Hi,

For a residential "tray ceiling" application, to provide ambient lighting I want to run LED rope light behind the crown molding. The crown will be installed below the "tray" ceiling height in a cantilever fashion at the base of the "tray". I like LED because it runs cool.

My question is, every LED option I've found in 100/120v uses a hard wired male plug to connect it to the service.

For my application, the lighting will be operated from a wall switch, wired to above the celling in an attic which for the most part is inaccessible (once I close up the ceiling).

The thought of running the lines from the wall switch to an outlet in the attic, or worse to as one vendor told me "just cut the plug off the end of the lead wire and run it into the bx box and hard wire it" - either of these options scare me.

Anyone have any experience with this or know of an alternative? Maybe I just haven't found the specific brand of LED rope that is installed in a hard wiring application.

Any help is appreciated in advance,
Thanks,
Phil

Why should they scare you?

Both of those options are valid ways to deal with this.

Personally, I'd go for installing the receptacle up in the ceiling -- more flexibility if you or a future owner decides they want a different type of light to be controlled by that switch.

Thank you for your response.

By installing an outlet in the attic, my concern would be - and I realize this is probably remote - but could the plug come loose from the receptacle over time?

Also, what if in the case of a power surge or lighting strike, could a spark cause a fire? By hard wiring, all the connections are in a covered metal junction box.

I suppose I could use a turn-lock outlet, and just make the connection in an extended box.


Maybe I'm worrying too much,
Phil

Follow Tim's advice and install a switched receptacle IN the room at the tray......

By code you can't plug-in the attic......you're not allowed to run "cords" thru the structure............

"...measure once.....cut twice....throw that one away and cut a new one...."

I just realized what you meant - install the receptacle (outlet) in the tray itself.

Thanks, I was so involved in this project that I couldn't see the easy solution.