Replacing valance strip lighting

[Bill Root]

As long as I had the salon valances out of the boat being recovered I decided to redo the valance strip lighting, but I've run into a problem.

There are two strips behind the valances, one AC and one DC. PO's have worked on the strip lights over the years, and all I have left working now is part of the AC strip, half on each side of the salon and one all the way across the back. I want to tear out everything and replace it with 110V AC LED strip lights. I really don't need the DC lights because we have the AC lights on our inverter.

Here's the problem. The AC power that supplies the AC strips runs through a dimmer switch on the aft salon bulkhead. There is another regualr switch up near the pilot house, but it's just a loop off tghe dimmer. There is 110V coming into the dimmer switch and 110V going out of it, but the wires that actually connect to the lights have a maximum of 40V with the dimmer switch turned all the way up. I'm thinking there has to be a transformer somewhere that is reducing the voltage, but I can't find it. The electrical drawings do not show the AC strip lighting.

I would appreciate advice from anyone who has experience with the strip light set-up. I really thought this was going to be easy. When will I learn?

 

[SeaEric]

First, I would bypass the dimmer and see what voltage you have then. Second thought - Is it possible that they're 32 volts DC and you're getting 40v there from your charger?

 

[34Hatt]

Why 110?

All led is 12 volt so your taking 12v inverting to 110 then going to have to change it back to 12 v

Forget the dimmer and all that stuff, they have LED strip lighting that can go to almost any color and brightness all with a remote. Comes with adhesive peel and stick 12 volt feed your done.

 

[Bill Root]

There are 110V coming out of the dimmer switch going to the lights when it's fully open, but only about 40V at the wires that actually connect to the lights. That wouldn;t be enough to operate the AC LED's, wohts that is dropping the voltage.uld it? Seems like there must be something between the dimmer switch and the ligf but there re. There appears something between the dimmer switch and the

 

[Bill Root]

Why 110?

All led is 12 volt so your taking 12v inverting to 110 then going to have to change it back to 12 v

Forget the dimmer and all that stuff, they have LED strip lighting that can go to almost any color and brightness all with a remote. Comes with adhesive peel and stick 12 volt feed your done.

Well, I'm looking at the manual for this Utilitech LED rope lighting. The manual says it's 120V. Besides, this is a 32V boat. I do have some 12V electronics running through a transformer, but it's a long way away from the lights.

 

[Bill Root]

There are 110V coming out of the dimmer switch going to the lights when it's fully open, but only about 40V at the wires that actually connect to the lights. That wouldn;t be enough to operate the AC LED's, wohts that is dropping the voltage.uld it? Seems like there must be something between the dimmer switch and the ligf but there re. There appears something between the dimmer switch and the

Sorry about the garbled post.

We tested the voltage on the load side of the dimmer switch. It's 110V when the dimmer is full open. So, if the voltage at the lights is only 16V when the dimmer is full closed and 40V when the dimmer is full open, there must be a transformer somewhere between the dimmer switch and the lights. Right?

All the wiring to/from the dimmer box on the aft salon wall runs down, not up. The lights feed off wires coming out of a junction box up under the valance on the adjacent outside wall. The line feed to that junction box goes down the wall, so I'm thinking the wire must run from the dimmer switch to a transformer somewhere down below, then back up the side wall to the junction box where they connect to the wires going directly to the lights. The master stateroom is below. I've looked in all the obvious places in it, but I can't find a transformer. Does anybody have an idea where it might be hiding? My wiring diagrams don't show any AC strip lighting, so they are no help.

 

[SeaEric]

The LED's will work at a pretty wide range of voltage. Especially if you dim them.

 

[34Hatt]

The LED's will work at a pretty wide range of voltage. Especially if you dim them.

Yeah DC he wants 110 which is AC

Check into the lighting it most likely comes with convertor.

They have recently come out with AC ones but most are not.

 

[Bill Root]

Yeah DC he wants 110 which is AC

Check into the lighting it most likely comes with convertor.

They have recently come out with AC ones but most are not.

Talked with Roger W. and Vikki at Hatteras. They claim the AC strip lights were put in after the boat left the factory. There is definitely a transformer somewhere bewteen the dimmer switch and the lights, but ut must be hidden really well. I'll use a Fox & Hound tomorrow to find it.