What would be the reason for taking 120V to 12v in a light?

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reset514 said:
I have a pendant light for above the kitchen table. For reasons I won't get into, I had to change the cover, but it's not deep enough to cover the transformer that bumps the 120V down to 12V. Do I have to have this? What is the reasoning for doing this? There are bulbs that will fit this fixture that are made for 102V 35W. I hope I haven't overlooked the obvious.
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FYI, the 12v lamps usually have a longer lamp life .
 
The back plate is flush with the ceiling, the canopy covers the extra wire (for different heights for the light) and the transformer.

I appreciate everyones help. I have learned so much from these posts. Thanks a bunch!
 
reset514 said:
The back plate is flush with the ceiling, the canopy covers the extra wire (for different heights for the light) and the transformer.
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If there was a short circuit cold the sparks get into the ceiling space through the gap in the Sheetrock?

That is the issue.
 
SPARKS40 said:
I'd call the drywall guy back and ask him how long he's been in his trade that he can't properly cut in around a fixture box. You could have also used a small medallion to cover the imperfection.
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thats what he should do instead of screwing with the cover plate. just get a nice medallion. i got them in my house and they look fine. or get out the putty knife and some spackle and get to work :grin:
 
jrannis said:
If its your house, leave the cover off like we would.
If its a customers house...... QUIT DOING SIDE JOBS!!:D
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nothing wrong with side jobs as long as your employer is ok with it and you're not taking work away from him IMO
 
steelersman said:
nothing wrong with side jobs as long as your employer is ok with it and you're not taking work away from him IMO
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Nothing wrong with it as long as you are licensed as needed to do the work-- if a license is required. But, you are taking away work from another EC who may depend on small jobs to stay in business.
 
I will opt for the medalion, the only ones I have seen in the stores are the really big ones. I can find the smaller ones on line, unless someone has other places to get one about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
I am remodeling my kitchen, and it has taken twice as long and twice the money, as usual on any project. I really don't need the risks of doing a side jobs, especially since I have so much more to learn.
 
ivsenroute said:
I am just still wondering why this post is in the CEU section.
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Good point, it's now in the NEC forum.

Roger
 
reset514 said:
I will opt for the medalion, the only ones I have seen in the stores are the really big ones. I can find the smaller ones on line, unless someone has other places to get one about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
I am remodeling my kitchen, and it has taken twice as long and twice the money, as usual on any project. I really don't need the risks of doing a side jobs, especially since I have so much more to learn.
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i bought a smaller one at either HD or Lowes I don't remember now but I think it was approximately 10" diameter.
 
reset514 said:
Dennis, Thanks for explaining the details to me, it clears a lot up for me.

Celtic, I don't know what my journeyman thinks, I am laid off at the time and thought I would come here for a surrogate.

mdshunk, The drywall contractor left the lighting hole with a small 1/2 width, 1 1/2 inch long place that the cover didn't cover. So I went for just a little wider cover. (instead of calling the pleasant :confused: man back to the house) Out of trying to figure a solution, it just made me wonder why they do that in the first place.

By the second post I already knew not mess with it. But I was still curious as to why they do it that way.

Sorry for the silly question. I won't bother you guys again.
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Your not asking a silly question.You did go after the fix in wrong way.Drywall man needs to fix his problem not you.Never alter fixtures as this will end up biteing you.The hole needs fixed,and if it costs that drywall guy a 100 mile trip so be it.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Your not asking a silly question.You did go after the fix in wrong way.Drywall man needs to fix his problem not you.Never alter fixtures as this will end up biteing you.The hole needs fixed,and if it costs that drywall guy a 100 mile trip so be it.
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I wouldn't go so far as to say that if the drywall guy needs to drive 100 miles to do it then so be it because the carbon footprint that it would leave on the environment to drive that far isn't worth it. That's such a waste of fossil fuel for so little of a fix. Not worth it. The house won't burn down just because the hole in the ceiling is cut out a little too large. If a medallion isn't too much trouble then I'd do that or try to patch it myself. I understand that there should be no excuse for the drywall guy to have cut out the hole so big but if it saves you time and another trip out there then.....
 
One thing I didn't see mentioned was the fact that a lot of these LV fixtures are fed on the LV side with a coaxial cable which is uninsulated on the outside. This would make a 120 conversion a really bad idea.
 
steelersman said:
I wouldn't go so far as to say that if the drywall guy needs to drive 100 miles to do it then so be it because the carbon footprint that it would leave on the environment to drive that far isn't worth it. That's such a waste of fossil fuel for so little of a fix. Not worth it. The house won't burn down just because the hole in the ceiling is cut out a little too large. If a medallion isn't too much trouble then I'd do that or try to patch it myself. I understand that there should be no excuse for the drywall guy to have cut out the hole so big but if it saves you time and another trip out there then.....
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When has a drywall guy ever helped you ? I am paid to be an electrician not a patch man.You patch it then what ? Going back to paint it too ?What if you drop some compound on the new carpet or paint.Your insurance wont cover you.Your only makeing life harder on other electricians by not demanding him to do his job.I am guilty of cutting out a few boxes they miss but thats so i dont need come back.And if its more than a few i do backcharge.
 
reset514 said:
But I was still curious as to why they do it that way.

Sorry for the silly question. I won't bother you guys again.
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Not a silly question at all.

12 volt incandescent is a lot more efficient than 120 volt incandescent at household wattages, whether standard or halogen. It's also a lot easier to control the filament design at 12 volts, so for high-quality lighting they use 12 volt halogen to get a better light for less energy. However, once 12v halogen got trendy, a lot of cheap brands started putting out crap with 12v bulbs, so your light might or might not be superior. It's still more efficient though: If you set that 35w 12v bulb next to a 40w 120v bulb, you'll realize that the 12v bulb is throwing more light.
 
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