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There is currently a soffit in the bedroom that sits above the headboard of the bed.

The soffit is rather large, dropping down around 15 inches from the actual ceiling, and has three recessed lights. The lights are old, large, probably CFLs.

I'm looking to have the soffit raised so that its height goes from 15 inches to something more like 6 inches or maybe 4 inches and placing smaller recessed lights in as well.

I keep leaning towards LED pucks, but they appear to always be categorized for cabinets rather than soffits or ceiling.

For example, this item https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-5-Light-LED-White-AC-Puck-Light-Kit-21325KIT-WH/206996745 , says the thickness of the cabinet (and this is sheetrock not cabinet I'm working with) must not exceed 0.2 inches.

That seems rather thin for sheetrock, maybe not for cabinets and makes me think I'm looking for the wrong product.

What is the proper recessed lighting to use for a small soffit? Are LED pucks not intended for this?

2 Answers 2

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Mounting form below I assume. LED puck lights that high off the ground probably won't give enough usable light. They are low light for cabinets to soften the countertop are and add a little light. You probably would still want a can light or the newer lights that are very thin and look like a can light in a way, but you cut a hole in the ceiling portion, connect your wires, then you push the light into place. It has 2 or 3 spring loaded clips that hold it in place. These are LED, come in different light colors, wattage and size. The following is an example: enter image description here

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  • That's right, mounting from below. What do you if/when these lights break? From what I've seen, it seems like you need to replace the entire fixture.
    – User7391
    Feb 27, 2018 at 5:15
  • Yes, pull it out and toss it. But generally at 20,000 to 50,000 hours, could be 20+ years from now.
    – Jeff Cates
    Feb 27, 2018 at 5:18
  • LEDs have a general life expectancy of 50 000 hrs. If you use your lights for 10 hours a day, this should be 13.7 yrs.
    – Jeff Cates
    Feb 27, 2018 at 5:19
  • I'm more concerned with the light being of poor quality. I've bought some LED bulbs from companies I've never heard of, thinking an LED is an LED, only to find them break after a few years of moderate use.
    – User7391
    Feb 27, 2018 at 5:27
  • @User7391 so you're wondering if those jobs that fell off a truck in Shsnzhen aren't very reliable, maybe neither are Sylvanias? Feb 27, 2018 at 16:00
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The problem with mounting Puck Lights in a soffit is not so much the light, but the connection to the light. The terminations of the conductors to the light must be contained in a code approved enclosure and accessible for maintenance.

I have used LED disk lights in the recent past and I love them for certain applications and I think would work well for your soffit installation. I think the one that @Jeff Cates has shown you is fine but keep in mind that this is just an example. I can say as an ex contractor that I would try and find a fixture from a tried and true manufacturer such as Halo, Kichler, Philips, etc. to make sure you get a good quality manufacturer who will back up their product.

Hope this helps.

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  • Any opinion on Global Electric's products?
    – User7391
    Feb 27, 2018 at 18:45
  • I know of them but I don't have any real experience with them. The LED market is settling down but there was a lot of product coming out that was clearly low quality. Most LED disk lights I have used, run around the $30 - $40 per light and seem to do well. Also pay attention on their mounting technique. I have found some newly engineered products haven't worked everything through. I like things that mount to the box, some snapon's don't seem to work so well. Feb 27, 2018 at 20:23

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