Puck Lites

[DrivingMissLazy]

Yes, the other voltage rating  you are probably thinking about is peak to peak. This is 1.414 times 2 above the rms value.
Richard

So the stated AC voltages are already the RMS value for the sine wave.  Hmm, learned something today. (Or more likely re-learned something I had forgotten.) Thanks Richard.

[gus]

I'm with bustedk, I've looked at a lot of lights and I've never seen puck lights? I bought some which are probably 4-5" OD but they are a lot larger than a hockey puck.

Are they called puck lights in the stores or do they have other names?

[FloridaCliff]

Gus,

Most of the time they are called "Under cabinet lights"

Look at HD and Lowes.

Singles or 3-5 to a pack


Cliff

[WEC4104]

Does the attached photo help?

[gus]

wec4101,

Thanks, now I get the picture!!

[WEC4104]

No problem Gus, actually it gave me a chance to try posting a picture to the board for the first time (sorry for the large size).

I have had pretty good results with the puck lights, though they do throw pretty much heat. Recently I have seen LED versions, which aren't as bright, but certainly save on heat and power consumption. I found the link below has some interesting stuff, including LED puck lights and even LED "bulb" replacements.  The fact that I could drop LEDs into my existing fixtures is intriguing.

http://www.lightingfx.com/cat--LED-Lighting--LED

Enjoy!  WEC4104

[NJT5047]

I can advise that the halogen puck lights will work fine on 12VDC.  I've got 16 of the things mounted over windows, sink, and above the bed (reading lights).    I've found them to be very power hungry.  I've modified the sink 3 light assembly to funtion on just the center for boonying, and all three are nice when plugged in.   We just don't use the units over the windows (ten units on two switches)  unless plugged up.
My recommendation is to supply switching so that some minimal number of them may be used when not plugged in.  The transformers are not necessary.   We use RV style incandescent ceiling lights when no pole...they can be used one bulb at a time.
I don't think the halogens are any more hungry than standard RV or automotive incandescent light bulbs (1005). 
I'd like to try the LEDs, and may get a few to play with.  The halogens make a lot of bright light, and it looks cool as h%%#, but just cannot leave them on for any time unless plugged up. 
I can add that they make a good bit of heat, so be careful that they are not mounted too close to anything that may burn or scorch.   This would be another advantage of LEDs...they were not available when I intalled the halogens. 
Don't see any reason to attempt to use 12VDC and 110VAC to power the same lights.  Sounds like a potential electrical problem.   
Bought mine with gold trim rings, which allowed for flush or raised mount, and paid about $30 for a 5 pack.  Tossed the transformers.   
Best, JR

[DrivingMissLazy]

I can attest to the fact that something may scorch or burn.

I saw a beautiful 125' mega yacht that burned to the water line because of one of these lights. The light was installed in the ceiling and when a bedroom door was left open it was directly beneath the light and only a couple of inches away. The boar was not occupied over night and sometime during the night it burned. I think the yacht was valued in the 5-7 million dollar area. So be very careful where you install them. Particularly where a swinging cabinet door or some other item could end up directly underneath it.
Richard

I can add that they make a good bit of heat, so be careful that they are not mounted too close to anything that may burn or scorch. 

[Ace]

I've been playing around with different bulbs and now trying the xenon bulbs in the old original set of halogens that has the transformer. Susan thinks they are a little brighter. I don't see it but they seem to be  just a little cooler to the touch to me after being on a while! These are the bulbs with the 2 straight pins that are fairly close together. The other set has the two straight pins but further apart and larger in size. They are very bright but hotter and donb't have a transformer. The NEWest set has the larger bulbs but very yellow and no transformer. Funny but all bulbs have the same numbers and none of them are what I would call cheap at 4-5 bucks each and all do different things!

Ace

[FloridaCliff]

Ace,

I was up at the 75 Chrome Shop in Wildwood Today and they have a lot of LED lights that could easily go under cabinets for

around 12.00 each.

I have replaced the puck light bulbs several times in my house and at 5.00 each the LEDs start looking cheaper by the second.

Especially since my house doesn't move or vibrate like the coach, and that is the enemy of any filament bulb.

And none of the heat that the bulbs produce.

Cliff

[TomC]

I have 8 puck surface mounts-five overhead in the middle in front and 3 on the right side over the dinette and sofa.  They each have 20 watt halogen.  While they work well and have only replaced 3 in ten years, they do get burn to the finger hot and pull more than I like. Went to lightingFX.com and while they make an LED replacement, the light output is nowhere near the halogen.  What they do have is Xenon direct replacements.  They are brighter, so I have three 10 watt on order to try them out and see if the boss likes them (we both like the brightness of the halogen).  If it is approved, then I've cut the draw in half and have cooler running lights (heat is always wasted energy).  By the way, the three shipped from Fla to Cal is $19.  Cheaper than in any store.  I believe the halogen were about $2 each.  Good Luck, TomC

[gus]

Well, this has certainly been an educational string. Love this board!

It appears to me that LEDs are the way to go and are on my list to try out.  The halogen heat and current draw concern me a bit.

[JackConrad]

I looked at one website that listed the LUX ratings for their replacement bulbs.  Xenon where around 6500, Halogen were about 5000, and their LED were 655.  I quess it depends what you are using the light. it doesn't look like the LED would work very well for task lighting and marginal for general lighting. Might to good for mood lighting.  JMHO, YMMV.  Jack

[Hartley]

I noticed the other day that Lowes had LED puck lights as well.  There were none lit up in the display so I don't know how bright they would be.

Len

The ones that come from Lowes in the 3-pack have 5-LED lamps in each. They are 24 volts Only and don't care about polarity due to built in diodes. Pretty neat little circuit board inside. Many possibilities for remounting.

They are very directional and I use one of them as a down light to put light down on the steps. aimed carefully with a small duct-tape shield it does a good job and doesn't glare on my LCD tv that sits across the front overhead.

I use the factory supplied transformer by default (24 volts) just cause it's there. But I have tried them with the bus 24 volt supply and they work fine. I am thinking of using a couple to shine into the gauge holes on the dashboard since I keep losing the backlights...

[gus]

Jack, thanks, now I'm back to halogen but, boy, do they get hot. My daughter has some under her kitchen cabinet and they heat the cabinet wood above the light! I may rig up something to make them stand off the wood a bit. for ventilation and cooling.

I've noticed that LED flashlights don't give much light so your research results make sense.