We want to do low voltage cove lighting, using rope light.
The beginnings of runs will be in ceiling coves 7 feet off the floor, and the feeds are to be buried in walls up from the transformers, which will be surface mounted to exposed floor joists in the unfinished basement below.
We want no junction box between the xformers and the rope lights. Is this possible?
Look high and low to find and plug air leaks that cost you money and comfort.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
So far as I've ever been able to ascertain, NEC does not require low-voltage connections to be inside junction boxes. That is, you can run 12-volt cable through the walls and make your connection to the rope lights right at the rope.
Low voltage wiring connections don't need junction boxes (height means nothing). In fact, almost anything goes when installing low voltage wiring. That's why people who install low voltage wiring are usually poorly trained hacks. And that is something that I have seen time and time again. Just make sure that your 110 volt connection on your transformer is made inside an accessible junction box. Once your on the low voltage side of the transformer, hack it up like the rest of the low voltage world (ADT, cable, telephone, ect installers).
tell me your kidding!"lighting systems operating at 30 volts or less ""bare conductors shall not be installed less than 7ft. AFF unless specifically listed for a lower installation height"
"In fact, almost anything goes when installing low voltage wiring. "Tell me about it - I found some garage door wiring splices "insulated" with caulk - the yokel must have run out of wire nuts.One concern I have is the size of wires for low voltage lighting. Yes, it's only 12 volts, but if a feeder cord has 10A running through it, it had better be large enough gage to handle the current without excessive temperature rise in hot places like attics.
I've done a fair amount of emergency lighting in stores where the egress lighting is low voltage and I've always used 10 gauge wire for that type of situation.
what are you going to use for the feeds to the rope light?
Edited 8/31/2005 10:22 pm ET by maddog3
Likely the paired romex type cable. It is the connection that has me baffled. I don't know whether it can be done outside a junction box.
as long as the splices are not less than seven feet AFF no problem I mean to say, bare connections can be exposed at that height, unless specifically listed for a lower installation
Edited 9/1/2005 7:58 am ET by maddog3