I'm building an entertainment center (cherry, oil/shellac, pocket doors,
glass shelves, table saw-cut cove molding, wheeeee) and I've added four
halogen puck lights that I need to dim together. The lights I have are 15W
and have long cords that get trimmed to length and plugs attached - no
transformer.
How do I get them all together to a inconspicuous switch?
I found a lamp dimmer with enough oomph to handle the wattage. It's a
touchpad about the size of a silver dollar that I can recess into the top of
the unit. The pad is attached to a transformer that, unfortunately, has only
one recepticle. So I can dim one light like a champ, but that doesn't help
me.
I can probably plug all of the lights into a power strip then plug that into
the dimmer transformer, but it just looks clunky and doesn't seem like the
right way to do it.
Since I'm assembling the plugs anyway, is there a better way to get all of
the lights together to one plug? I can cludge it together with wirenuts and
black tape but, again, that doesn't seem like the right way.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
billy
However, as long as you do not violate the UL listing (meaning you have to
also follow the instructions) you probably do not need to list the
entertainment center as an assembly. UL does not list furniture to my
knowledge.
once you modify the device (such as by removing the plug) you have violated
the instructions and the listing and you are on your own.
"U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles" <"Charles Krug"@cdksystems.com> wrote in message
news:TWU6d.11601$sP2.6891@trndny04...
> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 17:02:18 GMT, Billy Schuttler
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> UL listing? This piece is mine (well, the wife's) but I may be doing
>> something similar for profit in the near future. Correct me if I'm wrong,
>> but you're saying that I'll need to UL list the piece as a whole if I
>> wire
>> it up in any configuration that deviates from the manufacturer's intended
>> usage? Good to know.
>>
>
> In general, if you sell something that plugs into the wall directly, it
> needs to be UL listed. That's why so many devices use wall warts and
> low voltage. If you use a listed Wart, you don't need to get UL listing
> for the entire device.
>
> If you cut off the plug on a listed lamp, it mungs the UL listing.
>
> IMO, you REALLY don't want the liability of making a "Plug-in
> entertainment center" that's not listed. IANAL, YMMV, Not Valid in
> Vermont . . .
>
On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 15:49:32 GMT, Billy Schuttler
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm building an entertainment center (cherry, oil/shellac, pocket doors,
> glass shelves, table saw-cut cove molding, wheeeee) and I've added four
> halogen puck lights that I need to dim together. The lights I have are 15W
> and have long cords that get trimmed to length and plugs attached - no
> transformer.
>
If this is something you're selling, you might need to explore UL
listing your piece.
If not, your primary concerns are:
1. Removing the heat from the dimmer and the lamps.
2. Protecting your wiring from damage.
Make sure your lamps are listed for mounting on wood without venting.
Double check to make sure your design isn't trapping heat that the
manufacturer expects to be vented.
Add a wiring chase of some kind. You don't really want exposed wires
where they can be damaged by folks sliding equipment or DVDs in
carelessly.
Even something as simple as a piece of moulding configured so that your
wiring runs between the face frame and the moulding will protect it from
unintentional damage.
Wiremold makes surface-mount boxes that may be helpful in your
application.
DAGS on this group for what UL listing entails. I believe Tom Watson was
struggling with this once upon a time....
How'd that turn out Tom?
Joe C.
"Billy Schuttler" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> UL listing? This piece is mine (well, the wife's) but I may be doing
> something similar for profit in the near future. Correct me if I'm wrong,
> but you're saying that I'll need to UL list the piece as a whole if I wire
> it up in any configuration that deviates from the manufacturer's intended
> usage? Good to know.
>
> The pucks are recessed into holes in the tops of the boxes. I'll then add
a
> decorative cap over the whole unit with an air space for ventilation,
which
> will also neatly hide the wires. The boxes with lights are open (no doors)
> so there shouldn't be any heat buildup. I attached the boxes together with
> spacers between the sides to create a channel for running wires, but I see
> your point of keeping things organized to avoid damage.
>
> So I can get a small surface-mount box to wire the four pucks together,
then
> run my plug to the dimmer transformer? Anyone have any experience with
this?
> I'd hate for my latest project to burst into flames.
>
>
> "U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles" <"Charles Krug"@cdksystems.com> wrote:
>
> > On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 15:49:32 GMT, Billy Schuttler
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > I'm building an entertainment center (cherry, oil/shellac, pocket
doors,
> > > glass shelves, table saw-cut cove molding, wheeeee) and I've added
four
> > > halogen puck lights that I need to dim together. The lights I have are
> 15W
> > > and have long cords that get trimmed to length and plugs attached - no
> > > transformer.
> > >
> >
> > If this is something you're selling, you might need to explore UL
> > listing your piece.
> >
> > If not, your primary concerns are:
> >
> > 1. Removing the heat from the dimmer and the lamps.
> >
> > 2. Protecting your wiring from damage.
> >
> > Make sure your lamps are listed for mounting on wood without venting.
> > Double check to make sure your design isn't trapping heat that the
> > manufacturer expects to be vented.
> >
> > Add a wiring chase of some kind. You don't really want exposed wires
> > where they can be damaged by folks sliding equipment or DVDs in
> > carelessly.
> >
> > Even something as simple as a piece of moulding configured so that your
> > wiring runs between the face frame and the moulding will protect it from
> > unintentional damage.
> >
> > Wiremold makes surface-mount boxes that may be helpful in your
> > application.
> >
>
>
On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 17:02:18 GMT, Billy Schuttler
<[email protected]> wrote:
> UL listing? This piece is mine (well, the wife's) but I may be doing
> something similar for profit in the near future. Correct me if I'm wrong,
> but you're saying that I'll need to UL list the piece as a whole if I wire
> it up in any configuration that deviates from the manufacturer's intended
> usage? Good to know.
>
In general, if you sell something that plugs into the wall directly, it
needs to be UL listed. That's why so many devices use wall warts and
low voltage. If you use a listed Wart, you don't need to get UL listing
for the entire device.
If you cut off the plug on a listed lamp, it mungs the UL listing.
IMO, you REALLY don't want the liability of making a "Plug-in
entertainment center" that's not listed. IANAL, YMMV, Not Valid in
Vermont . . .
UL listing? This piece is mine (well, the wife's) but I may be doing
something similar for profit in the near future. Correct me if I'm wrong,
but you're saying that I'll need to UL list the piece as a whole if I wire
it up in any configuration that deviates from the manufacturer's intended
usage? Good to know.
The pucks are recessed into holes in the tops of the boxes. I'll then add a
decorative cap over the whole unit with an air space for ventilation, which
will also neatly hide the wires. The boxes with lights are open (no doors)
so there shouldn't be any heat buildup. I attached the boxes together with
spacers between the sides to create a channel for running wires, but I see
your point of keeping things organized to avoid damage.
So I can get a small surface-mount box to wire the four pucks together, then
run my plug to the dimmer transformer? Anyone have any experience with this?
I'd hate for my latest project to burst into flames.
"U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles" <"Charles Krug"@cdksystems.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 15:49:32 GMT, Billy Schuttler
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I'm building an entertainment center (cherry, oil/shellac, pocket doors,
> > glass shelves, table saw-cut cove molding, wheeeee) and I've added four
> > halogen puck lights that I need to dim together. The lights I have are
15W
> > and have long cords that get trimmed to length and plugs attached - no
> > transformer.
> >
>
> If this is something you're selling, you might need to explore UL
> listing your piece.
>
> If not, your primary concerns are:
>
> 1. Removing the heat from the dimmer and the lamps.
>
> 2. Protecting your wiring from damage.
>
> Make sure your lamps are listed for mounting on wood without venting.
> Double check to make sure your design isn't trapping heat that the
> manufacturer expects to be vented.
>
> Add a wiring chase of some kind. You don't really want exposed wires
> where they can be damaged by folks sliding equipment or DVDs in
> carelessly.
>
> Even something as simple as a piece of moulding configured so that your
> wiring runs between the face frame and the moulding will protect it from
> unintentional damage.
>
> Wiremold makes surface-mount boxes that may be helpful in your
> application.
>