The Best Light Fixture Ever!

After a lot of reading/research, I figure I have answered my own question. To comply to code here in Ontario, Canada with 24 volt lighting, there are a quite a few things to consider:

1. The power source for each channel cannot exceed 96 watts (100 VA) as @cybrdyke has already outlined.

2. The lights I am using specifiy a constant voltage power source...many LED drivers are constant current. If you get this detail wrong, damage to the LED strip or fixture will likely occur.

3. The driver/power supply needs to be CSA approved here, no surprise there.

4. For a non-dimming, single color LED strip (I can still dim after the power supply) setup with just power required, a 24 power supply will work. You don't need a driver with dimming, RGB etc.

5. Using a power supply with a plug in power cord is simplest as you can just install standard 120V receptacles. In my application this will work (constant voltage) and is approved in the US and Canada: Mean Well GST Power Supply Adapter, GST90A24-P1M 90W 3.75A (affiliate link) which also requires a Nema 5-15 to IEC C13 cord (affiliate link). This gets you a power setup that is DIY friendly and relatively cheap at $40 or so per power supply/cord.

6. The typical inline driver "sealed" driver is problematic specifically due to the 120V pigtails which are typically not configured to allow a BX or conduit interface...you'd end up with exposed 120V conductors to your 120V junction box. This is a topic that needs some input from a sparky working to code.

7. I am using these Joylit 24V LED strips (affiliate link) which are very bright at 2000 lumens per foot, 5000K, 95+CRI. Those numbers have been verified by 3rd party reviewers using professional grade spectrometers. However, I will cut these 16.4 strips to 8.2 feet to ensure the 90 watt power supply has at least 25% head room as each section of LED strip will then require about 62.5 watts. The full 16.4 ft strip is 125 watts, so would exceed rule 1. I did send off an email and got the reply that the UL listing was E485696 which points to this manufacturer and what looks like the exact product with a different label: https://coxotech.com/products/12mm-24v-960leds-m-pro-cob-led-strip

8. I'll be putting the LED strips in these channels, painted white internally, using this LED track (affiliate link) which comes with diffusor strips and is priced well at about $70 for 66 feet of channel/diffusor strips.

I

Denwood said:

6. The typical inline driver "sealed" driver is problematic specifically due to the 120V pigtails which are typically not configured to allow a BX or conduit interface...you'd end up with exposed 120V conductors to your 120V junction box. This is a topic that needs some input from a sparky working to code.

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I am not a sparky.

I have seen our guys mount those inside a junction box. Usually large enough to hold multiples. So all conduit/bx/romex terminates at that junction box & all wiring connections made are inside.

FullRaceMerc said:

I

I am not a sparky.

I have seen our guys mount those inside a junction box. Usually large enough to hold multiples. So all conduit/bx/romex terminates at that junction box & all wiring connections made are inside.

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Yes, the best solution I see is a metal box integrating driver where the 120V and low voltage are physically separated by internal metal baffles, and the box has drop outs…but if you need one of these for every 96 watts…that’s expensive.

i've been nabbing the harbor freight 5500 on sale. when i can get %40-%60 off, about $12-14 a pop and pick up 2.

also adhesive back 12v strip light and magnets with PoE (Power over Ethernet) power splitters and convert PoE to standard 12v. sounds crazy but , in the end it's all on one hell of a battery back up, thats usually good for at least 7 hours.


{will try to insert pics here}

william.m.hamilton2 said:

Thank you very much. It is always nice to see anbinformed, but unbiased oppinion. I have been considering upgrading my lighting, but always concious of the newest bestest xyz syndrom. I have decent lighting, and I think I will stay with my current set up so I can spend my budget on other good stuff.

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That's a smart move. If your current lighting works well, there's no point chasing the newest tech just for the sake of it. Better to put that money toward other projects.

Carchie said:

That's a smart move. If your current lighting works well, there's no point chasing the newest tech just for the sake of it. Better to put that money toward other projects.

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I wonder if things have changed for William in the 11 years that have passed since he made that statement.

For most of us the regular fare at Home Depot is more than adequate.

I have installed a lot of LED fixtures from there in my home and one out of 25 has failed in eight years.
These would be the ones inset into the ceiling of several rooms.
I took vintage style glass dome fixtures and put a LED plate in place of the regular bulb sockets. Four rooms, same time frame and zero failures.

Scientific measures aside, this is a really good track record and much better than CFL or incandescent bulbs offered.

The most "unreliabe" so far are the LED screw in bulbs that can go five years or more before failure. That's still far better than what preceded them.

We've come a long way in the last 20 years. Even the common LED stuff is better than the best fluorescent fixtures of yesterday.