I would like to install LED under counter LED strip lighting and LED recessed swivel spotlights in my kitchen and I am getting confused on how to accomplish this. Perhaps someone can point me in the right direction, or perhaps recommend another forum that can help.
I would like to install about 15 feet of LED strip lighting under my kitchen cabinets, and because I have some counter space that have no cabinets over them, I would like to combine the strip lighting with five or six LED recessed swivel spotlights in the ceiling above.
I can’t use pendant lights because a large section of counter is overhung with a large (and loaded) suspended pot rack, so in order to light that section of counter, I have to offset the recessed fixtures and aim them at an angle (hence the swivel).
I would like to control ALL from one dimmer. This is important because I don’t want to cut drywall for more than one switch/dimmer, and I don’t need multiple lighting zones.
Is this possible?
I can perform the wiring - either line voltage or low voltage, but most of the recessed ceiling lighting fixtures that I see on Amazon seems to be designed to run on line (120V) voltage, and all of the strip lights seem to be designed to be dimmed after the DC transformer. It looks like I can’t turn on, off or (especially) dim from a single control.
Check out lights for RVs. There are plenty of recessed fixtures, I’m not sure about swivel versions. Most are 12 volt, but I have seen other voltages up to 30, I have no idea why.
If you can’t get good answers here. as unlikely as that might seem, check out Candle Power Forums candlepowerforums.com to connect with experts and enthusiasts in the lighting field. There’s a sub forum that covers what you’re interested in.
Would this Leviton universal dimmer work? That webpage links to a list of LED fixture it’s compatible with. Are the products you’re looking at on the list?
I think that will control the recessed spots that are wired directly to AC/line voltage, but what will the DC/12V transformer for the strip lighting behave? Is this how strip lights are normally dimmed?
I don’t know but Leviton makes complex lighting control systems, so they may have something that can control both your 120V spots and the 12V strip lights. I suggest you explore their site.
Tough to find LED systems that combine those different types.
You can get dedicated LED power supplies with various ratings, then look for lights of the same voltage range. Ceiling pots all seem to be A/C with built in supplies. But some puck type modules might fill the ceiling needs and hook into a master power supply.
Re: cutting drywall. It’s really no more trouble to cut a hole for a double box than a single one. I suspect you will find this easier to accomplish with two switches.
Since my original post, I’ve found that there are LED power supplies that are meant to be dimmed by a standard triac (Leviton, LUTRON, etc.) dimmer.
This makes what I want possible as I can take the output of the Leviton dimmer directly to the recessed lights, and also take a split from the Leviton dimmer to the strip power supply.
I am re-thinking the usefulness of controlling all from one dimmer, though. I’m starting to see that I may want to control both light sources separately.
I ran strip lighting on top of my kitchen cabinets with something similar to the Lee Valley Kit but powered it with the supplied wall wart. The remote makes it super easy to turn on-off or change colour for mood lighting and has a dimmer function as well, although it’s not as capable as using something like the leviton switch.