I'm planning to install low voltage puck lights under my kitchen cabinets controlled by a switch. I have relatively easy access to incoming power. I'm going to run pigtails from the live line to the switches -one to the existing switch and then one to the new dimmer switch I'm installing. I need to have two sets of lights since the low voltage transformers are 60W max. and now need to get power to both transformers. One transformer will require only a couple of feet of line to reach while the other will require about 25 feet since it's easier for me to go down into the basement and back up the other wall than ripping up my entire kitchen backsplash area. Here's where the questions come in.
First, I need to hard wire the transfomers and plan to do so in junction boxes with covers inside my kitchen cabinets. Is that within code? If not how does everyone do it since it seems to be a popular addition?
Second, can I just hard wire the 120v side of the transformers like mulitple outlets or lights (ie dimmer to first transformer and then hard wire in a run of line out from that transformer to the other one?) Or even simpler - can I run two lines out of the transformer - one going to each respective transformer?
Third, I know I need to buy a dimmer designed for low voltage supplies and capable of handling 120W but does the distance of the run from the switch to the transfomer have to be factored in? Any limitations?

Thanks in advance

 

I hope you know that most such power sources in a kitchen would be illegal to use for this purpose. More detail is needed.

Yes.

Yes to both, assuming I correctly interpreted your typo.

No, not if it's just 25 feet.

 

Make sure that your transformers (and lights) are capable of being dimmed.

 

Thanks John

On your first response, it's my understanding that I can use the kitchen lighting circuit (but not the outlet circuit) to supply power to these lights. That's what I'm doing. The circuit in question handles one recessed kitchen fixture, two outdoor incandescant lights and a few incandescant basement lights. Was that your caution?

And yes my typo should have said.......Or even simpler - can I run two lines out of the " dimmer" - one going to each respective transformer

 

racraft
thanks and yes - the dimmer question arose because I was planning to buy dimmable low volt puck light kits that required hard wiring and I didn't know if I could treat the 120v incoming side similar to basic wiring hookups for outlets, etc

 

The concern is whether or not you can dim the 120 volts feeding (input to) the transformer, or whether or not the output of the transformer must be dimmed.