Wiring a LED kitchen worktop lighting strip Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Beatrice1711]

Hi there,

I have replaced my kitchen and am looking to wire the LED worktop lighting strip to the existing light switch, that was used for previous worktop lights.

The wire that comes out of the existing light switch looks like the below but the lighting strip is expecting to connect to the LED driver, which would be plugged into the wall.

What should I do to the wire that comes out of the existing light switch so that it can connect to the LED driver?

Thanks!

[Mr White]

Since the LED driver requires a "plug" to connect it to the supply, you should go to the other end of the cable and connect that to the choc block.
Alternatively you could buy a new plug and lead and use that. The plug you show is called "figure 8"

[Beatrice1711]

Actually, this is the connection cable that would connect the Lighting Strip and LED Driver (which is powered by Figure 8) - would it be possible to connect the Lighting strip to the existing wire coming out of the wall switch without using the LED driver?

[Mr White]

The LED driver is there to do as its name suggests, it drives the LEDs. If you do not use the LED driver and connect mains directly the LEDs will fail in nano seconds.

[ericmark]

Unfortunately the lighting industry does not seem to be able to stick to the same name for devices, but be it a driver, switch mode power supply, pulse width modulated supply, transformer, or electronic transformer basic point is some thing goes between the LED and the AC mains, be it a box of tricks or built into the bulb, there is always some thing to do both or either of two things, limit the current and limit the voltage.

Some where there should be a label, it may say 220-240 volt AC 3 watt, or 12 volt DC 3 watt, but some where it has to have it written on it what it is.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has called the plug show C7 but there is no fixed voltage, I have seen them used with 120 volt AC 60 Hz and 230 volt AC 50 Hz, so you simply can't look at pictures and give answers.

One actually have to read or measure, some times we have a good idea, as in the UK nearly all homes have a 230 volt supply at 50 Hz, I have seen homes in the UK with 110 volt DC supply, and 120 volt AC supply, but rather rare.

Likely the C7 connector can be connected to the choc block shown, but only you can work that out for sure.

[Beatrice1711]

Thanks for this.

The LED Driver description says the below:

Voltage: 220-240V.

Output voltage 24V.

You can connect up to 3 units to the driver, as long as the total wattage does not exceed 10 W.

What does one need to connect the C7 connector to the chock block?

[Mr White]

You plug the lead that came with the driver into the driver, you then cut the other end of that lead off and connect it to the choc bloc.

(Which is what I said in the first reply, and what you showed in your own reply to that.)

[ericmark]

Using kinetic or smart switches one can do allsorts, but depends on how much your willing to pay?

I have 17 meters of smart lighting in 5 IKEA Billy bookcases which has cost me around £75 or more, buy time you count the hub and Nest Mini's getting towards £150 mark, don't need switches, we use voice commands.

We have likely gone OTT, but the sky is the limit.