DIYbanter - View Single Post - installing 15 amp cabinet lights into a 20 amp circuit

Don Y[_3_]

On 2/22/2016 7:33 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:47:54 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Monday, February 22, 2016 at 2:03:59 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 2/22/2016 11:53 AM, car13 wrote:
Hi, I want to install cabinet lights in my kitchen and I'm not sure if what
I want to do is safe (or code compliant).

The lights are an LED panel with a built in transformer, with bare leads
intended to be hardwired inside the wall, and a remote switch.

Is it ok to install these lights behind an existing 20 amp outlet? The only
input specs on the package are "120V". The output specs are "24V, max
14.7W"

Two different issues, here.

First, neither the lights nor the circuit will care. The circuit can
more than adequately supply the load. And, the lights don't care
where their ~15W of power come from (as long as there are no
YELLOW electrons involved! Damn pesky things... : )

But, your reference to "behind an existing 20A outlet" suggests you want
to hard-wire them to one of the two GFCI counter-top branch circuits
intended for use in a kitchen. There, you run afoul of code as you
are now installing a fixed load (albeit small) that defeats the
purpose of having "two 20A GFCI circuits for SMALL APPLIANCES"

[I.e., why not connect the refrigerator there, as well? Ans: don't!]

IDK exactly what "behind an existing 20A outlet really means", but as
far as the code goes, I think you probably have a point regarding code
and connecting it to one of the 20A appliance circuits, which are supposed
to be only for plug-in appliances. However, it
is perfectly safe and for just 14W worth of LED lights, I know what I'd do.....
Unless some other circuit is easily available, of course.

Trader is right about the code. I don't see a huge problem but it is
not really legal. If you have a general lighting circuit in there that
would be the one to use and you can even make a case that it is legal
on with the dish washer or disposal. Not the fridge

We ran a separate drop off the lighting circuit feeding a pair of
wall switches. The wall switches, in turn, feed two halves of a split
duplex receptacle located above the sink (behind the sconce -- if
that's what it's called?). There, installed a pair of power supplies
the outputs of which then are routed down through the walls to connect
to the under-cabinet light strips.

In this way, we can service the power supplies, adjust intensity, replace
them, etc. without having to worry about "will it physically fit" at
some future date. And, puts the switches controlling them in a comparable
place as the other light switches for the room.

[considered "remoting" the intensity control but figured we could
probably live with one setting. currently set for "workspace lighting",
i.e. bright. If we later decided we wanted to use them as a dim sort
of nightlight, we'd tweek that setting]