Can I power line voltage lamp from low voltage transformer?
Daniel Miller
4 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (18)
Yardvaark
4 years agoDaniel Miller
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Can I Convert a 110V Post Lamp to Low Voltage LED
Comments (32)That is my question, HU-773166389. My late husband, deceased 9 years now, built a brick will with 6 pillars and wired 2 for lighting along with landscape lighting. Sadly he passed before completing everything. I purchased limestone caps and 120v pillar lighting fixtures a couple of years ago but just located a brick layer pointer who will place the caps. He noticed that the wiring is LV in the pillars. As he revisited it, I recalled the questions that I had when I originally purchased the fixtures. I would want to use LV-LED bulbs anyway. Nothing is wired into the breaker box yet, but to run new wire would be a major investment as there are brick walkways that run from the house to the the where the pillars are. I am hoping from reading this that I will be able to have the electrician wire the 120 fixture directly to the 12 volt landscape wire that ia wired to a transformer and install a 4-10 watt bulb in each. and be done. Just need confirmation....See MoreLow voltage/Line voltage?
Comments (7)Line voltage is cheap and lame, dude. Low voltage is hip and cool! Er, Not really. Low-voltage filaments are short and fat, in comparison to their line-voltage equivalents. The smaller filament means that the light emanates from a smaller "point" in space. Such light is exceptionally crisp and easy to direct with reflectors. It makes diamonds sparkle and shadows more pronounced. A low-voltage reflector bulb can throw a great deal of light in a very specific direction; if you want to throw a spotlight on something and really make it stand out, low-voltage is the way to go. Low voltage bulbs also tend to be smaller, which is good if you want smaller fixtures. For example, low-voltage undercabinet lights seem to be about 1/2" thinner than similar line-voltage fixtures. Also, since low-voltage current is less dangerous, it's acceptable to have exposed electrical contacts in places where they might be accidentally touched, which makes some specialty fixtures possible. Low-voltage requires a transformer to step the current down, which makes the fixtures more expensive. If you want to dim low-voltage lights, you need a special, more expensive, dimmer to do it. Line voltage filaments, on the other hand, are larger so the light tends to be more diffuse. Shadows are less pronounced. It's a better choice for general lighting, where you don't want hard shadows. The fixtures are cheaper, as are the dimmers to control them....See Moreline voltage vs. low-voltage under cabinet lights
Comments (11)What I have now is low-voltage xenon lights with internal transformers inside each fixture. I'm looking at replacing them because of continual problems, like multiple burned-out bulbs and a burned-out transformer after 16 months, and innards so full of wires and wire nuts that the fixtures pop apart if I removed the glass diffusers (or spontaneously in the case of the smallest strip.) Judging from online reviews, these are common problems with the model that I have. We have line voltage coming out of the walls for the three separate runs of lights, all on the same circuit. If I understand correctly, the electrician can use the existing wiring to install either low-voltage lights with internal transformers (NOT the same brand!) or line-voltage lights. I bought the lights we have based on looks, function, and the showroom salesman's recommendation. Never would have thought to ask to see the inside of the fixture, though....See MoreLow/line voltage? Transformer/no transformer? Help!
Comments (5)Depends on how you want to control them. If all you are doing is turn them on and off, it shouldn't be much of a problem. If you want to dim them, that's where issues start to crop up. Not to be too reductionist or too simplistic here, but most LEDs are solid state electronics, not really technically electrical, and require low voltage DC power, so not only is there a transformer (whether you see it or not), but usually some sort of AC/DC rectifier. Not all electronics behave well to being dimmed with typical rheostat wall switch dimmers. That's also why some LED lights have a slight delay turning on, the electronics. Even if they say they handle 120v and can be dimmed, it doesn't always work as advertised. Depending on why people on these forums recommend the Inspire LEDs (I'm not familiar with them) I would still stick with something either I know or people I respect know. If I want to dim LEDs today, I would buy a whole system that includes the lighting controller—like a Philips HUE system for traditional style light bulbs. LEDs have not been perfected to the point that anything you buy will behave properly. But if none of that matters, just get whatever you want that behaves like you want it (if you don't want the delay in turing on, for instance) Joe...See MoreVOLT® Lighting
4 years agoDaniel Miller
4 years agoYardvaark
4 years agoVOLT® Lighting
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoDaniel Miller
4 years agoYardvaark
4 years agoDaniel Miller
4 years agoVOLT® Lighting
4 years agoRevolutionary Gardens
4 years agoRL Relocation LLC
4 years agoRL Relocation LLC
4 years agoRL Relocation LLC
4 years agoDaniel Miller
4 years agoRL Relocation LLC
4 years agoRL Relocation LLC
4 years ago
Related Stories
DECORATING GUIDESWhat We Can Learn From the Minimalists
Discover the power of simplicity and how to employ a less-is-more approach in your decorating scheme
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYMaster Bedroom Decor That Can Move From the Suburbs to the City
Transitional style, subdued color and modern lines give this inviting San Francisco-area room versatility
Full StoryTRIMThe Transformative Power of Ceiling Trim
Add structure and drama, create rhythm and much more by adding decorative trim overhead
Full StoryBATHROOM MAKEOVERSWhat I Learned From My Master Bathroom Renovation
Houzz writer Becky Harris lived through her own remodel recently. She shares what it was like and gives her top tips
Full StoryEVENTSTrends from the Front Lines of Furniture Design
See what’s hot in furniture again through the designers’ offerings at the 2014 ICFF
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGKeep Your Garden in Lines
Lines move through a landscape with power. See how this classic design element can energize and order your own garden
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNThe Cure for Houzz Envy: Kitchen Touches Anyone Can Do
Take your kitchen up a notch even if it will never reach top-of-the-line, with these cheap and easy decorating ideas
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGPatio Power: 12 Ways to Energize Your Outdoor Room
From free and easy to pro skills required, we give you a range of options for boosting the look of your patio for summertime entertaining
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESCan You Handle That Fixer-Upper?
Learn from homeowners who bought into major renovation projects to see if one is right for you
Full StoryDECORATING 1017 Ways to Make Low Ceilings Seem Higher
Well-chosen paint, lighting, millwork and other details can give rooms a lift
Full Story
Daniel MillerOriginal Author