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Our kitchen has under-cabinet lighting that uses halogen 20 watt G8 socket bulbs. With 15 bulbs in the kitchen that is 300 watts. I'd prefer to replace them with 3 watt LED bulbs.

I've been searching but I haven't found any 120 volt AC G8 LED bulbs that will work. The only ones that I can find are over-sized like this one. I wrapped one of my dead halogen bulbs in newspaper strips until it was 1.25" in diameter like the over-sized bulb and tested it. It wouldn't fit in the light fixture.

Do I need to replace all the fixtures? There seem to be a lot of G4 LED bulbs on the market, but very few G8 bulbs.

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  • are your halogens line or low voltage? Most G8s are 120VAC
    – HerrBag
    Feb 26, 2013 at 20:45

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Your G8s are probably 120VAC, right ? As such, you are not going to replace with LED without switching to LOW DC voltage. Most are 24V.

If you want dimmable LED (a good feature), you'll need a dimmable constant current driver and a magnetic transformer and a magnetic rated dimmer. You can use a standard dimmer, but the current surge will burn it out. (ask me why I know...)

Bottom line.. rip out the sockets.

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  • Yes, the G8 socket is 120 volt AC. I was afraid that the fixtures would need to be replaced. Thanks for the info.
    – Stephen Ostermiller
    Feb 26, 2013 at 21:00
  • You're welcome. I'd just done research for a customer's undercab lighting. One way to keep your system at 120VAC is to use the thin modules with built transformers. Not as unobtrusive as a bulb socket. I'm personally leaning to the LED light strips and remote transformer, drivers and diimmer.
    – HerrBag
    Feb 26, 2013 at 21:11
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    LED's come in all sorts of applications, not just DC.
    – user13873
    Jul 7, 2013 at 21:58
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    @daniel true for LED systems. I just put in a 24VAC system for strip LEDs, the rectification is ON the strip (native LEDs are DC).
    – HerrBag
    Jul 7, 2013 at 22:50
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    In the end, it will cost you less to rip and replace. The new fixtures will be long lasting and intended for the purpose instead of a retrofit that you'll find to be increasingly annoying.
    – Fiasco Labs
    Jul 7, 2013 at 23:21
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I just found flat LED G8 3000K bulbs (I wish they were 2600K - 2700K) at Menard's (Like HD) for $9.99 as a new item today... 8/28/2013. They do fit in my Puck lights made for Halogen bulbs. I will be returning mine because it's too warm of a color, but seems to work OK... Flickers at low dimmer. Made by a company called Meridian.

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  • P.S. They are 120V... direct replacements.
    – Bryan
    Aug 29, 2013 at 4:42
  • And was dimmable. 18 LED..2.25W replacement for 25W. 30,000 hours at 190 Lumens... Part CRI 82 and on the back it says #13132
    – Bryan
    Aug 29, 2013 at 4:48
  • I got a test bulb. These bulbs do work. They are very flat, so the bulb fits great. The color temperature and flickering on low won't pass the WAF (wife acceptance factor), so I'm not going to be replacing all of my bulbs with these.
    – Stephen Ostermiller
    Oct 30, 2013 at 17:33
  • These same bulbs are now available through Amazon: Landlite LED-G8-2018AMZ 2.2W G8 Base Warmwhite LED Bulbs -- Even though they say "warm white" the test bulb that I got was the same cool white that I got through Menard's.
    – Stephen Ostermiller
    Mar 16, 2015 at 17:24
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If you are into projects, something like this could be a great starting point. The power supply can be located back where the cabinet meets the wall. In some setups, there may even be space between the cabinet and wall. Products like this are powered from one end and can be cut to desired length between the LED sections. It's dimmable in colors.

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  • The colors may seem gimmicky, but one version controller allow you to tune in a range of white lights, from soft white to daylight, in addition to dimming. I don't think the tricolors can match a single spectrum white for lumens/watt/ft
    – HerrBag
    Jul 7, 2013 at 22:58
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Not sure if this will work. Found it on Amazon.

Feit Electric LED Light Bulb

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  • Like many of the other bulbs suggested here, this one is too large to fit. The bulb is 1.5 inches in diameter.
    – Stephen Ostermiller
    Sep 8, 2013 at 12:09
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This G8 LED Bulb might work for you:

Tower type G8 base JCD type LED Lamp with 36 High Power SMD LEDs. 100-130VAC operation, 360 degree viewing angle, produces light output up to 211 lumen. Replaces traditional JC or JCD bi pin 25W ~ 50W halogen and xenon bulbs found in puck lights for undercabinet lighting, desk lamps, pendant lights, bathroom vanity lights, and other accent and task lighting applications.

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Found these bulbs are not dimmable. I have an LG microwave with two G-8 halogens that I want to swap with LED bulbs. These were under consideration until I saw that they were not dimmable. I have hi/lo switches on my microwave. So, I'll keep looking.

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  • The test bulb came. These bulbs are 3/4 inch in diameter and 1.5 inches base to top (not including pins). Too large to fit in my under cabinet fixtures.
    – Stephen Ostermiller
    Jun 26, 2013 at 9:05
  • Pity. Must be someone making bases you could swap with yours. Though for my money, I like the continuous glow of the strips., the pucks are a point source.
    – HerrBag
    Jul 7, 2013 at 22:53
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    The problem with individual bulbs is that they have to include circuitry to convert the 120VAC to a low DC voltage, plus the actual LEDs, which also require a certain amount of heat sink. It would be challenging and expensive to engineer to the exact size of the halogen bulb, and may not even be possible to get adequate light output at that size.
    – TomG
    Aug 20, 2013 at 11:16

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