 meets their approval.

 

[GoldDigger]

Telephone wire, how very resourceful of them.

The lights I've been installing the last few years are Grace (both strips and pucks), w/ 15 vdc class 2 supplies. Mfr specifies 20 to 16 gauge supply wire, so I have to assume the 18-2 meets their approval.

And telephone wire is often 22 ga or smaller.

 

[PetrosA]

I still don't think that is compliant but probably not an issue. I saw 5 or 6 puck lights installed with telephone wire . House is still there after 20 years and the lights are also.

Maybe they did it that way to get a visual reminder when the phone rings?

 

[tx2step]

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I still don't think that is compliant but probably not an issue. I saw 5 or 6 puck lights installed with telephone wire . House is still there after 20 years and the lights are also.

What type of wire do you (or would you) use for this application?

How do you (or would you) route it in an existing home?

 

[PetrosA]

What brand(s) & model(s) of LED tape lights do you use? Where do you get it? Most of what I've been looking at is 12VDC. I haven't installed any of this stuff yet, and I am a little worried about voltage drop. I don't know where to find the 24V stuff yet

Or what to look for...or look out for...in purchasing & installing these LED tape lights & power supplies.

What kind of wire do you use for the 24V wiring?

I'm looking at installing (adding) the undercabinet lighting mostly in existing homes...Do you usually run the 24V wiring through the walls, or down the inside corner of the cabinet?

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge!

I've used WAC brand Pro series which snaps together with good results, and I've used DiodeLED which need to be soldered, also with good results. The WAC Pro series seems to have better color than the DiodeLED to me, but customers have been happy with both. A soldered system will be more customizable than one that has to use connectors between sections, so they work better with lots of angled cabinet runs or when you need to do both under and in cabinet lights. You need a good soldering iron with a tapered tip for this work and I'm partial to liquid flux.

I generally use 16/2 CL2 or CL3 speaker wire. It's easier to solder than 18/2 solid for me. How you run the wires is up to you once you are using a Class 2 transformer and wiring since you can take it anywhere that regular wiring would go.

 

[tx2step]

I've used WAC brand Pro series which snaps together with good results, and I've used DiodeLED which need to be soldered, also with good results. The WAC Pro series seems to have better color than the DiodeLED to me, but customers have been happy with both. A soldered system will be more customizable than one that has to use connectors between sections, so they work better with lots of angled cabinet runs or when you need to do both under and in cabinet lights. You need a good soldering iron with a tapered tip for this work and I'm partial to liquid flux.

I generally use 16/2 CL2 or CL3 speaker wire. It's easier to solder than 18/2 solid for me. How you run the wires is up to you once you are using a Class 2 transformer and wiring since you can take it anywhere that regular wiring would go.

Good info! Thanks!

The house I'm looking at right now, I plan to put the power supply above the cabinets. There's no space between or behind the cabinets to run the wire through, and it has a tile blacksplash. Is there any code reason not to run the wire open down the inside corner of the cabinet (probably the front corner) and out the bottom to the UC LED's??? I can staple it into the corner, and there's virtually no way for anything that you'd put in the cabinet to hit it.

 

[PetrosA]

Good info! Thanks!

The house I'm looking at right now, I plan to put the power supply above the cabinets. There's no space between or behind the cabinets to run the wire through, and it has a tile blacksplash. Is there any code reason not to run the wire open down the inside corner of the cabinet (probably the front corner) and out the bottom to the UC LED's??? I can staple it into the corner, and there's virtually no way for anything that you'd put in the cabinet to hit it.

I've done that. It's a power limited circuit and most electronic power supplies will have a shutoff for overload/short, so even if the cable experiences a total failure the power should get cut off. If you're really worried about it, run the cable in some Ambiance track and notch the shelves.

 

[kwired]

Good info! Thanks!

The house I'm looking at right now, I plan to put the power supply above the cabinets. There's no space between or behind the cabinets to run the wire through, and it has a tile blacksplash. Is there any code reason not to run the wire open down the inside corner of the cabinet (probably the front corner) and out the bottom to the UC LED's??? I can staple it into the corner, and there's virtually no way for anything that you'd put in the cabinet to hit it.

I've done that as well. You never even notice it is there in most cases, and as PetrosA said it is typically a low energy system and isn't much of a hazard if the cable would get damaged.

 

[tx2step]

Thanks to both of you! I wanted to make sure there wasn't any code restriction that would prevent me running the LV wire through the cabinet when that's the most practical and cost effective method!!! I didn't know of any restriction...but that's why I asked the question here!

Thanks again!

 

[kwired]

Thanks to both of you! I wanted to make sure there wasn't any code restriction that would prevent me running the LV wire through the cabinet when that's the most practical and cost effective method!!! I didn't know of any restriction...but that's why I asked the question here!

Thanks again!

Worst case you need to provide it with some physical protection, though it shouldn't be much of a hazard if it is damaged

 

[johnmeto]

On the off chance that dimmers are fancied there is a duplex container intended to meet code that just permits an attachment with a mating indent to be embedded.

 

[GoldDigger]

On the off chance that dimmers are fancied there is a duplex container intended to meet code that just permits an attachment with a mating indent to be embedded.

How do you "fancy" a dimmer?
I am having a hard time understanding your post.