Xenon Low Voltage Light Strip

Xenon Low Voltage Light Strip FAQs

Accessories
Q) Do I need to use Mounting Clips?

A) We recommend that you purchase one Mounting Clip for each key location along the Light Strip that is not already mounted inside a Mounting Channel.

Q) Will I need additional End Caps?

A) One End Cap should be used for every cable end that is not connected to another wire. Four End Caps are included with your purchase. You may or may not need additional End Caps depending upon your installation.

Q) Will I need additional Terminal Blocks?

A) One Terminal Block should be used for every electrical connection that needs to be made between two pieces of Light Strip, a Light Strip and standard household wire, and the wire that is connected to the transformer. Four Terminal Blocks are included with your purchase. You may or may not need additional Terminal Blocks depending upon your installation.

Q) Do I need to purchase any Adhesive Pads?

A) In general, you would use one Mounting Adhesive Pad for every festoon lamp socket. However, it is not normally recommended that you use the Adhesive Pads when the Xenon Light Strip is attached below a horizontal surface. The reason is that the Pads may hold the sockets in place for a while but eventually the sockets would come loose and fall. For that reason we suggest that you use the Mounting Pads only for vertical installations or for possibly horizontal installations when the Light Strip is lying on top of the horizontal surface.

Q) Do you sell a Reflector Strip for each of the xenon lamp sockets?

A) No, we do not because they do not add noticeably to the amount of light directed at the object being lit.

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Dimmers
Q) Can I use a dimmer switch?

A) Absolutely.

Q) Can I use a "touch dimmer switch" the type of dimmer that changes the brightness of the lamps to four different levels – from "off" to dim to "bright" to "brighter" to "brightest" simply by touching something?

A) In short, NO. The "touch dimmers" are designed to control only standard line voltage incandescent lamps – not low voltage xenon lamps.

Q) What kind of dimmer switch should I use?

A) An ordinary incandescent dimmer can usually be used. However, on occasion the use of a standard incandescent dimmer MAY cause an audible humming sound. Also, the range of dimmability may be limited with an incandescent dimmer. We recommend using a dimmer specifically designed to control a low voltage electronic or magnetic transformer.

Q) Where can I find dimmer switches that are designed to control low voltage electronic transformers?

A) This type of dimmer can be purchased on the Accessories tab.

Q) What might happen if I try to control an electronic transformer with a dimmer designed for a magnetic transformer?

A) In all likelihood your lights will probably flicker.

Q) On which side of the transformer is the dimmer installed?

A) The dimmer is always installed on the primary side (120-volt side) of the transformer.

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Light Strip Cable

Q) What other terms are used for "xenon low voltage light strip"?

A) Xenon light strip, low voltage light strip, xenon low voltage decolume, xenon decolume, low voltage decolume, decolume strip, xenon low voltage brite strip, xenon brite strip, low voltage brite strip, xenon low voltage linear lighting, xenon linear lighting, low voltage linear lighting, and low voltage festoon bulb strip.

Q) Can the Xenon Light Strip Cable be cut “in the field”.

A) Yes. For example, if you purchased 4 feet but needed only 45 inches, the cable can be cut to fit.

Q) How is a Light Strip Cable with sockets connected to a Light Strip Cable with NO sockets?

A) These two cables can be connected with a Terminal Block. Please remember that all of the electrical connections for a low voltage lighting system need to be very tight and secure; so, please tighten the screws inside the terminal block very tightly.

Q) Can I use "wire nuts" to make the electrical connections for this low voltage lighting system?

A) This is definitely not recommended. Chances are good that one or more of the splices made with "wire nuts" would not be tight enough, that the wires inside the wire nut might start to arc, create a good deal of heat, and then cause the wire nut to melt.

Q) What lamp socket spacing would you recommend for kitchen under cabinet lighting?

A) The lamp sockets should not be any further apart than 4 inches on center or any closer than 3 inches apart on center. If the socket spacing is 3 inches apart on center and you find that the lighting seems to be too bright on occasion you can always use a dimmer to lower the light output to suit the task or mood. On the other hand, full brightness when the lamp sockets are 3 inches apart on center might be perfect for your needs when you require excellent task lighting. In short, it is often a good idea to design a lighting system with a little more light than you might need on most occasions. That way the lighting can be increased when very good task lighting is required; it can be dimmed most of the time; and then dimmed even further when you need only just a hint of light.

Q) Can I use the Xenon Light Strip to provide over cabinet lighting by installing the cable on top of the cabinets and have the light bounce off of the back wall and the ceiling to create some indirect lighting.

A) Yes, very definitely. However, this type of lighting may not provide enough general lighting for the entire room since there are probably a limited number of cabinets in the room that can accommodate this type of lighting. Assuming that one-third to one-half of the walls in the room have cabinets that can accommodate the Xenon Light Strip this type of lighting will create a really nice effect by providing more than just a little light and certainly more than any rope light. Also, it is suggested that the Xenon Light Strip selected should have 4 lamps per foot in order to try to avoid seeing alternating bright and dark areas on the ceiling. If the Xenon Light Strip with 3 lamps per foot is used, you may see alternating bright and dark areas on the ceiling, which is generally not acceptable to most lighting designers.

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MR11 Low Voltage Halogen Lamps
Q ) What wattage MR11 lamp can be used with the Xenon Light Strip?

A) 20-watt or 35-watt lamps.

Q) What type of lamp is better suited to light up jewelry, gems, and minerals.

A) In general, the "crisp, white light" emitted by the MR11 halogen lamp is better suited for lighting jewelry, gems, and minerals than the warm incandescent light given off by the xenon festoon lamps. However, when lighting a jewelry showcase you may want to consider alternating an MR11 halogen lamp with a xenon festoon lamp along the length of the Light Strip. This setup would provide both good general lighting and very good accent lighting for the showcase.

Q) What is needed to install an MR11 halogen lamp onto the Xenon Light Strip?

A) An MR11 Lamp Socket must be purchased. The MR11 Lamp Socket fits into the Xenon Lamp Socket and the MR11 lamp, in turn, fits into the MR11 Lamp Socket. When this is put together properly the MR11 Lamp Socket can be rotated about one axis and, therefore, can be aimed in a variety of directions.

Q) Can I use an MR16 low voltage halogen lamp instead of an MR11?

A) No, the two pins at the base of an MR16 lamp are further apart than the pins of an MR11 lamp, and the MR11 Lamp Socket will only accommodate the bipin spacing of an MR11 lamp.

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Transformers
Q) What type of wire should be used to connect the primary side of the transformer (120-volt side) to household current?

A) You can use standard household wire, which normally can be found at your local hardware store.

Q) What type of wire should be used to connect the secondary side of the transformer (12-volt or 24-volt side) to the Light Strip?

A) If the low voltage wire needs to be placed inside interior walls, then 10-gauge wire should be used that is rated for 30 amps and rated to be used behind interior walls, which you should be able to find at your local hardware store. If, however, the wire connecting to the low voltage side of the transformer does not need to be fed behind interior walls, then the Connecting Wire (available for purchase on the Accessories tab may be used. This cable is a dual 10-gauge stranded cable rated for 30 amps. The National Electric Code limits the amount of current going through this wire to 25 amps.

Q) Where should the transformer be installed?

A) Generally it is a good idea to try to install the transformer on the wall and in a lower cabinet if possible.

Q) Can a magnetic transformer be used instead of an electronic transformer?

A) Yes and they should be used when the wattage of the system exceeds 300 watts (the wattage of the largest electronic transformer made). If the system wattage is 300 watts or less, then an electronic transformer may be used. Electronic transformers are sometimes preferred because they are usually smaller, lighter in weight, quieter, and are cooler to operate. However, if the run (circuit) is longer than 10 feet, a DC electronic transformer should be used.

Q) What is the highest wattage electronic transformer that is available?

A) At present the largest electronic transformer available is rated at 300 watts.

Q) Can a 300-watt transformer be used to power a 300-watt system (say 30 10-watt xenon festoon lamps)?

A) Yes, an electronic transformer can be used to its maximum rating.

Q) If my Xenon Light Strip system has a total wattage that exceeds 300 watts, how can I power it?

A) You could use multiple transformers. For example, depending upon the total wattage of your system, you could use one 300-watt and one 150-watt electronic transformer. Or, you could use a suitably large magnetic transformer.

Accessories | Dimmers | Light Strip Cable | MR11 Low Voltage Halogen Lamps
Transformers | Wiring Guidelines | Xenon Festoon Lamps | Back to top

Wiring Guidelines
Q) How should the Xenon Light Strip system be wired?

A) Always check local electrical codes and the National Electrical Code (NEC) before installing. It is also wise to consult an electrician in your geographical area about any electrical details that you might have questions about and to make certain that you are following all of the appropriate electrical codes.

Q) Why does a low voltage cable have to be so thick (low gauge) and rated for such high amperage?

A) It must be designed to carry high amperage because the voltage is low. Remember, watts = volts x amps. That means that when the voltage of the system is low (e.g., 12 volts) the amperage will be large. For example, if a 12-volt Light Strip cable has a lighting load of 300 watts, the electrical current running through the cable will be 25 amps.

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Xenon Festoon Lamps
Q) What does it mean to be a xenon lighting system?

A) Xenon gas has been introduced into the glass envelope of the xenon festoon lamp.

Q) Why is xenon gas added into the lamp?

A) To increase the rated life of the lamp. The addition of the xenon gas also creates a light source that has a color temperature that is higher (cooler) than an ordinary incandescent lamp but still lower (warmer) than a halogen lamp.

Q) What is the rated life of the xenon festoon lamps?

A) About 10,000 hours.

Q) What does "rated life" mean?

A) It signifies the time at which 50% of a large quantity of these lamps will have burned out. That means that 50% of these lamps will burn out before the "rated life" and 50% will burn out AFTER the "rated life". The "rated life" does not mean that every one of the lamps will last at least that long.

Q) Is this definition of "rated life" true for all lamps?

A) Yes.

Q) What "kind of light" is given off by the xenon festoon lamps?

A) The light is cooler in appearance than incandescent but warmer in appearance than halogen

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