Hey all,
I’m in the process of building a set of built-in bookcases. Wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling; about 12′ wide and 9′ tall. It’s divided into to four sections, each about 3′ wide. I want to add lighting in the top shining down on the bookcases. Probably 6 lights total. I’ve already been convinced by advice on this site to use Xenon intead of Halogen but I have some questions about the actual installation.
How much modifcation can be made to the wiring that comes with the transformers and the lights themselves? The outlet that I’m going to be plugging into is near the floor and I have to get the transformer(s) up to the top of the unit (9′).
From the transformer, I have to connect the lights but the cords they give are usually just 2′ long. Can these be cut and spliced? If so how long can the splices be?
thanks
Joe
Replies
Since you are building the bookcases in, couldn't you extend the wiring and make the existing outlet a junction box and put a new outlet up closer to where you need it? I'd think that would be easier and better than messing with splicing the wires to the lights.
I'm not in a position to move the outlets and I assume this is commonly done without moving them. How do I go about doing it?“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
Sorry, I can't help you there. I guess I'd do surface mounted wiremold, whatever they call it, and get as close to the lights as I could that way. Others here are electricians and can give you better advice. I'm sort of shy about transformers and so forth--don't know much about them.
Why not simply use an extension cord from the outlet? We're talking about very low wattages so just about anything you do will be reasonable.
12 volt lighting, right?
You'll need a terminal block mounted behind the trim on the TOP of the cabinet to connect the leads from each light. If you are concerned about hidden connections then you could mount a shallow electrical box to open into the top of the cabinet and put the terminal block in there and use a cover painted or stained to match the woodwork.
When you have the leads from your lights connected to the block, attach a single lead to the commons on the block and run it down to the bottom of the cabinet (in the back) and come in at a convenient point where you will mount the transformer. If you are lucky there will be an outlet on the wall where the cabinet set is going and you can extend that box into the cabinet and then plug the transformer into that.
You have any number of fixture styles to choose from. I would use the inset type that requires a mounting hole so you don't have the housing hanging down into the cabinet.
This is what I would like to use...
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Xenon Low Voltage Ultra-Slim Lights
http://www.pegasusassociates.com/XenonSlimCabinetLight.jsp
I'm not too worried about the connections, I could always take off the top crown if something failed. There are two outlets behind the cabinet that I'm going to have to account for that I could plug into. I would like to avoid running any new wiring (everything has to be in conduit around here - no Romex allowed)
Extension cords would be Ok to reach from the wall outlet up to the transformer?
thanks for the help
Joe
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
<<Extension cords would be Ok to reach from the wall outlet up to the transformer?>>
You got that backwards.
You put the transformer next to the outlet and then run your low voltage supply wire up to your fixtures or to the distribution block. Some transformers don't have a pigtail plug, the whole unit just mounts directly onto the outlet.