receptacle fed from a dimmer

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DaveBowden

Senior Member
Location
St Petersburg FL
I just ordered some LED under cabinet lights for a job and the dimmable drivers they have are "plug and play" style with a power cord to plug them in to a receptacle. I always thought it was a code violation to feed a receptacle from a dimmer switch due to the possibility of using the receptacle for something that shouldn't be on a dimmer.
Have I been wrong all these years?
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
I don't think you are.

Dimmable receptacle outlets should have a specific configuration.

JAP>
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Lutron makes dimmable receptables & you would have to change the plug on the trany. Are you sure the transformer is dimmable. I don't think I have ever seen one that came with a cord and plug.

Lutron-CAR-15-HDTR-WH-2.jpg
 

bwat

EE
Location
NC
Occupation
EE
I bought a house with a regular receptacle controlled by a dimmer. I don't know if I was more upset that my dip in the crockpot wasn't heating up properly and couldn't figure out why, or if it was because they did such a thing like this.
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
I just ordered some LED under cabinet lights for a job and the dimmable drivers they have are "plug and play" style with a power cord to plug them in to a receptacle.
Please clarify: Where is the dimming device? Do you plug the system into a standard receptacle, and is there a separate dimmer that is associated with the lighting components? Or do you plug the system into a receptacle that is itself controlled by a dimmer?
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Please clarify: Where is the dimming device? Do you plug the system into a standard receptacle, and is there a separate dimmer that is associated with the lighting components? Or do you plug the system into a receptacle that is itself controlled by a dimmer?
From post #5, looks like they are calling for a standard LED line voltage dimmer. They do say its UL listed, but I'm wondering if that listing covers dimming using a receptacle and wall switch?
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
There was an article in the Sept. 2014 EC Magazine on this :


I hope I didn't mis-interpret the OP's question.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I think this will take you there


Dave I would call the number on that site and ask them how they propose to dim this trany with a standard receptacle. If you have to change the male end then you void the listing and if you dim it then you violate the nec.

All the units I get are direct wired if they are dimmable. I am surprised to see this unless it has that odd male cap on the end.

I just check the other images and it is a standard male end.
 

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I'm guessing when the driver was submitted to UL is didn't have the cord. The manufacture/vendor added it later. Most items that have factory installed cords don't utilize 2-screw connectors to secure the cord.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
In my ever-so-humble opinion, a receptacle for lighting that is in an unusual location, such as inside or above a cabinet, can be a standard receptacle. When it can be taken for a GP receptacle, it should be clearly identified as not for general use or loads.
 

iwire64

Member
Location
US
406.15 requires receptacles controlled by dimmers to be a non-standard configuration.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
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