@ GF's place... renter just moved out... post light has never worked.

After his stuff was all moved out I went into his room to tighten some stuff up and found this... 24VAC transformer screwed to wall, with some UF running out to the post light. 2x 12V bulbs in the post light through a photocell, apparently in series. Plug the transformer in, it works fine.

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:09:48 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

@ GF's place... renter just moved out... post light has never worked.

After his stuff was all moved out I went into his room to tighten some stuff up and found this... 24VAC transformer screwed to wall, with some UF running out to the post light. 2x 12V bulbs in the post light through a photocell, apparently in series. Plug the transformer in, it works fine.

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg

I don't see anything illegal about it as long as the 120 VAC
connection to the transformer is safe. I can't tell from the picture.
It is certainly not pretty and I can see why you don't want it there.
Is there another place to mount the transformer? A basement under
that room for example? Or maybe a low voltage outdoor transformer and
change the bulbs to the appropriate voltage.

Pat

What have the neighbors done??? That would be a starting point for me.

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:09:48 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg

I agree about not liking the "mess". Can you find where the post
wires enter the house: perhaps relocate the transformer and mount it
in a recessed electrical box...

Sample:

http://s3.supplyhouse.com/images/products/zoom/009k-2.jpg

On 10/20/2014 10:46 AM, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:09:48 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg

I agree about not liking the "mess". Can you find where the post
wires enter the house: perhaps relocate the transformer and mount it
in a recessed electrical box...

Sample:

http://s3.supplyhouse.com/images/products/zoom/009k-2.jpg




Good suggestion. The transformer looks like an approved door bell
transformer which should be safe. They are usually installed in the
basement and mounted on a junction box with the low voltage side not
enclosed.

that *is* where the cable enters the house... that's an exterior wall on the lowest level, underneath a bay window.

in an ideal world I'd move the xfmr into the laundry, but that would involve drywall repair...

I don't know if that wall is deep enough for a JB big enough to hold the xfmr or if a 2 or 3 gang box would hold it...

nate

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:44:28 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

that *is* where the cable enters the house... that's an exterior wall on the lowest level, underneath a bay window.

in an ideal world I'd move the xfmr into the laundry, but that would involve drywall repair...

I don't know if that wall is deep enough for a JB big enough to hold the xfmr or if a 2 or 3 gang box would hold it...

nate

As Robert suggested: "What have the neighbors done???"

IMHO, something doesn't look right - too ugly with wires coming out
the wall just above the baseboard, fugly-ugly and could have been done
better. Good luck!

Oh. Drywall repair in this case, ought to be easy.

On Monday, October 20, 2014 3:58:21 PM UTC-4, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:44:28 -0700 (PDT), N8N

wrote:



that *is* where the cable enters the house... that's an exterior wall on the lowest level, underneath a bay window.



in an ideal world I'd move the xfmr into the laundry, but that would involve drywall repair...



I don't know if that wall is deep enough for a JB big enough to hold the xfmr or if a 2 or 3 gang box would hold it...



nate



As Robert suggested: "What have the neighbors done???"



IMHO, something doesn't look right - too ugly with wires coming out

the wall just above the baseboard, fugly-ugly and could have been done

better. Good luck!



Oh. Drywall repair in this case, ought to be easy.

Haven't looked in any of the neighbors' houses, but as I said, they all appear to have similar LV post lights so probably same builder (row houses anyway)

yeah, it's just heinous. And I'm trying to avoid too much drywall repair unless/until someone decides to paint that room, in which case I'll probably be volunteered to help, which I'm trying to avoid...

nate

Perhaps you can get a wall-wart w. right voltage and current capacity.
Here's a 24v 3/4 Amp unit to give you an idea
http://amzn.to/1puOd7u

It would be a lot neater and you can put the low side into a bit of
plastic wiremold raceway.

On 10/20/2014 12:58 PM, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:44:28 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

that *is* where the cable enters the house... that's an exterior wall on the lowest level, underneath a bay window.

in an ideal world I'd move the xfmr into the laundry, but that would involve drywall repair...

I don't know if that wall is deep enough for a JB big enough to hold the xfmr or if a 2 or 3 gang box would hold it...

nate

As Robert suggested: "What have the neighbors done???"

IMHO, something doesn't look right - too ugly with wires coming out
the wall just above the baseboard, fugly-ugly and could have been done
better. Good luck!

Oh. Drywall repair in this case, ought to be easy.

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 13:39:40 -0700, Bennett
wrote:

Perhaps you can get a wall-wart w. right voltage and current capacity.
Here's a 24v 3/4 Amp unit to give you an idea
http://amzn.to/1puOd7u


OP doesn't need a "Sprinkler System Power Source Transformer" is my
best guess. He wants to fix ugly in a room. Hide it and not use a
wall wart?

N8N wrote:
@ GF's place... renter just moved out... post light has never worked.

After his stuff was all moved out I went into his room to tighten some stuff up and found this... 24VAC transformer screwed to wall, with some UF running out to the post light. 2x 12V bulbs in the post light through a photocell, apparently in series. Plug the transformer in, it works fine.

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg

Hi,
You can install solar powered LED light with day/night sensor. In our
city all street lighting will be that way soon.

@ GF's place... renter just moved out... post light has never worked.

After his stuff was all moved out I went into his room to tighten some stuff up and found this... 24VAC transformer screwed to wall, with some UF running out to the post light. 2x 12V bulbs in the post light through a photocell, apparently in series. Plug the transformer in, it works fine.

How do I make this mess "right?" I don't like the exposed transformer especially with the cord and plug, is that even legal?

I suspect that this actually is original to the house/development as all houses on the street have similar looking post lights, but seriously, WTF? any ideas greatly appreciated.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyxnuirl.jpg



*I never encountered this situation. Assuming that the post light was originally installed for low voltage use, a good landscape lighting transformer should suffice and be safe. Get one with multiple taps to compensate for voltage drop. It would have to be surface mounted and in your case I have no idea where to put it without more information and photos.

John Grabowski
http://www.MrElectrician.TV

That is truly awful.

Is there any better place to penetrate the wall and put the feed wire through? It really isn't that hard to drill a wall. The cable guys do it all the time.

If not, sigh, maybe mount the transformer up at the ceiling interface and hide the wires in surface mount raceway. At least it would look like a pro had been consulted.

I'm not crazy about a plug connection, either. Aren't these supposed to be hardwired?