"Can Lights" w/o da "can"?

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#1

Not sure if I should be posting this under the new Lighting category but that seems to be more for software/app discussion.

Curious if anyone has seen LED can lighting solutions that don't require the big old cans. Seems much of what I am running into is "replacement/inserts". I don't care if they are necessarily SMART units, I can make rows of them smart through switching.

Looking at kitchen down light/work surface lighting where no cans currently exist and the ceiling space/cavity would be better not penetrated to any significant depth. I'd hate to resort to Track Lighting and I'd think the advent of low low profile (flat) LED solutions would preclude that.

Thanks in advance for whatever comments come.

#2

Is this what you're looking for? They just introduced these about a month or so ago. Not exactly cheap. But then hue never is.
Hue White and color ambiance Slim Downlight 5/6 inch | Philips Hue (philips-hue.com)

#3

Holy Cow.....EXACTLY THAT, thanks.

Be right back,
...need to go set up a Go Fund Me account for the ~dozen I think I need. But hey, maybe less as these aren't deep-in-a-can.

:rofl:

EDIT: OK, I'm back...and discovering that I just haven't been paying attention to this can-less trend. Easy-peasy stuff! Hell, there was a video on a similar product on Amazon showing just cutting the sheet rock and stuffing the driver box back up in the ceiling without even having to mount it to a joist. Wonder if that is really to code.

EDIT #2: Just spent a chunk of time looking at this stuff and was about to push the button on a well priced sale on Lithonia (not smart, no color, but K temp setting) units that I figured I could do without the full smarts and just put it in the switches I put them on. Then I took one last look at the reviews and boom, what I had not noticed before when seeing over 4000 reviews and 4+ stars....the collection of reviews that represent some MONTHS of user experience, some level of failure, flicker, or dimmer incompatibility, and a company that makes it a PITA to deal with warranty issues!

So....that Philips product is priced high for a reason. Anybody know if you HAVE to have the HUE hub to run these or is there some level of HE compatibility possible w/o the extra hub?

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#4

Also, just stumbled across this...
Govee Smart RGBWW Recessed Lights 4 Pack

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#5

If I was a betting man, I would say probably not. Luckily most home inspectors aren't looking all that close.

#6

Wonder if that is really to code.

Code depends on where you live. I live in Ohio and thats the way my bonded contractor installed 2 dozen of these lights when I renovated my first floor.

And actually, you don't want the driver box mounted to a joist. Some of these drivers are cheap and you'll need to replace them when you replace the light. That would be a PITA if it where mounted.

#7

I have a bunch of the Nicor SureFit lights and am pleased; I would use them again.

They install in Jbox, have an integral driver, dim, have a high CRI, are supposedly compatible with Inovelli dimmers, come in various color temperatures and various color and shape (square available) trim. The big orange box store sells them, and you can often order them online for even lower cost. I've had them for over a year, and only had an issue with one (of over 20) and Nicor promptly sent a replacement - great experience.

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