Do enclosures for soffit lights exist?

[Bigmansm]

I'd really like to add a few down lights around my house. I'd like 2 in front of the garage door, 1 over our front planter and maybe another 1 or 2 in a few other planter locations.

When i look for soffit lighting, i only see the typical recessed, can style lights. For example, something like this:

I know these look great when you are going to isntall some sort of soffit panels, like this:

But, are there any options for lighting that can be installed without a soffit panels /covers? This would save alot of hassle and expense of installing the soffit panels just to hide things.

I'm am obviously looking for something that would be safe and clean looking. For example, if it would be possible to use low voltage LED lighting that is rated for outdoor use. A pretty simple cable could be run, up intot he soffit, tucked neatly away, then ran to a light inside some sort of simple enclosure.

Has anyone come across this or maybe come up with a DIY approach?
Something similar to these but obviously smaller for home use. These all look like commerial lighting that are powered by 110V and have a built in converter.

 

[kd3pc]

without the soffit panel or trim block and a backing attached to the truss leg, the can or box to supply power to the light is going to weigh down the soffit, especially where the sun can heat the siding/soffit.

perhaps the newer LEDs are light enough to be supported to the soffitt directly, but then the adhesive or screws will likely fail in short order.

The construct of "simple enclosure" is tough to achieve in anything that is up against mother nature and her thralls - birds, bugs, etc, and similarly many of the LED, low voltage, outdoor gear fails in short order, as it has to also hit a price point that most do not want to pay.

You might look at some marine (boat) rated LEDs, but sit first - as the prices are much higher, for the above reasons. But they will last years in the outdoor environments.

 

[cybrdyke]

http://starteklightingamerica.com/images/pdf/spec/StarSleek_SpecSheet.pdf
Have a look at these. No enclosure necessary.
Good luck
CD

 

[Bigmansm]

http://starteklightingamerica.com/images/pdf/spec/StarSleek_SpecSheet.pdf
Have a look at these. No enclosure necessary.
Good luck
CD

That is interesting stuff. The website is very vague but I will look into it.
These lights require 110VAC and then convert to DC for the LED light. Nothing wrong with that, But city code compliance will require the wires be run through a conduit.

If there was a company that used low voltage running through the wires, a conduit would not be required.

 

[cybrdyke]

The little black box, which is a driver, sits inside an electrical box and is attached to 120v there. From there, it's 36vDC, which doesn't require any conduit. You can run about 100' from the driver to the disk with that low voltage. It shouldn't be a problem.
Your local codes may be different than mine.
CD

 

[rburke65]

Bigmansm OMG....you didn't just say 110 volts did you! The "120 Volt" people on here will arrest you....say "I'm sorry".......

 

[Falcon67]

I have a 3" LED That I plan to test - I think it will clear the roof deck in our soffits but I'm not sure the clips will work on thin soffit material. Not sure how the clips work at all really! These are dimmable and run on 120, 121 - whatever it takes.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_520454-43921-MQTL3001-LED6KAOW_0__?productId=50121571

 

[Bigmansm]

I need to try and find the code for my area but I wanted to ask here because so many of you are so knowledgeable.

Can the low voltage line be run along the house fully exposed? meaning, can I simply run the cable along the walls, under the soffit and what not?

When i bought the landscape lights, the instructions said to bury the line no more than 6inches underground. I wasn't sure if that was for code compliance or for ease of installation?

 

[DenisG]

Philips Lightolier has some options that are good for wet or damp locations:

http://www.lightingproducts.philips...ier-usa/slimsurface-led-downlight-c025e1.html

www.lightingproducts.philips.com/Do...pdf/SlimSurfaceLED-4in-6in-Square-S4S-S6S.pdf

 

[sands35]

The low voltage landscape lights run on (typically) 12-24 VDC with a class 2 transformer which will cut out if they wires short (i.e., put a shovel through them). They can be left exposed.

For a soffit, just staple the wire up with appropriate wire staples.