LED Undercabinet Lighting wired with Cat5 Cable (opinions please)?

Is this an issue? Please answer as if it were your house.

  • Not an issue - I wouldn't worry about it.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Could be an issue, but I'd leave it as is.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Probably an issue, but I wouldn't tear up the kitchen to rewire it.

    Votes: 1 20.0%

  • I would probably put multiple Class 2 supplies on the 3 separate cables

    Votes: 2 40.0%

  • I wouldn't sleep one night without correcting it fully to Code.

    Votes: 2 40.0%
  • Total voters
    5
busman

busman

Senior Member
Location
Northern Virginia
Occupation
Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
All,

Doing this for a customer of mine (also a friend). Anyway, they called me the other day because LED UC lights were flickering. I get there and find a power supply that is NOT class 2 or class 3. From memory, I want to say the driver had a maximum output of 16A at 12V. Anyway, the wiring (I couldn't get a look at the sheathing) looks exactly like Cat5 cable and the ends where it is connected (see photo) are Green and Green/White indicating that it is almost certainly a pair from Cat5 (photo shows the splice to the LED light). There are three separate cables at the power supply, so one option might be to get three Class 2 power supplies and put one on each cable (I don't know the wattage of each light yet). Replacing the cables would basically mean demolishing the kitchen. Tile backsplash and no real access from above or below.

Anyway, I told the customer I would poll for your opinions on here without coloring the response in any way with my own opinions.

I have more work than I can take on, so your answers will NOT eat into my paychecks, so be brutally honest please as I know this crowd always is.

Thanks again for taking a second to help with this.

Mark
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0920.jpeg
    IMG_0920.jpeg
    576.1 KB · Views: 33
Last edited:
infinity said:
If it's actually CAT 5 I would rip it all out and use the correct CL2 or CL3 listed cable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick reply. I edited my post slightly to indicate that rewiring would basically mean demolishing the kitchen as the cables are buried behind walls with cabinets and tile backsplash. Sorry I didn't get that in up front.
 
busman said:
rewiring would basically mean demolishing the kitchen as the cables are buried behind walls with cabinets and tile backsplash.
Click to expand...
That wouldn't change my opinion. The CAT 5 needs to be removed how that's accomplished is not really your problem. Another option if they don't want to bust anything open is just eliminate the under cabinet lights altogether.
 
I might try pulling the wire to see if it's loose. Many times I find class 2 wires just hanging in there. No clamping.
I once found a t'stat wires powering florescent lights in a house I bought.
 
Joe.B said:
How about an option to remove, but not replace? I'm lazy... ;)
Click to expand...
Homeowners do not want to consider getting rid of the lights. Seeing the other lighting in their kitchen, I understand why. It would be like a dungeon on their countertops without them. Thank you for replying.
 
DooWop said:
I might try pulling the wire to see if it's loose. Many times I find class 2 wires just hanging in there. No clamping.
I once found a t'stat wires powering florescent lights in a house I bought.
Click to expand...

I thought about using the old wires to pull the new ones in. They are completely stapled in the walls. Thank you for replying.
 
Well, you could parallel the four pairs to make one pair: W/B & BL/W & W/OR & OR/WH twisted together. Then W/GN & GN/WH with W/BR & BR/W. Don't know what 4 #24s equal but I bet it's close to #18.

Though you still have a CL2 cable.

-Hal
 
How easy is it to ignore the existing wiring and do it over? I ran mine as a retrofit through the cupboards running vertically in the corners. Put a CL2 supply in the cabinet over the microwave since there is a receptacle there. Crossing over to cabinets on the opposite side could be tougher, but maybe see if you can just put a power supply there too.
 
It would be good to see what's on the jacket. A lot of Cat5 is CL2 rated. It would be good to know the wire gauge. There is a standard called Power Over Ethernet that supplies DC over Cat5 or Cat3 to power devices like phones and cameras. How many watts are these LED strips using?
 
tthh said:
It would be good to see what's on the jacket. A lot of Cat5 is CL2 rated. It would be good to know the wire gauge. There is a standard called Power Over Ethernet that supplies DC over Cat5 or Cat3 to power devices like phones and cameras. How many watts are these LED strips using?
Click to expand...

This. Before fighting about ripping out Cat5 cable to replace it with CL2 cable, maybe it was CL2 cable in the first place.

Next: There are POE strip lights available that are designed to work with CL2 rated Cat5 cable in the first place. So maybe replace the flickering leds with new leds specifically designed for the cable in place.
 
I want to see these "power supplies". I think the OP needs a good read on POE, then see if that is what is going on, or a hack job. By hack, I mean low voltage, none POE. The POE standard keeps getting pushed. POE+, POE++, etc. Mow powa baby! More volts and more parallel conductors to get there.

I would be reaching for legit POE injectors with proper terminations. Common sense would indicate you can easily get the power needs of UC lighting met with this method.

Now, the lights are flickering so is that a light or PSU issue? If cheap PSU, could be AC getting on the DC rail. But we also have lights built to accept AC, so there is that.....

More info needed.
 
fastline said:
I want to see these "power supplies". I think the OP needs a good read on POE, then see if that is what is going on, or a hack job. By hack, I mean low voltage, none POE. The POE standard keeps getting pushed. POE+, POE++, etc. Mow powa baby! More volts and more parallel conductors to get there.

I would be reaching for legit POE injectors with proper terminations. Common sense would indicate you can easily get the power needs of UC lighting met with this method.

Now, the lights are flickering so is that a light or PSU issue? If cheap PSU, could be AC getting on the DC rail. But we also have lights built to accept AC, so there is that.....

More info needed. att I know all about PoE; I have a Lorex PoE Camera system all over my home and garage.
Click to expand...
New photos just came in from the HO. I do know about PoE (my home camera system is Lorex PoE), but not a super expert. Clearly that PS is NOT class 2. Seeing the wiring, could I change this to one or more CL2 power supplies and be Code legal? It's pretty obvious there are other violations such as the Primary and Secondary of that driver in the same 1900 box.

Thanks again.

Mark

1763495903846.png1763497440415.png
Mark
 
I use 18-2 fire alarm 120v rating cable for undercabinet. It bends well and stays put, no sag. Solid core wire. CAT5 is rated for 5 volt. I would pull it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top