Low voltage light mystery

[radman2020]

I have undercabinet lights that are low voltage. They work xenon pucks just fine. I want to convert to low voltage LEDS. Supposedly these are 12V DC but when I hook 12V DC LED pucks up, they don't work.

There is a switch to turn these on that is 120 volts. Somewhere buried behind the wall is a 120 to 12VDC converter. I can't access it. I am assuming there is too much current to the lights so the LEDs won't work... maybe more than the 12V. I bought a multimeter but it doesn't show any voltage. I put the wires together and I get a spark so I know there is power. Maybe I am using the multimeter wrong? I put the probes to each end of the wire. I also put it to one end of the wire and to a ground. Nothing.

In the end, I want the LED's to light up but they don't seem to want to respond to the power getting to them. Is there anything I can do??

 

[DPG]

I have undercabinet lights that are low voltage. They work xenon pucks just fine. I want to convert to low voltage LEDS. Supposedly these are 12V DC but when I hook 12V DC LED pucks up, they don't work.

There is a switch to turn these on that is 120 volts. Somewhere buried behind the wall is a 120 to 12VDC converter. I can't access it. I am assuming there is too much current to the lights so the LEDs won't work... maybe more than the 12V. I bought a multimeter but it doesn't show any voltage. I put the wires together and I get a spark so I know there is power. Maybe I am using the multimeter wrong? I put the probes to each end of the wire. I also put it to one end of the wire and to a ground. Nothing.

In the end, I want the LED's to light up but they don't seem to want to respond to the power getting to them. Is there anything I can do??

It's not that there is too much current going to the lights, it's more likely that the driver/transformer you have requires a minimum load for it to function correctly and give the correct voltage out. You will need to find the driver and check it/probably replace it with one suitable for your new LED lights.

 

[Avo Mk8]

The power supply in the wall might be a transformer (supplying AC), as might be expected for filament lamps, not a DC driver for LED's. Try measuring the voltage on the AC range of your multimeter!

 

[radman2020]

I did that and I get a reading of 0.4 when I set it to 200. I don't understand that.

Can you explain?

 

[DPG]

I did that and I get a reading of 0.4 when I set it to 200. I don't understand that.

Can you explain?

So just to confirm, you get no voltage showing on your meter when it is set to the AC or DC range?

I'm pretty sure you are going to have to find that converter/transformer and replace it with something suitable. Can you send a photograph of it?

 

[radman2020]

I cannot find the transformer.. Buried in the wall somewhere. Unfortunately, these lights are hard wired in behind tile. I can't really get to the wiring to replace anything.

 

[DPG]

I cannot find the transformer.. Buried in the wall somewhere. Unfortunately, these lights are hard wired in behind tile. I can't really get to the wiring to replace anything.

In that case I don't think you will be able to change to LEDs.

 

[brianmoooore]

Usual place to site a Tx for under cabinet lights is on top of the cabinet. Have you looked there?

 

[DPG]

Usual place to site a Tx for under cabinet lights is on top of the cabinet. Have you looked there?

Lighting transformers and old biscuit tins.