low voltage wire in walls

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mjac

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is it ok to run low voltage landscape light wire in walls for the installation of low voltage puck lights? the lv wire would be ran from the load side of the transformer to the puck light location. i am a little unclear on this matter as i have received conflicting info about this installation. i usually run romex for this but i was looking at another method.
 
mjac said:
is it ok to run low voltage landscape light wire in walls for the installation of low voltage puck lights? the lv wire would be ran from the load side of the transformer to the puck light location. i am a little unclear on this matter as i have received conflicting info about this installation. i usually run romex for this but i was looking at another method.
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Without specific info as to what the actual wiring method you are speaking of actually is, I can only say as to what I think you are saying... and my answer is most likely NO.

Landscape low voltage cable that I know is only listed for direct burial - it is stamped on the black 2-wire cable.

Take a look at 411.4. Depending on which version of the NEC you are referencing, you will most likely be restricted to a Chapter 3 wiring method.
 
JohnConnolly said:
I hope it's OK as we do it just about every day. Romex is to bulky.
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Well, it's not :grin:
Most puck lights can be either surface or recessed-- the problem is that when you recess them it usually means the wire is hidden, which is preferrable.
However, it is not legal to hide wire in the walls or cabinets if the wire is not recognized in Chapter 3.
Now, if you use romex how do you terminate the wire at the light. The connections must be in a jb unless it is exposed. There is no legitimate way to wire the pucks and conceal them. At least not the ones I have been using.
I have pretty much gone away from the pucks unless the customer will allow the surface mounting with exposed wiring.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Now, if you use romex how do you terminate the wire at the light. The connections must be in a jb unless it is exposed.
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I'd mention 300.15(B), but it likely does not apply to the products in question.

There is no legitimate way to wire the pucks and conceal them. At least not the ones I have been using.
I have pretty much gone away from the pucks unless the customer will allow the surface mounting with exposed wiring.
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That's a pretty smart course of action. I pretty much started actively unselling people on pucks when real lights could be used, once I discovered that I'd been trained to install them illegally.

A quick look at the instructions that come with most puck lights by the AHJs and enforcement of their instructions would likely result in an equally quick drop in their sales - they're not designed to be installed as they normally are.

There are some I've seen with a real enclosure that mounts under the cabinet and has surface-run cord to the pucks, that have a special cord and plug. These can be installed with minimal visibility under a cabinet (as their instructions call for).

All things being equal, there is better light to be had with a fluorescent or xenon 12" undercabinet light than a puck can offer, safer. Small recessed cans can be installed in decorative niches, safer. Pucks ought to be taken off the market, IMO. There's probably one in ten that's installed per it's listing, and I don't think many people think twice about it.

Besides that, they're hard on us to install. :)
 
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