How to Install Ultra-Thin Exterior Lighting | All About Lights | Ask This Old House
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- Опубликовано: 18 ноя 2024
- Scott installs ultra-thin, LED lights on a garage to replace a broken flood light.
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Time: 2-3 hours
Cost: $120-150
Tools:
Pliers
Hole Saw
Screwdriver
Wire nuts
Shopping List:
LED lights
14-2, NM electrical wire
Astronomic Timer Switch
Steps:
1. Before doing any electrical work, ensure power is turned off at the breaker. Confirm the power is off using an electric tester.
2. Remove the current light fixture and disconnect the wires.
3. Measure and mark where each new light fixture will go, maintaining even spacing.
4. Use a hole saw to drill openings for the new lights.
5. Fish 14-2 electrical wire from the main power source to one fixture. Fish wire to any additional fixtures
6. Make the electrical connections to each junction box and tie the wires together using wire nuts.
7. Clip each LED light into its hole.
8. Replace the existing light switch with an astronomic timer switch that will automatically turn the lights on at dusk.
9. Restore power at the breaker and test the lights and switch.
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How to Install Ultra-Thin Exterior Lighting | All About Lights | Ask This Old House
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The behind the scenes interior shots are very helpful, thank you to the genius camera director that thought of showing us that.
we got the same ultra-thin LED panels here in Germany for 230 V. I Installed 3 of them in a Office.
They are GREAT ! Good Light !
They do not light up the driveway itself and are not replacing the security aspect of the original light.
Scott, I enjoy watching all of your videos and I am able to follow along and understand everything, I wish that I have gotten into this field when I was younger.
Works perfectly! This brand, Lotus Led Lights comes with a 10 yr warrenty. Easy to install.
The people saying he didn't do it "right" or by code should post their own video with links so I can see what is the right way of doing this.
Miguel Chavez code only matters if your in city limits, “right” only matters if you have experience and don’t want something to catch fire within 6 months. He did just fine, but the way he handled the light fixtures makes him appear to be a novice
RUclips comments are the perfect place to find sarcastic, know it all, negative Nelly trolls.Every where you look no matter the subject. LOL.
Rafael Alvarez All comment sections have gone down the shitter over the past decade. It's becoming a disease for me to read them.
Well then DO IT RIGHT!! LED's save so much money. Let's just go back to candle power then. They put out just as much light. Slap in some 120V light fixtures and DO IT RIGHT.
I was JUST thinking this the last few weeks! If you want arm-chair quarterbacks who work in fast food but are 'master-everythings' then youtube comments are the place to find them! lol
Nice work. Thanks for sharing.
Few notes: these are more decorative than security lighting which is ok if that's what you want, but most people still opt to have flood lights on the corners of the house for their security camera to work well. Also, proprietary light fixtures that don't follow a standard mounting method (like a 4-0 box) are a mistake IMHO. They SAY LEDs last for years but these are outdoors and eventually water will get into the electronics. In my experience, even a little moisture will screw up LED electronics. In the old days, you could have a mercury vapor ballast pretty much be submerged in water and after drying out and fixing the leak, it would work like nothing happened, but not with LED's. The point is, either pick a fixture that takes standard bulbs, or if you're going to go with a low profile fixture, go with one that fits in a 4-0 box. Lightolier makes some shower lights that work well.
There are water resistant ones. Also these are able to be used outside because they are made for outdoor use as well
@@misterwebb1472 I was talking about water resistant ones. Maybe it's because i live in very hot and humid weather but moisture eventually finds a way.
@misterwebb1472 The Host should note to use one's for Exterior/Outdoors, Wet/Damp rated, etc when they're doing these videos. People don't always know. I've already seen tons of people using "Interior Only" rating lights with no Exterior/Wet/Damp rating for people to install with links to those very same lights with no reference to get the correct ones. I feel it's irresponsible. That's one of the first things I noted when we purchased some for inside and someone told us to use the same one's for outside. I thought great, are they rated for outside? Um....... they didn't know, nor thought it mattered. Needless to say, I found the correct one's.
2:58 MAGIC
Jesse Meyer this guy is a total wiener lol, that part bugged me so bad
Seven years ago in my "man cave" we used "50 W" LED dimmable throughout. But my office has a dropdown ceiling / AC duct so we had to use strip bar. When wafers came out in 2014 I got them instantly and they've been going ever since without a hitch.
The key is quality and though I paid a premium, we've had zero problems. I figure after 10-15 years I can simply replace any that fail or move on to the next technology (wireless?).
smb12321 wireless is a long time away from now, currently everything we use would suffer from the interference of the fields. Even still, there are some things that require more power than you can safely transmit across the air around any kind of lifeform without causing imminent cancer or death
but the other light lit the main driveway . that's for accent lighting.
That is correct about the accent lighting, they just needed to swap the fixture and aim the lights with LED floods. Done deal. For accent sure throw a couple over the door.
Not much angular light to light the driveway though. I guess you wilmned another floodlight for that.
Zed Man
Exactly what I was thinking, and I don't think they're motion activated which was the purpose of the old flood light.
Yeah, no spot light blinding you while driving up the driveway.
I think this is the light he installed.
Lithonia Lighting WF3 LED 40K MW M6
Why did I wach this I already know how to do this
Carefully twists the wires together. Doesn't actually twist the wires together. Installs wire nut. All good
Very interesting 👍
Smart recessed downlight that I can turn on/off with HomeKit, Google, Amazon, etc.?
these lights are great but i don't think they serve the purpose in the driveway.. also shadowing is an issue here
Yea, that would be a tragedy if there were some shadows on the outside soffit of a house
Here in the UK we have to be wary.. Lots of houses the soffits are made of Asbestos and cutting into them is a big "NO NO!"
What I like most is when they pick a product, they show you how they install it BUT they pick the one scenario where the material he needs to drill is wood when 99% of houses have aluminum.
where do you live that all the houses are aluminum?
Or plaster 😬 with wire lathe
Another very helpful video, awesome!
Hello, just found your video and had a question since you have had them for awhile. Do you have an issue with bugs and spiders because of the lights. The ones i have attract bugs and when there are bugs, there are spiders. I need to switch them out and I'm trying to find ones that won't attract flying bugs.
Thanks
you could also just buy those normal led recessed lights they sell at homedepot and flip the springs on them upside down and theyll work like this.
I like those
I've seen multiple tutorial videos on how to install soffit lighting, but I just don't have experience with wiring to an existing switch that already powers other fixtures. Otherwise, I'd do this myself in a heartbeat.
Disclaimer: Consult a professional first.
Light switches have a hot (black), a load (black/red), and a ground (copper/green). Some smart switches will also have a neutral connection to run various functionality when need be, but typically your neutrals connect together external to the switch. When you have more than one wire in the setup (ground, loads, or neutrals) you just connect them with the proper size wire nut, and have a single wire go to the switch connection.
@@MichaelStephenLau I've upgraded every existing fixture in my home with an led recessed light, but was wondering if it would be acceptable to daisy-chain two soffit lights to some existing led recessed lights I already have in my garage? If that isn't an option, I'm guessing it's best just to install a new switch?
@@brettvukovich6220 Are they 120V?
@@brettvukovich6220you can they use very little power
Wouldn't it make more sense to install LED spot lights with motion detector that would light up the driveway?
Guy said he didnt want the lights in his face driving up.
Awesome! A proprietary system... so when one dies in three years for unknown reasons, you cannot replace just the light (because the switch mode supply is what usually dies), you will need a whole new light fixture! Contractors dream right there. And he'll have to pay an electrician 3x to have the other two units replaced as well to match the replacement.
If you want LED's, get a fixture that uses standard bulb type sockets, and just buy LED bulbs for them. This way you're never SOL if they die.
thechosendude except that type of led light fixture has a run time of between 30000 and 50000 plus hours depending on grade and brand and a failure rate much closer the zero than any conventional setup. So.... that home owner should have at least 10 years without any maintenance and the energy savings of integrated led fixtures means the electrician is already easily paid for when they need replacing. Or since all the wiring is done, just buy some and swap them out.
The LEDs have a 20,000+ hour life...if they are run modestly. The power supply is what fails in almost every LED unit that goes out. Look at reviews of LED retrofit kits for refessed lighting, LED ceiling mount lighting, etc. They have problems with their supply dying.
I agree. 5 years ago, I was at a sales seminar a lighting manufacturer was throwing and boasting their fancy new LED recessed systems which were 100% proprietary. I pointed out that the technology was still emerging and it was silly to commit to one manufacturer for something that's supposed to last the lifetime (or at least until the next major remodel) of the house when in a few years you'd have much better quality lights and finding parts would be difficult. They down played it of course saying they would still have parts. Turns out these things don't last for 20 years and I go to houses which have burned out trims and it takes forever to find a matching light and costs more than $100 and it's far inferior to any new bulbs out today. I can buy a great 90 watt eq. Satco 2700k bulb for $15 now. vs. $150 legacy trim/bulb.
thechosendude I am an electrician and have seen these power supplies fail after 3 months. You are better off with a LED bulb in a regular fixture.
"We're sorry, water got in them so the warranty is voided" or "Sorry, this item is discontinued but we can give you one that doesn't look anything like it and you'd have to change the rest to match"
Are these at home depot ?
enforcement really love this migitil| basement .
Should also point out that not all wood and materials are weather treated if you cut through the surface. In some places, that's a no no to cut and not add an additional sealer.
Owen Robinson At 3:08 you can see the gap between the fixture and the panel. In that place it's no problem but if there's any chance of rain getting at the light you need to use silicone kit to seal it properly.
Good catch. I didn't see it or notice if it sealed the newly exposed particleboard or just acting as an expansion gasket at the bottom. In this case though, we have no way to know if it's necessary because only the owner and Scott could see the wood and/or markings. However, as a how-to or suggestion video, I still wish Scott verbally included the optional step of sealing the exposed wood.
If you've got rain hitting that hole in the soffit the homeowner probably has bigger problems hahaha! Can't say I've seen rain curve back up and hit the soffit.
PvtPapa theoretically rain can hit the soffit if driven by heavy winds, surface tension can than drive it towards the trim if the light which may rust that material.
Nice
Dear This Old House, Could you consider a segment on outdoor area lights, wide coverage, such as used by barns and home parking areas? I'm thinking sodium lights and the like, but now there are LED options, I think. Thank you. Wayne.
Cool One what’s a sodium light
Been looking for something like this. great video and suggestion. thanks. suggest for next video... column outdoor lights in front entrance/porch.
do you have a product name for the switch?
Anyone know where to get that wall switch?
The homeowner chooses what to install, he's paying for it after all.
Nathan Cawley generally, yes. I think it’s in good taste to suggest what you know works well and lasts a long time when you start the job. All sorts of overpriced cheap garbage out there that a homeowner without any electrical or product design knowledge could buy that will break or fail faster than something half the price
there are LEDs that dont use a transformer..they get regular 220v.and are for outdoor use....
and? This is the USA, majority of homes do not have, nor need, 220v going to any light receptacle outside. Here in USA common residential voltage is 120v and that is plenty.
That is a nice idea. Are they insulation safe?
Yes
Are they waterproof?
I'll wager they're outdoor rated but I very much doubt they're water proof. They're made to be recessed under a soffit or awning and unless you have a leak from above it would be very difficult to get water behind them. Looking at them again, you have a water tight connection from the transformer box to the 24v wire and the back of the light doesnt have any exposed circuits or anything. Submerging them would not be a good idea but i'll bet the underside of that could get 'some' water but I wouldn't install them in that kind of area.
I'll play the devil's advicate for those whom are beginners and dont understand. They never fully explain nor fully show each step all the way. We see 3 new lights to install. We also see one power source from preexisting power from a floodlight which operates on a preexisting switch. He mentioned the new lights being powered from the main source, but never showed how he safely connected the power to the last two and of course how it tied into the switch.
At least the sisters aren't snitches hahahha
Many homes have vinyl soffit which, I think, would not support this device. How would one mount in a vinyl soffit?
Dennis Adams have to take it out, make a frame that will support the fixture and install it, reinstall old or new soffit
these are made to install in soffits, that spring just snaps right onto the soffit and holds tight. Awesome for your application
What brand are the light and we're can I buy some
Where do you get such lighting?
How will this light up the driveway? This seems more like mood/decorative lighting for the house rather than serving an actual purpose.
Are these considered exterior lights?
Raskal I’m fairly certain they aren’t lol
good job bro
Where do you get the led lights
LIGHT Emitting Diode Lights? Nice one.
Can you install these lights on under eaves that also have soffitt?
yes
@@acreageliving ....I'm glad I figured it out on my own instead of waiting 2 years for an answer from someone here! I installed them myself and they are beautifull ! I have 3 across the front of my house above the windows and am using a dimmer switch to control the lighting. The lighting is a yellow shade and not a true led bright light, which is ok but I was hoping the lighting would be a bright white led. Anyway, I installed them. I love the look under the eaves. And I would reccomend them for anywhere you want lighting.
@@kaemack44 sorry bud, just seen the comment, i came as quick as i could! lol
All of that work, and the lights look a little underwhelming. lol
So we explain the daisy chain, but don't demonstrate it? Okay.
I see people comment on here about how he doing it every state the laws is different everybody trained differently like I was doing floors in the hospital I learn how they did it but when I went to a second Hospital to do floors they say I was doing it wrong and to do it that way doesn't matter how he do it the job is done and did the people he did lights for did anyone of them complaint about he did a bad job or something happen months or years later
I'm surprised an electrician that would be featured on this old house would wire up any circuit starting with the hot or neutral. Proper wiring would have you wire the ground first, neutral second and hot third. The reverse order should be followed when you are disconnecting any circuit.
Michael Aguilar It really isn't that big of a deal lol
It is a big deal. You have to train yourself to do it that way. Even if power is off you work it like its hot.
russ827 you'll learn the correct way really quick once you get hit with a loaded nuetral.
@@phatpunxs64 the power is off, champ.
wow dude, calm down. I looked at your channel to see how a different licensed journeyman does it... oh wait.........
Why not explain the wiring? To me that's confusing part.
I've watched several videos featuring this guy... does anyone disagree he is doing the cheapest easiest and not following code?
tren van What here is not code? And what is wrong with using a system that is just as reliable, if not more so, and much easier to install? Wet/damp location remodel pot lights would have require the same exact install method with the exception needing a much larger cavity.
Nothing here against code, what are you talking about? You obviously arent an electrician. Most NEC codes are for 50 volts or less to ground. These fixtures are 24 volts. The 120 volt wiring is secured in those metal junction boxes
No way in the world would a show like "This Old House" take a shortcut or do something against code.
tren van as an electrician and my father as a master baldy goes by code and makes it the cheapest for the customers
Tren Van..why do you say he's not following the code.....what does the actual code say and the code section and number?
whats the name of the light?
Type? There are several names for it. Down lighting, can lights, recessed lights. If your asking for the brand idk. But it largely doesn't matter. Whatever you have at your local building supplies store.
it looks like a lotus ultra thin led recessed light
Thx for the heads up.
jermaine burke They sell these at City Electric Supply
Lotus Led Lights. The outdoor ones are wet/location. Can be installed in showers also. Indoors go from, 2", 3", 4", 6", & 8". Some are round and squares. Different trim colors also. White, brushed nickel, black, and brushed cooper. 27k, 30k, 40k & 50k. Excellent service. Quality lights.
Check out their website.
That is a 4" can. Not a 6 Inch. This guy is a dope.
UltimateDoomer1 I’ve never seen one so long before lol
Too bad the fixtures are not already rated for 120 vac. Then you could simply connect the Romex directly into each fixture and eliminate the transformer, making the setup even more compact and easy to install.
Yes they are. You daisy chain to one another. Just used these to install recessed lights in my living room
my house is going to get about 20 of them.. sold at RONA.CA
No sure if anyone noticed. The lights he walked through we're not the same he installed.
*were
This electrician is such a hack job, they never recommend the right style lighting!! That is in no way appropriate security lighting!
This wasn't exactly made for the situation, the show and episode is a guide to show the process of installation and the features of the brand products that are available on the market. They ask people for volunteers on who would want to test out new products for free.
Agree
try and keep up. The HOME OWNER decides what he/she wants. They had a flood light... but did the home owner specifically tell you he still wanted a flood light and he was strong-armed into recessed lighting? NO? Then let the home owner choose what they want... you upgrade you shanty the way you see fit and let other people upgrade their houses the way they see fit... comprende? ¿
To many unseen steps.
Piss poor way to splice then wirenut
no electrical tape
@@heribertogomez5191Learn how to do a splice and you don't need tape
Corded drill 😂
That guy needs Bosley, They will MAAAK it and put hair back in
Pp
"Wait till you see it tonight" Doesn't show it
That guy ALWAYS make things more complicated. No matter what he's doing he chooses the worst way to make it happen. Just watch his videos and you'll see......
first
I don’t like it
First
Donald Duck gogle
Don't make me laugh. These lights do NOT replace the function of the previous light. You removed the irritation when driving up, but your solution should have been supplemented by real floodlights mounted elsewhere, perhaps to the left and higher.
People shouldn't be installing these lights in a soffit. There are way better options for this
First
no prize though.... 68.media.tumblr.com/2a189578f9673e8b09336ff19d17528f/tumblr_ogr5omt38d1rxxgowo2_1280.png