I am installing some L.V. puck lights on the bottom of some overhead kitchen cabinets. The receptacles for the plug-in xfmr's are located in the top interior of the cabinet. After looking at article 411 I realize I can not run the puck light leads into the wall cavity at the top of the cabinet and back out under the cabinet per 411.4. My question is how do you guy's hide this wiring mess and still meet NEC requirements?
Your right and this subject comes up a lot, NM is about the only option for you.
Bob
I drill a small hole at the front of the cabinet where it can be hidden by the cabinet stiles (sp?). So your wire is hidden at the front inside corner of the cabinet. Then just run it up to your plug-in transformer.
We use the kind that has the preformed connector, so it beats having to cut it and then re-splice it up top.
Also it makes it easier for the rough.... just rough your plug in and worry about the rest after cabinets are hung.
Why people still use these I will never understand.
Scott, I have installed probably 200 of the puck lights in my career. I have never had a problem with a single one of them so I am not sure I know what is the fuss all about. I have seen in other posts some conjecture about thier being cheaply constructed, but does anyone have hard data on the safety of said item?. P.S. There is a product called nice duct which is a plastic surface l.v. raceway that is about 3/8" wide and deep that has a hinged side so it is accesable. It comes in various colors. I buy it from ADI. It works well to cover the low voltage cable where it runs thru the cabinet , just don't try to run this type of cable into a wall or ceiling.
I used 110's on my last job with these.
I usually run the cords on the backside of the lip underneath the cabinets, and drill holes to pass the cords through between edges. Bring all the cords up into the cabinet with the controller/xformer.
But unless your cords are listed for in-wall, that, or possibly (if the cabinets are mounted on plates/boards on the wall) in the void behind them, but that's more for new work.
I have come across more than my fair share of pucks where the socket has been totally cooked and will not hold a lamp anymore. The look on the customers face is priceless when I tell them I cannot replace the puck because the installation does not meet code.(lamp cord through the walls) The lamps burn out rather quickly and they are installer unfreindly. They also do not produce a decent amount of light. There are far better choices available when it comes to undercabinet lighting.
Scott,
What do you recommend using for undercabinet lights?
I have run across different quality pucks, depending on manufacturer. The ones we get from our supplier (manufacturer escapes me at the moment), I think are good quality.
http://www.kichler.com/kichlercatalog.jsp Go to the "Cabinet Lighting" section
This is a good quality and dependable fixture. I have installed hundreds over the pst couple of years. I installed some in a kitchen showroom that run 6 days a week 8 am to 5 pm. They have been in for over two years and are still going strong! Very easy to install.
[This message has been edited by Electricmanscott (edited 04-11-2004).]
hey, thanks for the link. I'm going to look into those.
But let me ask, what would you use for a glass-door cabinet with glass shelves?
(I'll take a guess at the light sticks that mount to the stiles and run vertically)
In my area the undercabinet lights are usually fluorescent to meet the energy code but I frequently puck lights in upper cabinets. I use
Hera Lightings premium line and have never had a call back. They are made in Germany instead of China where most of the pucks are made but they are not cheap either. You can buy them in sets including the transformer or individually. As I remember they are about $25-$35 each.
Please don’t use the 120 volt pucks that one retailer now sells. They are not listed for recessed mounting or hard wiring. I have seen many failures of the same brands low voltage version of pucks.
Curt
I recommend
these task lights from NSL. They are extremely easy to install, usually less than 5 minutes.
Peter
I know we got off the original subject of the post, sorry. But I would like to cast a vote for the Ambiance series undercabinet lighting from Sea Gull Lighting
http://www.seagulllighting.com/pics/pdf/SpecSheet/9423.pdf . The are very low profile yet versitile and easy to install. The transformer can be installed under the sink base with the disposal or in the basement out of the way. But now after reading the above post, I wonder if I have been installing them correctly. There were times when I ran the wiring in the wall to feed one cabinet from another. The cable is a flat 10 awg. kind of looks like a fat lamp cord. The system is UL Listed.
Blessings. Mark
Inside cabinet with glass shelves I use a Juno 3" recessed light. This does stick up above the cabinet 5" or so which can be a problem to keep in mind. Peter also made a good call with the NSL undercabinet lights. I use them also. As for the Ambiance I have used that as well. Still a pain in the neck compared to an all in one fixture, and that wire can not be run in the wall.
We use symphony mini track by Contech,,,great product !!!!
Thanks for all the replies. Must admit I am weak on residential and these are going in my kitchen. Flourescent strips would have been fine with me. She Who Must Be Obeyed hates flourescent so that was out. I roughed for the recepts but now you have me thinking about going with alternative fixtures because I don't like the idea of wiring running vertical in the cabinets no matter how it's run.
These things are unreliable at best. The lamps wear out fast and the transformers that come with them seem to need replacement too often as well. A better option is the Juno track 12 system. Pricier but you only pay once for quality. I talk people out of the pucks and get them to go with the Juno regularly. It is also low voltage so has the same ease of installation, and no wiring spiderweb.
You can get it at most suppliers and I just saw that Lowes can order it. Check it out.
To answer Mark's question: The cord used with the Sea Gull Lighting Ambiance series undercabinet lighting is not rated for installation inside walls. If you look at the cord you will not find a UL symbol.
Bob