12V under cabinet lights.

[frankft2000]

I'm taking over a small project. They have a Juno transformer, and Juno track, but I have never installed low voltage lights before. My question is what do I use for secondary wire from the transformer in the basement, up to the track. It needs to be rated to go inside of walls. The end fitting is a Juno part # TL38WH if that helps.
Thanks

 

[360Youth]

My question is what do I use for secondary wire from the transformer in the basement, up to the track. It needs to be rated to go inside of walls.

The fisrt recommendation would be to call Juno. I installed some Seagull lighting the other day and everything had to be their wire. That being said, the last house I prewired for lv lights, having to rough wires in the walls, I ended up getting an 18awg plenum-rated t-stat wire. I jumped back and forth between articles and that was what I came up with. I did not have any inspections issues, but I do not know how closely it was looked at either. I am sure there will be for and against, but....

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Depending on what code cycle you are installing to.

In the 2005 NEC, there was a change. The change is not a blank check. See 411.4 and the reference to Art 725.
You will need to be able to understand how to reference Table 11(A) in Chapter 9 if you do not use a Chapter 3 wiring method. Also, do not forget to read the wording before the table and the notes to the table.

Mark Ode wrote a good article about this change In the UL page.

 

[tonyou812]

The fisrt recommendation would be to call Juno. I installed some Seagull lighting the other day and everything had to be their wire. That being said, the last house I prewired for lv lights, having to rough wires in the walls, I ended up getting an 18awg plenum-rated t-stat wire. I jumped back and forth between articles and that was what I came up with. I did not have any inspections issues, but I do not know how closely it was looked at either. I am sure there will be for and against, but....

18 awg ? how many amps?The last sea gull undercounter track I installed came with number 10

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Tstat wiring is not a permitted wiring method for lighting systems installed as per Art 411

 

[360Youth]

18 awg ? how many amps?The last sea gull undercounter track I installed came with number 10

That was not with the Seagull.

 

[220/221]

Romex................

 

[frankft2000]

These TL38 ends don't have a hole for romex connectors, I'm wondering what type of situation they are used for. The instructions that came with them do not pertain to the actual live ends. (The model numbers do not match up) I'm just wondering why would somebody go with low voltage lights if they still had to run romex to them, plus by the transformer.

 

[frankft2000]

The specs on the transformer say use only 10 or 12 gauge to connect the transformer output to the trac. Ok so it looks like you have to use romex, why not just install line voltage? And what is the juno part # TL38WH used for then? Any juno experts here? The supply house was no help.

 

[tonyou812]

For the seagull ambiance you have to use that #10 almost like a really thick lamp cord (no ground of course). And we started to get knocked down for using it in the walls. Since it only has one outer sheathing and you have to peel the two conductorsto get them apart if you need to. So we started to put it in smurf tube.
Then that wire lays in a track they supply you with (Of course). Its a great system only it takes a little longer to install than a zenon box. But it makes up for it in its flexibility and you can install it in cabinets and wall units. Great stuff intill you give them a price on it. But if money itsnt an issue then this would be my first choice. I think Kitchler makes a similar brand.

 

[tonyou812]

The specs on the transformer say use only 10 or 12 gauge to connect the transformer output to the trac. Ok so it looks like you have to use romex, why not just install line voltage? And what is the juno part # TL38WH used for then? Any juno experts here? The supply house was no help.

Romex? I dont think we are talking about the same product.

 

[frankft2000]

Well the romex would be instead of using the lamp cord and smurftube. How do you hide the smurftube when it comes out of the wall under the top cabinet?

 

[PCN]

The specs on the transformer say use only 10 or 12 gauge to connect the transformer output to the trac. Ok so it looks like you have to use romex, why not just install line voltage? And what is the juno part # TL38WH used for then? Any juno experts here? The supply house was no help.

Isn't there a little tab where you can snap out a section of the TL38 cover to install the wire?

I used that Trac 12 a few years ago and it took some improvising to get to work. You can get a TL34 which is a conduit end feed with a KO , probably more what you were expecting to see.
Check your TL 38 terminal size as well make sure you can fit #10.
Are you using those little 10w xenon lamps? They do a nice job.

 

[tonyou812]

well we didnt exactly pull the smurf tube through any hole. Never had a problem with it but I see what you are saying. I guess you could butt slice it with the romex but than Im sure your not using it to manufa spects.

 

[tonyou812]

but now that I think about it I dont think most of the inspectors even picked up on the fact that the big white wire coiled up on the stud was not 14/2. And they never bothered to say anything about the smurf tube not coming out of the wall when we did it that way.

 

[220/221]

In AZ, all line voltage commercial work is conduit. We did a low voltage lighting install a couple months ago in a hi rise and we racked our brains for about a half hour about what type of wire to use.

Oh yeah...romex. I remembered seeing it in a commercial building under construction years ago, feeding track lights. I thought "that aint right" and nosed around until I saw the remote transformers.

 

[frankft2000]

Isn't there a little tab where you can snap out a section of the TL38 cover to install the wire?

I used that Trac 12 a few years ago and it took some improvising to get to work. You can get a TL34 which is a conduit end feed with a KO , probably more what you were expecting to see.

Yes there is a tab, But that doesn't connect the wire to the live feed end like a romex connector would. I ordered the TL34's because I felt they did the job the right way.

 

[electricalperson]

i use this track all the time. i always run romex and just snip the egc off. just make sure your aware of voltage drop. smallest i use is 12 awg.

 

[Palmbay]

Juno also makes under cabinet transformers that are low profile. This gives you 120v at the location and Then you only need 12" of low voltage wire. Make sure you put an inline fuse in it. And don't go any lower than 12 with the wire size.

And remember VD.