# LED Drivers



## Kunolop (Feb 9, 2013)

We have been asked to install flexible LED strip lights for under cabinet lights in new homes. These lights come on a roll and you cut them to the desired length on site, you have to purchase the small wiring harness to feed it and a driver. You can buy the plug in type, or the hard wire type. I would not accept the plug in type for my house so I want to install the hard wire type. The Model # is LPV-20-24 and if take a look at it, it's just a bare driver. I am thinking that everyone just throws this in a junction box and that is it but this doesn't seem right to me and the more I read into the code book the more it seems wrong. My question is what is everyone else doing with this install, and is there a better way or manufacturer. Thanks.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

they make class 2 w/cord and plug, which I prefer, if there's room on the top of the cabinets. allows heat to dissipate as well, and they come in styles with built in overload protection, as well as wet location. I've put the hard wired ones inside the base cabinets in showrooms, but I dislike for homeowner.


just my 02


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

Some of those hardwired drivers have a junction area where the leads can be removed and a piece of romex can be inserted for hardwiring. Very small junction area but it's ul listed for it.


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## Kiknads (Nov 30, 2012)

I see the drivers quite often in the joists under the kitchen plugged into switched outlets


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

We usually pick a base cabinet down low and occupy some space for this type of application. Usually it doesn't take up much room and a few weeks after the HO fills it with crap they forget about it.

90% of the homes we do have a finished basement ^^^^


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## Kunolop (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks guys, I found these drivers from Liteline Lighting but a double the price as the other drivers.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

Kunolop said:


> Thanks guys, I found these drivers from Liteline Lighting but a double the price as the other drivers.


Hell no. Home depot sells a driver online from Armacost. Good driver and it's fairly cheap. $35 bucks for the driver (the hard wire type), the tape is the kind you can cut and solder, (which I prefer) no need to buy a couple hundred dollars worth of connectors and leads. We just use 18-2 thermostat wire for all of our wiring them cut to fit and solder on site. :thumbsup: Btw, we always try to put the drivers on the top of the upper cabinets. That way the homeowner won't destroy them accidentally with pots and pans.


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## 120/208 (Nov 18, 2012)

We have been using this company for LED strip lighting and using the drivers they provide.

http://www.diodeled.com


You can get the drivers in a dimmable version and they seem to work good for the applications we used them for such as cove lighting, under cabinet lighting, toe kick lighting.


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## Handy (Nov 17, 2012)

This is all we do for lighting like this. Use thermostat cable and butt Splices. You can cut the cords and use them that way. In line dimmer switches are available too.. Pretty amazing stuff


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