Using wire from old driver to 12v holder for 240v 7w led

[GQsm]

Hello,

Recently had a 12v g4 under cabinet halogen spot blow and on inspection the housing has melted. I don't like the lights anyway and would rather replace each pair of under cabinet spots with 1 x mains voltage LED strip light.

We have 3 cabinets, each with a twin and earth coming out of the wall at top of cabinet into a driver. Each driver then has 2 x white cables down to a pair of 12v g4 Halogen holders, the cables are built into these holders.
For 2 cabinets I can take the driver off and there is a gap to run new cable down and attach the LED striplight (a 10W unit each for these cabinets).

For one cabinet the 12v cables come down behind it from the driver on the very top of the cabinet and are hemmed into the wall. There is also no other viable route for me to feed a new cable from the top of this cabinet to the bottom.

The LED strip for this cabinet will be a 7w 240v unit. Is utilising an existing wire (from driver to one of the spots) viable to get the 240v from top of cabinet to under cabinet where I need to site the LED strip-light (cutting off driver and g4 holder at each end)?

Using this existing cable is not something I would have considered but can't see any other way without ripping the whole cabinet off the wall which I will not be able to do.

Picture attached showing wire and holder it is attached to. I haven't cut into it yet to measure gauge but I am guessing some of you will know just by the picture.

Thanks.

 

[SFK]

GQsm
I would not use the current 12V wire to instead provide 240V.
Mainly because 1) It do not think there is an earth wire in that wire 2) although perhaps okay to transfer the 7W of power, you have no idea if it is actually rated for that, and perhaps then someone in future may try and use it for something more powerful. So don't do this.

I would suggest you put a 12V dc LED driver where you G4 driver was, and use the 12V cable to transfer 12V dc to a 12V LED light unit.
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Xmas_Lights/LED_Tape/index.html

SFK

 

[Tigercubrider]

most cabinets have a void at the back for cables.
I'd be surprised if yours don't.
A bendy bit of rod/plastic will help thread some string through

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1) It do not think there is an earth wire in that wire

There won't be.

GQsm - note that if you install 230V lights you must use a cable with an earth conductor, and it must be connected at the source end to the circuit earth. If the lights themselves don't need an earth you'll have to find a way to safely terminate the conductor at the light end.

And BTW - ignore anybody who pops up bleating about the existing supply for your halogen lights not being a driver.

2) altough perhaps ok to tranfer teh 7W of power, you have no idea if it is actually rated for that, and perhaps then someone in future may try and use it for something more powerful

It must be capable of carrying the current for a 7W 230V light - there is no chance that it could not be. But current is not the problem - voltage is. It might not be rated for 230V.

 

[Echo the husky]

The existing cable is likely to be only single insulated as well.

 

[333rocky333]

As above, the fact that the wire is sealed into the light housings pretty much clarifies it is unsuitable for mains voltage.
I would spend a bit more time trying to get the cables to free up and use them to pull a small 3 core flex through.

 

[GQsm]

Ok, thanks for the replies, not what I was hoping for but if we don't think the existing wire can safely cope with mains voltage I will leave the cabinet in question.

Cheers.

There won't be.

GQsm - note that if you install 230V lights you must use a cable with an earth conductor, and it must be connected at the source end to the circuit earth. If the lights themselves don't need an earth you'll have to find a way to safely terminate the conductor at the light end.

Hi BAS,
For the 2 x cabinets I can change...
The existing 12v driver at the top of the cabinet has no earth into it and the new LED strip lights don't use an earth either. What do you think I should be doing to fit these LEDs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You should be running a cable with an earth core to them. You're going to be removing the old 12V supplies anyway, so (hopefully ) you'll find the circuit earth available where they are connected.