Questions tagged [low-voltage]

Electrical systems with voltages significantly lower than mains wiring. Examples include ethernet, telephone, cable tv, and alarm systems.

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What causes low voltage on only certain circuits?

I am trying to understand and solve an electrical issue in our house, which is 75 years old. The issue is variably low voltage on some circuits, between 103v-111v (tested with a Klein outlet tester ...
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Why don't my low-voltage LED lights work without an incandescent? [duplicate]

I have three T3 puck lights on each side of my kitchen under my cabinets. The 3 for each side are powered by a 12V supply (2 supplies) from the basement and each individually have a low voltage wire ...
Justin's user avatar
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When installing multiple lengths of LED lighting, can I just run them in "parallel?"

. Hey, all! Wondering, if I am running three sections of LED lighting from a single transformer, would the following be an appropriate solution? I would run a single NM-B line from the dimmer to the ...
Zoinks's user avatar
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2020 NEC: Proper installation of PVC Conduit for Data Cables

I am installing a media enclosure in an under-stairway closet on my first floor. I plan on running Schedule 40 PVC conduit between the enclosure and the crawlspace directly below, as well as between ...
Morgan March's user avatar
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Thermostat common low voltage [closed]

My thermostat failed and I am replacing it with a Honeywell Lyric T6 pro. The previous configuration had G,W,R connected with Rc jumpered. The thermostat wire was 5-wire, 22ga I think. I used an ...
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Rubber knockouts to fit this junction box to allow single low voltage wire to pass?

I am passing a single low voltage wire (actually 18/8 sprinkler) through the interior of the garage to the exterior near the roofline, and then running the wire under the eaves. The exterior is ...
dave_the_dev's user avatar
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2 answers
72 views

Wiring low voltage around a corner

I tried grokking some of the other questions here, since I'm sure this is a duplicate -- but for the life of me I can't figure any of them out. I'm looking to hide coaxial/ethernet wiring that either ...
Eric Horodyski's user avatar
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Code requirements for running water, power and sprinkler wire in same trench?

I am having a trench dug that passes through our asphalt driveway (previously a public county road). I am running power to a pump house on the far side and want to run two water lines and sprinkler ...
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Extend ethernet cable

I have a PoE camera and the wiring is about 3 feet too short. The Ethernet that was pre-wired is about 100 feet and it isn't practical to redo the wiring. How should I extend the cable? The connection ...
Zak's user avatar
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6 amps over 100 feet of 18 gauge wire at 12v

Is it safe to push 6 amps at 12v over 100ft of 18 gauge wire? If not, what’s the max amperage for 100 feet of 18 gauge wire at 12v
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Low voltage on 8 outlets

I have 8 outlets on the same line that are all registering less that 0.5 volts each. They used to register 120v and I’m not sure what happened. Just as goofy is that the voltage seems to slowly drop ...
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Is my Low Voltage 300W transformer sufficient for my lighting setup?

I have Hampton Bay low voltage 300W Digital Transformer . I like to know if it is adequate for my landscape lighting with the following details: Two wire runs of 12-gauge wire: 1st run is 55 feet ...
Oscar Villasenor's user avatar
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How to tell if light power cord is Low Voltage

I know per code you can't run high voltage power cords behind a wall, but my understanding per this thread Why can't I (or: shouldn't I) run a power cord through a wall? is below 55 watts I am ...
spen123's user avatar
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110 block vs UR IDC for telephone line connections [closed]

I have a landline telephone line that branches out to 5 telephone outlets. Would it be better to use 110 block or a UR IDC (red scotchlock) connector for the connections/splices? Would water/moisture ...
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At least two circuits disconnect intermittantly. Breaker does not trip. Voltage measures low sometimes

I noticed two that two circuits cut off intermittanly but circuit breaker did not trip. I tested voltage with meter when the the problem was happening and found about five volts on both the incoming ...
Lee Naqvi's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Bringing low voltage cable through exterior wall

I've got a 1 1/4" rough diameter hole through exterior wall that I am bringing a Starlink low voltage cable through. The exterior wall will have snow up against it at times and even up to and ...
Northernlights's user avatar
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How should I support junction boxes connected to a 24VAC transformer?

I have a 24VAC transformer that I plan to use in a shed for powering landscape lighting, WiFi cameras, sensors, etc. I had been powering these things from my irrigation system transformer, but I'm too ...
watkipet's user avatar
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Can I run 12/2 low voltage wire for landscape lighting through a crawl space? [closed]

Question re: low voltage landscape lighting wiring. If the 300 watt transformers are mounted in a garage or dry crawl space, can I run the 12/2 direct burial wire through the crawl space/garage to the ...
Darrell72223's user avatar
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4 answers
178 views

landscape wire in pex piping for under concrete installation [closed]

I was planning to install some low voltage landscaping lights and I needed to go under a 10 foot wide concrete driveway. Can I use a flexible drill bit to dig a 1/2 wide hole and fish some 1/2 pex ...
Zak's user avatar
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What is the correct way to wire a Relay In Box (or similar relay) that has low-voltage signal wires bundled with 120V wires?

It is my understanding that low-voltage wires can share a double-gang box with 120V wires, as long as they are isolated from each other by a permanent divider. I was looking at getting this relay to ...
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Can I extend 22 gauge stranded wire with 18?

I am doing some manually splicing of some outdoor wire and I wanted to know if I could: Extend 22 gauge stranded wire with 18 gauge stranded wire then back to 22 gauge stranded. (22 -> 18 -> 22) ...
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Help needed to bypass Carrier EIM module for Ecobee

I have an ecobee thermostat that I want to install, but I discovered we have a carrier EIM module in place between our existing thermostat, and our HVAC unit. Here is a wire diagram of the existing ...
Justin Loveless's user avatar
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4 answers
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Can I use 18 AWG thermostat wire for led strip lights

I'm planning to add LED strip lights as under cabinet lighting. The driver and the strip lights I got has 20AWG wires. Can I use the 18 AWG thermostat wire to wire between the driver and the strip ...
basement_diy's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
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Protecting out-of-wall wiring to transformer

I'm installing a 24V DC low voltage under-cabinet lighting system in my new kitchen. I had electricians run some 18AWG runs before the drywall went up from under every top kitchen cabinet, all ...
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Can a doorbell transformer share the HVAC circuit?

I’m looking to add a video doorbell to my home which was not wired for a doorbell when built. I can run the bell wire to my furnace closet and wondering if I can add a doorbell transformer here. I’ve ...
alkalinecoffee's user avatar
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1 answer
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Guidance on proper cables to power Cameras from addon power box through attic

I would like some guidance on what cable is needed when running wire from a power supply box in garage, through a predrilled hole above to the attic, and out to the world via holes in corners under ...
Glitchgod's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is running Cat 6e, Coaxial, and Romex through the same framing penetration a safety hazard? [duplicate]

We had a house built about a couple of years ago and the electrician ran the cat6e, romex, and coaxial cable in the same hole in the floor joists. The hold is about a 2.5" hole with multiple ...
flyoverinusa's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
95 views

How to wire 2" recessed LED Downlights with inline AC to DC LED driver [closed]

I recently purchased a four-pack of 2" recessed led accent downlights to install in a gyp board ceiling. The lights arrived and have a 6" cord from them which connects to a LED driver. A ...
Steve Schlotthauer's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
132 views

The legal and best way to permanently wire LED's to shelves?

I would argue that this guy does one of the best jobs on custom floating shelves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ_CKmejH_s The TL;DR is that he routes channels in the shelves and puts USB-powered ...
Jeff Putz's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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low voltage transformer won't turn off completely?

I recently purchased a used Hadco Lighting 12v 300W transformer (model TC354_15) at a thrift store. This model has 2 common lines that are controlled by 2 corresponding switches in the box. I tested ...
AOTA's user avatar
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0 votes
3 answers
111 views

Supplement battery charging (solar) with 15v landscape lighting input?

I have a 150w low voltage (DC) landscape lighting system (15v) but I'm only using maybe 50w of it. I also have a 400w solar array connected to a 40a MPPT controller that keeps a 50ah LiFePO4 battery ...
Donavon Yelton's user avatar
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1 answer
470 views

What causes sometimes low voltage & sometimes high voltage on different circuits in my house? And I have to run 2 space heaters for either to work [duplicate]

I’ve had issues with flickering lights for a while & over the summer we added a window unit to my sons room & you could barely tell it was running. I used my meter to check several outlets ...
Eric Alexander's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
571 views

Random brief voltage drops throughout the day impacting half the house

For the past three months we've been experiencing lights flickering and certain electronics resetting due to voltage dips down to as low as 70 volts. This happens completely randomly regardless of new ...
Rodster's user avatar
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1 answer
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Can I use low voltage twisted doorbell wire in wall?

I am running new bell wire and the low voltage 20/2 bell wire I got is twisted with no sheathing (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-100-ft-20-2-Twisted-CU-Bell-Wire-56750023/205717549) I can't ...
Andrew's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
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Safe to run LED strip extension wire under an oven?

I'm installing LED strip lights around the base of our kitchen cabinets, but there's an oven right in the middle of it. Is it safe to run extension wire (like this) under the oven? If it matters, the ...
Jargs's user avatar
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1 answer
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How do you connect to one of the 5 wires of a low voltage cable in the middle of the run (the cable goes farther than the connection point)

In the below picture, A is a irrigation controller. BCD are inline valves with D being the main valve installed on the water tap and B and C being the manifold valves. I have a 5 wire cable that runs ...
MiniMe's user avatar
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145 views

Does Power-Over-Ethernet help the DIYer?

Power-Over-Ethernet (POE) has come up in several answers recently as potential solutions to problems involving wiring and getting power to strange places. How does POE help the DIY person in achieving ...
Criggie's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
356 views

How do I run ethernet [or other low-voltage wire] at an exterior wall?

Is there anything different about adding an outlet to an exterior wall? I've added several ethernet jacks to interior walls (drywall) using low-voltage rings & keystone plates, but never on an ...
whiskeychief's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I securely power a USB camera from an outdoor outlet?

I would like to power an outdoor USB camera from an outdoor outlet. We have a vacation rental so I don't want to plug anything in, I want it to be permanent. I have an outlet about 6 feet from the ...
brentwpeterson's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
341 views

material for low voltage conduit on FACE of wall, basement to attic

I'm looking to run CAT5E/CAT6A cabling from my basement where I have a network rack to the attic above my 2nd floor. After a lot of investigation there was no way I was going to feed the cabling ...
JayG30's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to protect outdoor low-voltage cable over concrete walkway?

I'm considering Philips Hue low-voltage outdoor lighting for my front lawn. The challenge is the outdoor 120V outlet and the yard / landscaping is separated by a concrete walkway. How do I run the ...
Elpezmuerto's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can I replace a 115 V doorbell transformer with a 120 V doorbell transformer?

update I replaced the transformer and 1 single doorbell with the ring video doorbell wired. Everything is functioning as it should. The existing chime from the standard doorbell is slightly louder ...
John's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
125 views

Identifying thin plastic sheets between interior walls

I needed to run a cat6 cable through an interior wall between the living room and the office. Upon removing the drywall to insert a low voltage bracket, I realized there was a thin, opaque, plastic ...
TheEmpireNeverEnded's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
481 views

CAT5 port suddenly stopped working but all connections are good

I have a CAT5 jack that was working fine and seemingly stopped transmitting data all of a sudden. I use this for my TV's internet connection. My setup is pretty basic and straight forward. I have a ...
brehma's user avatar
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-1 votes
2 answers
82 views

How To Check Electrical Current

I believe the PSU in one of my gaming consoles is shot. I was attempting to test the current using Woods Analog Multimeter Will this tool do the job and tell me if the voltage from the PSU is within ...
user2676140's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
3k views

Can I mix AV and Power cables in the same raceway?

I've read that you cannot mix power cables and low-voltage cables (in my case: HDMI, CAT6, USB) in the same raceway (that plastic conduit that stick to the outside of the wall) But in every home I've ...
Slav's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
109 views

Small-Scale Low Voltage Lighting Separated by 175'

I am looking to install a new, all-LED low voltage lighting system. Basically I want to illuminate the 2 edges of my lot with 100' of 12V up lights and a few path lights. It's a pretty small system, ...
pennstump's user avatar
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Any prescribed zone or similar concept for extra-low voltage/DC and data concealed wiring?

Is there any concept of 'prescribed zones' (née 'safe zones') - or interaction with those for concealed mains wiring - for other concealed cables?
OJFord's user avatar
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2 answers
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Metered Electricity

I live in a 20 yr old motorhome that is parked in an RV park near Roseville Ca. The park has 90 separate sites each side has its own electrical tower to plug into. Each tower has a 50amp,30amp,and a ...
Tom Randolph's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
462 views

T-Tap Connector for 12/2 Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

I'm looking to install wiring for some outdoor post lights. More specifically, I will have an approximately 150' run of low voltage wiring with 9 evenly spaced T intersections. Each T will have an ...
mxs's user avatar
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