I was hoping someone can help me. I am installing 49′ of LED tape light for cove lighting in my den. The LED tape light will be in a continuous run along three walls, (15′,19′,15′). I am being told that I will need 2- 96 watt drivers(transformers) to handle the 49′ run. Each driver is said to have a 25′ capacity with the LED tape I am using.
The LED tape light is to be hard wired. I have one power source at the start of the 49′ run. My question is; If I need to split the run with 2 drivers, how do I get power to the second driver. Do I split the power with a junction box at the start of the run, and run the power to the second transformer or is there another way?
Hoping someone can help.
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It all depends.
Do you have the tech info for the tape and the power supplies?
Tape should have a spec for the maximum distance for one connection.
For longer runs, you can either run the 120 vac lines or low voltage DC lines.
Who is telling you about the needed transformer count? Higher capacity transformer/drivers are on the market.
I have attached the spec sheet for the LED Tape as well as the driver. Both the supplier and the manufacture said I need 2-96 watt drivers to cover the run.
Thanks for your response
You can use low voltage wiring to connect the driver to the more distant LED strip.
The spec says 20 gauge minimum, I would go with 18 gauge. two conductor in a jacket should do.
I would cut the run in half, and supply half the run from each transformer. That tape reel looks to be 24 ft long, not 25, so you can shorten the run at the corners, say, 14 ft 8 inches and two runs of 9 ft 4 inches on the longer wall. You can connect the transfomers at either end, at the cut middle of the long wall, or even at the corners.
They sell wire connectors for the tape ( could be in packs of ten), you will need four of them to handle the transitions at the corners (with some of the wire you get)
The secondary low voltage wire does not have to be in conduit, but the 120 volt primary should be. (or securely mounted to a box that is in the wall)
You probably can mount the transformers to each other and run the primary (120 volt) wires to one of them and connect to the other box, as long as you join the boxes at access holes. You could also use a similar connection to a properly installed metal electric box.
Something like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG62qwRnSqU
Will you have an electrician handle the wiring?
As an alternative, they sell a power supply and dimmer that installs in an electric box.
https://www.waclighting.com/product/led-driver-dimmer/
(you would need two of them for your planned lighting)
thanks so much for your response, great info. I plan on doing it myself.
Happy New Year!
I handled the power supply issue by using an LED driver/dimmer switch similar to the one below -saved me the challenge of how to hide the transformer and wire the switch
something to consider - I'd think about maybe have a switch at each wall/run or some variation -
good luck
Dimmer Switch with Integrated Driver for LED Tape Light, 60W, 24VDC
https://www.kitchenpowerpopups.com/products/diode-led_di-24v-se-60w
I used the WAC LED light tape system in my kitchen remodel. They have 90 degree connectors of different lengths and a good selection of lengths that you could connect to make up the individual runs for each wall, might make doing your runs easier.
I used the self stick option on the tape to the underside of the cabinets, as long as I cleaned the surface well, it stuck.