Cutting corners or acceptable practice?

[Octopus]

Saw this today. Apologies for the carp photo.

Its the use of Wago's connecting the under cupboard lights!


Acceptable or not?

Personally I wouldn't do it!

 

[Marvo]

What voltage?

Is that your apprentice in the background?

 

[Octopus]

What voltage?

Is that your apprentice in the background?

12v

not apprentice - customer.

 

[sparksburnout]

What do you think is wrong with it exactly, apart from the lights facing the wrong direction?

 

[NDG Elecs]

I wouldn't do it that way ever. Crimps for me everytime. That tape looks like it will be half falling off within six months or so.

 

[Octopus]

What do you think is wrong with it exactly, apart from the lights facing the wrong direction?

Simply the case of having 2 wagos visible - I would always fit a mini JB.

 

[sparksburnout]

The thing to remember with under cupboard lights is that they are usually covered in grease and carp. That LED strip will fall off before the wago's. You need to get it all as clean as possible and then use silicone of whatever to stick it on, the adhesive that comes on the strip is usually rubbish. As for the connectors, you can't see them, what is the problem??

 

[sparksburnout]

Simply the case of having 2 wagos visible - I would always fit a mini JB.

Do you crawl round on your hands and knees then usually??

 

[Richard Burns]

All connections should be suitably enclosed (especially 12V ones) and I do not think a wago is suitably enclosed on its own.
If it were in a junction box then it would be OK.
I certainly would not crimp it, because there would be no option to easily replace the strip once it has failed.

 

[Octopus]

Do you crawl round on your hands and knees then usually??

No. I only saw these because the customer said that the lights were not very bright.

Her "other" problem is the fact that in a room approx 4 m x 5 m there are only 8 downlights, leaving a "dark area" down the centre of the room!

 

[NDG Elecs]

All connections should be suitably enclosed (especially 12V ones) and I do not think a wago is suitably enclosed on its own.
If it were in a junction box then it would be OK.
I certainly would not crimp it, because there would be no option to easily replace the strip once it has failed.

If there was enough give on the flex there would be. I would normally leave some excess flex within the surface pattress, and then you would have some to pull through if replacement was ever needed.

 

[sparksburnout]

All connections should be suitably enclosed (especially 12V ones) and I do not think a wago is suitably enclosed on its own.
If it were in a junction box then it would be OK.
I certainly would not crimp it, because there would be no option to easily replace the strip once it has failed.

Why does a 12V connection need to be "suitably enclosed"? If it is crimped, it is easy to chop through the crimp and then re-crimp it? I can't see why a wago is not OK, you can't see it and there is no danger, it's 12v ?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

All connections should be suitably enclosed (especially 12V ones) and I do not think a wago is suitably enclosed on its own.
If it were in a junction box then it would be OK.
I certainly would not crimp it, because there would be no option to easily replace the strip once it has failed.

Why 'especially the 12V ones' Richard? They are not a shock risk, the terminations may get quite hot, but I can't see how putting in a enclosure would help, although I could be on the wrong track.

As for whether I would do that, no, I wouldn't, ever. They would be far more easy to pull apart by accident than if in an enclosure so the termination is more likely to become compromised and it's right underneath a wooden structure.

 

[stevethesparks]

My way is to solder a long twin cable direct to the strip and route this to above the cupboards into a jb. A small piece of heat shrink - carefully - covering the soldered cable.

 

[sparksburnout]

Why 'especially the 12V ones' Richard? They are not a shock risk, the terminations may get quite hot, but I can't see how putting in a enclosure would help, although I could be on the wrong track.

As for whether I would do that, no, I wouldn't, ever. They would be far more easy to pull apart by accident than if in an enclosure so the termination is more likely to become compromised and it's right underneath a wooden structure.

I think you are on the wrong track HHP. That strip will be taking about 4 watts, I don't think there is an overheating issue, and I can't see how the connections would get pulled apart, and even if they did it's just 12V. I reckon its a bit of a fuss over nothing to be honest!! Personally I do what Steve has suggested, solder a bit of bell wire to the strip and run it to the driver. If it fails you will have to re-do it all anyway, unless you always buy short lengths that are ready terminated.