How do you replace under cabinet lights with LED lights

matte7 · 09-07-2012, 05:52 PM

I have terrible Builder lights hardwired under cabinet & over cabinet in my kitchen wired to 3 light switches. The bulbs blow constantly so I want to replace them with LED's. The conduit is already there. Can I just cut the wire on the LED's that plug in to an outlet & connect them to the conduit with out a voltage converter? If so, what do I do with the ground wire from the conduit? Being designed to plug into the wall, they have what looks like a voltage reducer inside the housing. Thanks

parman · 09-08-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matte7

I have terrible Builder lights hardwired under cabinet & over cabinet in my kitchen wired to 3 light switches. The bulbs blow constantly so I want to replace them with LED's. The conduit is already there. Can I just cut the wire on the LED's that plug in to an outlet & connect them to the conduit with out a voltage converter? If so, what do I do with the ground wire from the conduit? Being designed to plug into the wall, they have what looks like a voltage reducer inside the housing. Thanks

From what you describe, no, you cannot do what you are suggesting. It sounds like the LED strips you purchased have a small transformer and or LED driver electronics that plug directly into a receptacle.

Now, could you jerry rig something to make it work...probably. It would not be NEC code compliant and probably would invalidate the LED warranty. And it may not even look nice when finished.