Under cabinet lighting - switched receptacles

[adam-gs]

In my kitchen, all of the under cabinet lighting are plugged into a number of receptacles mounted into the top cabinets throughout the kitchen, which are then controlled by a switch near the counter.

The lights are all 2W G8 LED bulbs, and there are 12 in total. I wanted to replace the switch with a Caseta switch, and I looked and there were neutral wires in the switch box, so I swapped it out with a PD5-ANS. It seemed to work perfectly until at night that I noticed a steady very faint light coming from all 12 LEDs.

In truth, it's a very cool "night light". But these bulbs aren't listed as dimmable. When I have had load issues with the PD5-ANS switches before, installing the LUT-MLC between the neutral wire and the load solved the problem. But in this situation all the loads are plugs... into receptacles. Where would I install the MLC? There isn't much space left in the switch box, and I'd rather not take apart the receptacle boxes. If the very faint light isn't bad for the bulb or fixture, even if it's an unintended activity, I don't mind keeping it as is

Suggestions welcome.

[Matt H.]

The LUT-MLC is not rated by the NEC to be at the switch and I do not feel this would be recommended at the receptacle either. If the ghosting that you are experiencing is not that big of an issue to you I would say leaving it is probably the most acceptable solution in regards to electrical wiring code. Being the switch is only using around 0.1 watts to run the green indicator light on the switch in the off position and this is what is keeping the lights on, it is not using much of any current to do so.

[SparkyCoog]

Technically you're not allowed to have outlets on a dimmer because there is a risk of someone plugging in something else to them. Even when you think it's hidden or people won't be dumb enough to plug something else in them, someone will find a way. On one job with a panel based dimming module we had recessed "clock plugs" to go behind paintings and to my horror, I saw a painter had plugged in his microwave on there. That was a 1920 watt dimmer so it somehow took the punishment, but had it been something like a Caseta dimmer, it would have been toast. But I digress.

In your case, you can put in dimmable bulbs and make sure nobody plugs anything else there. LUT-MLC is designed for switches and not dimmers so not sure if that would help. You could also use in plug-in dimmers and put them in switch mode so they're a relay and not a dimmer. That would make everybody happy. You can take out the dimmer and put in a Pico remote and it'd be code because it's the plug doing the work.

[davisadm]

Technically you're not allowed to have outlets on a dimmer because there is a risk of someone plugging in something else to them.

The PD5-ANS is a switch, not a dimmer.