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

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reset514

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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.
 
your saying your wanting to replace the cover, remove the transformer and change to differnt voltage lamps? I sounds like its time to buy a differnt light fixture, I wouldnt want the liability of messing with the U.L. listing of the fixture.
 
I understand as to why not to mess with it. What I was wanting to understand is why it needed to be done in the first place. I have noticed that there are smaller wires going down to the light, would that be it? Or are there other reasons also?


rest at ease, I don't do side jobs :)
 
reset514 said:
I understand as to why not to mess with it. What I was wanting to understand is why it needed to be done in the first place. I have noticed that there are smaller wires going down to the light, would that be it? Or are there other reasons also?


rest at ease, I don't do side jobs :)
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The fixture is approved for 12volts. That means the wire down to the socket is suitable for 12v but not necessarily 120 volts.

Also the 120V mr 16 bulbs are not the same as the 12v mr 16. The distance between the pins are different. You may be able to bend the pins but that is not compliant. I would not mess with a UL fixture.
 
reset514 said:
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.
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Actually, you do need to "get into" that. Why did you change the canopy, which formerly had room for the transformer, for one that doesn't? That, right there, was an extremely dumb idea. You caused your own problem.
 
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.
 
Little on the sensitive side eh? Come on man, understand that most of these guys have been around since copper was cheap. They simply asked you a few probing questions to try and figure our where you were coming from, to best respond to your question.

You can gain a lot of knowledge from these guys. :cool:
 
reset514 said:
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.
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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.
 
Yeah I love the drywall guys...They have trouble cutting properly for mud rings (if they don't just bury the darn things) but man they can hit every wire in the box with one of those rotozip tools
 
For some reason the dc lamps give off a specific color that designers love. And an average hh is 100-125, A lv hh is 165-175 so dont rock the boat OK?? I LOVE the color even though I am as color blind as my dogs.
 
It's not your job to fix the drywallers work. Put up the fixture and forget about the hole. Mention it to the general or homeowner and keep on going.
 
reset514 said:
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.
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That is an NEC violation and it should be fixed right.

See 314.21


Sorry for the silly question. I won't bother you guys again.
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It was not a silly question and if you bothered other members with it that is their own problem. ;)
 
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