undercounter leds

11 years ago

My electrician is very hard to get hold of and it will be around six months before he will be able to work on our house again. (Real electricians are hard to come by where I live! it took us two years to find this one.)

So I need to buy the UCLs to have them ready for when he is ready to work in my kitchen.

He put in three switches on the wall. I am trying to figure out which lights will be wired to which switch. So here are the questions.

1. If there are two can lights over the sink, will one wall switch go to the two can lights? Or do can lights need their own switch?

If the sink lights only use one switch that leaves two switches for the under counter LEDs and in cabinet LEDs.

As you can see in the picture, the in cabinet and under cabinet lights are separated by the sink and rangetop.

2. Is it possible for the 3 upper in cabinet lights and the 1 under cabinet light on the left of the sink to go on one switch? Then all upper and lower lights on the right of the sink and rangetop will be the 2nd switch?

3. If so, don't I need to buy lights that link?

4. Is it possible he put all UCLs on one switch and all in cabinet lights on a different switch? (This one makes sense to me.)

There are yellow electrical wires above the cabinets on the left and right side of the sink. There are 3 yellow wires underneath each upper cabinet for the UCLs.

How can I figure out what he planned so I can buy the lights? I can't reach him by phone or I would call him.

Do electricians usually separate the uppers from the lower lights? That is what makes sense to me, but I am not an electrician. All I know is that the LEDs will be hard-wired.

Am I even close? Thank you for your best guess, electricians! I really need to order those lights. peke

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Comments (8)

Peke
Original Author
11 years ago
These yellow wires are under the 3 upper cabinets and above the uppers. I am not sure why the picture flipped sideways
.
elltwo
11 years ago
1. One switch will do both.

2. It's possible but unlikely.

3. The yellow wires that protrude are probably the link.

4. It makes perfect sense.

He probably didn't plan anything without talking to you. Uppers are usually separated from lowers in situations like this. You are very close. Don't buy the cans over the sink without specific advice from a pro, recessed fixtures come with different ratings.
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PRO
Taylor Electrical Solutions, LLC
11 years ago
If I did it I would do them all seperate upper, lower, and cans all seperate. They can go together if its wired for that situation but its very unlikely that they are most people don't want all the lights on all the time you might only want certain things on at certain times.
Peke
Original Author
11 years ago
Elltwo and niick84,
Thank you! Ã°ÂÂÂ Ã°ÂÂÂ Ã°ÂÂÂ Ã°ÂÂÂ Ã°ÂÂÂ (pretend these are 5 gold stars)

The cans are in already. We did them before the ceiling sheetrock went up. I think I am buying the Phillips LED UCLs. They have been praised on GW. I don't know if we will get the same lights for inside the upper glass cabinets, but that is another forum.

Recessed: my husband picked up three more recessed lights for the electrician one day. I guess he got the wrong ones because when we went to put bulbs in, they only take a few sizes. The ones the electrician bought take a bunch of sizes. At least they are marked inside the cans.

I have the best electrician around, but I wish he worked a bit faster. He is a talker, a thinker, and a doer. I think the talking slows him down. LOL He just doesn't have time to get to me unless I have 8 hours worth of work to do. I get that! He has to make his time count. Doing a little work at one house and a little at another with lost driving time...I get it. I am lucky to have found him though!

Thank you again for you help!
Peke
Original Author
11 years ago
I just found this picture. My husband remembered I took it because he was making fun of me for taking pictures! LOL
btharmy
11 years ago
Most of your questions should have been addressed with the electrician before he roughed in the wiring. He could have put any light on any switch you wanted. It is not too late to change things, but it will cost a LOT more to change it now.
Peke
Original Author
11 years ago
I just can't remember what he said.
btharmy
11 years ago
Find a decent electrician. He should be available for you to consult with. If not, find someone who will be there when you need them.