Check out some similar questions!

Tom McSweeney · Sep 26, 2008, 04:29 PM

I have a rope light set I'd like to install behind a cornice in a tray ceiling. The clerk at Lowe's told me I'd need a GFCI outlet and a dimmer switch, which I bought. After reading the installation instructions on both the outlet and the switch it seems they're not the way to go. The dimmer switch says not to wire it to an outlet but the rope lights have to be plugged into an outlet not direct wired. The GFCI says it won't protect against overheating or shorts just electricity flows going to someone rather than through the circuits. Can anyone sort this out for me? I have my choice of a regular outlet and a GFCI outlet to pull the power from but I'm not sure what to do now.

Stratmando · Sep 26, 2008, 07:26 PM

I don't see the need to be GFI protected. The danger and reason for code that says not to dim a receptacle due to someone may plug in a Vacuum, Tv or something that can be destroyed or dangerous if on low voltage.
Wonder if there is an exception if in a soffett where only the rope lights would be plugged?

Tom McSweeney · Sep 26, 2008, 08:05 PM

I think you're right on the GFI, I'm going to go with a standard duplex outlet.
Do you think there's any danger in dimming the rope lights through the outlet like there would be with the appliances you mentioned?

Missouri Bound · Sep 26, 2008, 08:15 PM

If dimming is what you want to do with those lights and others... check out the X10 website and look around. Plenty of options there for all lighting.

mechanickid · Sep 26, 2008, 08:27 PM

No danger in dimming the lights, however if the circuit has any other outlets on it, and you dimm It anything pluged into these outlets could be damaged,,

Let me know if that makes sense

Tom McSweeney · Sep 27, 2008, 10:34 AM

That makes perfect sense and I would have overlooked it. The circuit I chose is an outlet right below the new switch location to make fishing wire easier. There are other outlets in the room and we use them for vacuum cleaners etc. so I will just make it a regular toggle switch. Thanks for the info, you probably saved me afrom buying a new vac.

Missouri Bound · Sep 27, 2008, 01:05 PM

There are plug in and slide dimmers that would go on the cord. Would either of those work in your application?

mechanickid · Sep 27, 2008, 01:57 PM

You can still do this with a dimmer switch, just make sure the dimmer is only for that outlet, and label it, or you could remove the outlet, see if there is one set of wires or 2 and hard wire the lights and remove the outlet completely, and put a solid cover over the box :) if there are 2 sets of wires though you will have to find another way to provide power to the other outlets.

Tom McSweeney · Sep 27, 2008, 05:26 PM

Dimmers on the cord wouldn't work because the light set is 8 feet off the floor behind a cornice.
I wired it today with a regular switch just to be safe but I took the power through the switch first and then on to the new outlet. I noticed that this made the other outlets in the room hot all the time regardless of the switch position so I think I can redo it with the dimmer if necessary. I have to finish painting the cornice molding before putting it up and then I'll see how bright it is from behind the molding.
Thanks a lot to all participants, you pointed me in the right direction after I got a little lost with the advice from Lowe's.

mechanickid · Sep 27, 2008, 05:48 PM

Yea I hate Lowe's, haha

Not sure what you mean by the location, but you seam to have a handel on it :)