Electrical question/puck lights

[rnt80]

I'm wrapping up a large built in that has 7 puck lights in it.  I use these from HD http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-6-Light-Silver-Under-Cabinet-Xenon-Puck-Light-Kit-EC1333SV/203101595?cm_mmc=shopping-_-bingpa-_-27-_-203101595&ci_src=328768002&ci_sku=203101595

The customer had an extra outlet installed in the ceiling that is wired to a switch in the wall so that I don't have to install the dimmer/switch anywhere in the built in.  However, when I turn the lights off with the wall switch and then flip the switch back on the lights don't come on.  I have to turn them back on with the dimmer/switch.  How do I get around this?  I don't do any electrical work outside of plugging things in so I'm a novice when it comes to this.  Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tjbnwi]

I would try the lights without the supplied dimmer plugged in to the supplied outlet strip. See if that corrects the problem. If it does, install a dimmer in the wall box instead of a switch.

If the above does not correct the problem remove the supplied outlet strip, install a conventional outlet strip. You would still need a dimmer in the wall.

One other thing, quit using these puck lights. So many better options.

Tom

 

[Thunderchyld]

I'm familiar with the puck lights you're using, the problem is in their dimmer.  Not sure why, but the dimmer defaults to power off when plugged in.  Might be a safety feature, but as you found, it can be annoying.  Probably not a bad thing, the xenon bulbs get really hot.

My solution probably isn't the one you'd like to hear.  I'd switch to one of the LED puck lights made by Hafele or Loox.  They look better, perform better, and they have the advantage of not getting hot enough to light a cig off the lens. 

Then there's also the bulb factor.  The G8 bulbs used by the HB fixture are supposed to last 2,000 hours.  I've never seen one last anywhere close to that long.  I'd say maybe 500 hours, if installed correctly.  If installed incorrectly, they usually burn out in a week because the bulb gets hot spots.  Xenon and halogen have issues if you leave skin oils on the bulbs. Correct install procedure is to hold the bulb with tissue or a soft cloth.  The procedure we used for movie projector bulbs was to wear white cotton gloves over nitrile gloves while installing bulbs and we also had to clean the new bulb with 91% isopropyl alcohol.  Admittedly a much larger bulb, an oil hot spot would cause one of those 7,500 w buggers to explode with some force within minutes of turning it back on, but the mechanics of the hot spot are the same.  The hot spot causes the bulb to lose containment because the glass does not expand consistently.  Essentially, the place where the oil spot is heats up much faster than the rest of the bulb, causing weak spots.  In a smaller bulb, it tends not to shatter as the stress isn't great enough.

 

[tiralie]

Then there's also the bulb factor.  The G8 bulbs used by the HB fixture are supposed to last 2,000 hours.  I've never seen one last anywhere close to that long.  I'd say maybe 500 hours, if installed correctly.  If installed incorrectly, they usually burn out in a week because the bulb gets hot spots.  Xenon and halogen have issues if you leave skin oils on the bulbs. Correct install procedure is to hold the bulb with tissue or a soft cloth.  The procedure we used for movie projector bulbs was to wear white cotton gloves over nitrile gloves while installing bulbs and we also had to clean the new bulb with 91% isopropyl alcohol.  Admittedly a much larger bulb, an oil hot spot would cause one of those 7,500 w buggers to explode with some force within minutes of turning it back on, but the mechanics of the hot spot are the same.  The hot spot causes the bulb to lose containment because the glass does not expand consistently.  Essentially, the place where the oil spot is heats up much faster than the rest of the bulb, causing weak spots.  In a smaller bulb, it tends not to shatter as the stress isn't great enough.

Great explanation.
Thanks for that.
BTW, if you haven't been already, welcome to the FOG.
Tim

 

[Sparktrician]

Essentially, the place where the oil spot is heats up much faster than the rest of the bulb, causing weak spots.  In a smaller bulb, it tends not to shatter as the stress isn't great enough.

Almost, but not completely true.  The oils in one's fingers leave fingerprints on the bulb.  When the bulb gets hot, the oils in the fingerprints hold the heat so it dissipates at a lesser rate than areas of clean glass.  The heat differential causes the glass in the area of the fingerprints to expand at a higher rate than the rest of the clean glass, causing the glass to break/shatter.  It isn't due to inherent weak spots which would have been caught in the manufacturing process.  One of my jobs in the military was repairing and running projectors.  We often had projectors come in with shattered bulbs due to some deck ape attempting to change the bulb with bare hands.  Inevitably we would find fingerprints on the glass remains of the bulb.  We were not allowed to bring alcohol in any form onto the ship, so we had to get the XO's approval to draw grain alcohol in minuscule quantities from the sick bay to clean projector bulbs as well as heat alarm sensors and salinity sensors throughout the ship.  It's the same process for cleaning as we now use to clean halogen headlight bulbs before installation in the vehicles. 

 

[rnt80]

I'll use done different lights on the next job...which means I'll have to make a new jig to route out the holes
I ended up just plugging the lights into the outlet directly and it worked fine.  I'm almost five with the job - drawer boxes (the fronts are done), the top trim piece, and the center piece of ply for the tv and that'll be it.

 

[tjbnwi]

Looks very nice Russ.

There are a lot of options for the lights, maybe its a discussion that we (we as in all of us) should have.

I like glass shelves when the units are top lit.

Tom

 

[builderbob]

Cabinetry looks awesome! Is there clear glass going in the lower cabinets with the 4 mullion doors?

 

[rnt80]

Thanks. I like glass shelves as well but the customer didn't want them.  I usually do wood framed glass shelves with a unit like this.  The doors already have glass in them.  They were originally supposed to just be flat panels but then they decided to go with glass.

 

[tiralie]

Yes, looks really good in that space.
How did you resolve your "paint stripe-ing" problem?
Tim

 

[iamnothim]

I used these Tresco Pucks and I love them
They are 120V.  No transformer required
They can be chained together using their lamp cord cables with modular ends.
The come with a modular cable with a plug on one end.
They can be flush or surface mounted.
The can be dimmed at the wall.
They are bright.

I used them in my laundry room.

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