Hi all,

A friend just purchased a low-voltage track lighting system. The
system itself is rated for 105W (5 MR16 halogen fixtures rated at 20W).
There is a 'hub' which needs to be connected to 120V 60Hz AC. The
plan is to use an existing (already wired) ceiling box to connect the
hub to main power.

My friend lives in an older home, and the wiring is not the modern
plastic-covered type. The hub has a sticker indicating that it should
be connected using wires rated for at least 75 degrees Celsius...I am
assuming that the existing wiring is *not* rated for that temperature.
The question: is it safe to connect the hub to this older junction box?

As I see it, the lights themselves will draw just over 8A, which can
account for quite a bit of heat....BUT this heat is on the 12V line,
not the main line. Assuming the hub conversion from 120AC to 12V DC is
reasonably efficient, the amperage on the main line should be quite low
(not much more than running a standard 100W bulb)....i.e. this should
not be a "too-much-current" issue, but simply a heating issue.

If connecting the hub directly to the existing junction box is a bad
idea, does is sound reasonable to install the hub to a new junction box
(maybe a couple of feet away from the old one), and run new (temp
rated) wiring from the old box to the new?

Thanks for your feedback,
Dave

A question for Tom Horne if ever there was one.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

A friend just purchased a low-voltage track lighting system. The
system itself is rated for 105W (5 MR16 halogen fixtures rated at 20W).
There is a 'hub' which needs to be connected to 120V 60Hz AC. The
plan is to use an existing (already wired) ceiling box to connect the
hub to main power.

My friend lives in an older home, and the wiring is not the modern
plastic-covered type. The hub has a sticker indicating that it should`
be connected using wires rated for at least 75 degrees Celsius...I am
assuming that the existing wiring is *not* rated for that temperature.
The question: is it safe to connect the hub to this older junction box?

As I see it, the lights themselves will draw just over 8A, which can
account for quite a bit of heat....BUT this heat is on the 12V line,
not the main line. Assuming the hub conversion from 120AC to 12V DC is
reasonably efficient, the amperage on the main line should be quite low
(not much more than running a standard 100W bulb)....i.e. this should
not be a "too-much-current" issue, but simply a heating issue.

If connecting the hub directly to the existing junction box is a bad
idea, does is sound reasonable to install the hub to a new junction box
(maybe a couple of feet away from the old one), and run new (temp
rated) wiring from the old box to the new?

Thanks for your feedback,
Dave

Knob and tube was considered 60 degrees.
If the transformers are in the fixtures I would not worry about it. IE they
can cool by convection