Ultra-Thin Recessed LED Installation Guide

There are two different methods that you can use to install your aspectLED Ultra-Thin recessed LED lights. The amount of vertical clearance that you have at the light location will usually help you to decide which method to choose.

If you have at least 1.75” of space above your drywall , you will usually choose the conventional installation method. If you have a pipe, wire, joist or other obstacle in your way, you may be able to use the conventional installation method , if you have enough room to get a junction box through your hole. If you have less than 1.75” of space above your drywall , you’ll typically use the low clearance installation method.

Most electricians space recessed lights equally apart from each other forming a grid pattern on the ceiling. The distance between each light generally depends on the LED wattage of your light. Here are a few rough rules of thumb for spacing when using the lights as primary lighting (if you are using the lights as accent lighting or you have other lights in your room, you can space them further apart):

LED Wattage | Incandescent Equivalent | Recommended Spacing

3 Watts | 25 Watt | 3W fixtures are generally used for accent/cabinet lighting and are not usually used as general room lighting. If you do use them as general lighting, you’ll want to space them roughly 2-3 feet apart.

6 Watts | 50 Watt | 6W fixtures are generally laid out in a grid such that they are 2’- 3’ off each wall and 4-5’ apart from each other.

9 Watts | 65 Watts | 9W fixtures are generally laid out in a grid such that they are 3’ off each wall and 5-6’ apart from each other.

12 Watts | 75 Watt | 12W fixtures are generally laid out in a grid such that they are about 4-5’ off each wall and about 6-7’ apart from each other.

18 Watts | 125 Watts | 18W fixtures are generally laid out in a grid such that they are 5-6’ off each wall and about 8-10’ apart from each other.

If you have over 1.75” of space above your drywall , or, if you only have a small obstruction (like a pipe or a wire) in your way, this will be the fastest and most straight-forward installation method. If you don’t yet have drywall on your ceiling, please skip to the bottom (new construction applications).

1. Layout your light locations on the ceiling. Using a tape measure and the layout/grid design that you’ve decided on, layout the location of each light on your ceiling and mark the center of each light location with a small pencil mark. The old adage of measuring twice and cutting once is worth thinking about as you’re marking your light locations. No one wants to repair or patch a ceiling because they cut their hole in the wrong spot.
2. Cut the hole that you’ll install the fixture into. Using the table above to find the correct hole size for your Ultra-Thin recessed LED light fixture, draw the appropriately sized cut-out hole (round or square, depending on your fixture) on your ceiling using a pencil. Then, using a jab saw (or optionally, a drill with a holesaw for round cutouts), make a hole in your ceiling that is the correct size and shape for your light. Use care not to make cut-out hole any larger than recommended cut-out hole size.
3. Run your wire to the light location. In accordance with NEC and your local electrical code, run your 120VAC electrical wire from the switch/dimmer location to the location where you will install your LED driver, usually at your light fixture. Use supply wire rated for 90° C or greater. Be sure to check your local code for which type of wire to run, most electrical codes require NM (also called Romex), BX, or MC wire.
4. Remove wiring compartment plate
5. Remove knock-out(s) as needed to run supply wiring into wiring compartment.
6. Make supply connections to driver supply wires and ground wire lead using supplied wire connectors/nuts. Live wire = black. Neutral = white. Green = Ground. If 0-10V dimming, grey = 0-10 signal wire (-) and purple wire = 0-10 signal wire (+).
7. Install wiring compartment cover and snap shut.
8. Connect the driver to the light Verify that the input voltage of your LED driver matches your source voltage. Verify that the output voltage and current of your LED driver match the input voltage and current of your luminaire. Connect the driver cable plug to the plug on your light. Pay close attention to the arrows located on plug (there is one small arrow molded into the plug on the driver side of the cable). These arrows must point towards each other. Screw the connectors together. It is important to remember that each model light requires its own specific driver and drivers are NOT interchangeable between different model lights.
9. Place LED Driver through hole Carefully place the LED Driver up through the hole. If driver must be attached to structure per code, use screws or other removable fastener to fasten unit using keyholes provided. It is very important that the LED driver remains accessible by removing the light, thus allowing you to inspect the connections or LED driver at any time without physically damaging your ceiling or other building materials. Mount your LED driver in a dry location, unless otherwise marked. For some smaller recessed fixtures, our driver may not fit through the fixture’s cut-out hole. In this case, you will need access from above the ceiling or behind the wall, or you may remotely locate the driver and run class 2 low voltage wire between the driver and the luminaire. In the event that you remotely locate your LED driver, only use aspectLED class 2 low voltage extension cables between luminaire and LED driver, and never connect multiple extension cables together.
10. Install your luminaire into the cut-out hole. After you’ve verified that your light cord is connected to the driver output cord, gently lift upwards on the retention clips on each side of your light fixture and carefully push it into your cut-out hole. Once the light fixture is in the hole, allow the spring-loaded retention clips to come down, holding the light firmly in place against the drywall or ceiling material. Do not install this luminaire into ceiling material with a thickness over 1”.
11. That’s it! You’re finished! Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed the conventional installation process. Once your light is installed into the ceiling, your project is finished. Now is a great time to take a moment to sit down and enjoy your favorite beverage while giving yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

If you ever need to remove the light in order to access your junction box (or anything in the ceiling cavity above), simply grab hold of the sides of the light and gently pull downwards until the light comes about 1/2” down out of the hole. Before pulling the light all of the way out of the hole, be sure to get a firm grip on the retention clips, so you can hold them upwards in order to avoid getting your fingers snapped in the springs. Then pull the light the rest of the way out of the hole and gently let the retention clips back down. Remember, the retention clips have a similar strength to your average mousetrap! Be careful not to snap your fingers inside of the springs!

1. Find a place to locate your drivers. With the low clearance installation method, you’ll put all of your drivers together (or in groups) in a remote location. Typically this is in a utility room, unfinished room/basement, cabinet, utility closet, or other location. It is important that you locate this spot in a place where you can access it in the future, as electrical codes will require that it remain accessible without tearing apart things to get to it. When choosing the location for your drivers, remember that your drivers should be located within 100’ of your lights.
2. Layout your light locations on the ceiling. Using a tape measure and the layout/grid design that you’ve decided on, layout the location of each light on your ceiling and mark the center of each light location with a small pencil mark. The old adage of measuring twice and cutting once is worth thinking about as you’re marking your light locations. No one wants to repair or patch a ceiling because they cut their hole in the wrong spot.
3. Cut the hole that you’ll install the fixture into. Using the table above to find the correct hole size for your Ultra-Thin recessed LED light fixture, draw the appropriately sized cut-out hole (round or square, depending on your fixture) on your ceiling using a pencil. Then, using a jab saw (or optionally, a drill with a holesaw for round cutouts), make a hole in your ceiling that is the correct size and shape for your light. Use care not to make cut-out hole any larger than recommended cut-out hole size.
4. Run extension cables or low voltage wire to the light location. Run aspectLED Ultra-Thin extension cables , or low voltage wire from your central driver location to each light location. Remember that you must run one ultra-thin extension cable (or run of low voltage wire) for each light. You can not daisy chain multiple lights together. If you are using aspectLED Ultra-Thin extension cables, always purchase the appropriate length cable and never connect multiple extension cables together. If you choose to run your own low voltage wire from the driver box to each light, be sure to use a 2 conductor stranded class 2 wire. Always consult a voltage drop chart that factors the wattage of the fixture (load) and the distance from the driver to the light (run length) in order to determine the appropriate size your wires. If you use the aspectLED Ultra-Thin extension cables, we’ve already done the sizing for you. You’ll need a little bit of slack in your wire at the light location to allow you to install the light (and to remove it if you ever need to), so be sure to leave about 6-8” of wire sticking out of your hole at the light location. Also, be sure to leave some extra wire at the driver location, so you have enough slack to neatly organize your wires.
5. Mount your drivers and run 120VAC power to this location. At the location where you’ve decided to install your drivers (see step 1), securely mount your drivers. Run your electrical wire from the switch/dimmer location to each driver. Be sure to check your local code for which type of wire to run, most electrical codes require NM (also called Romex), BX, or MC wire. Spending a few minutes to neatly space your drivers and route your wiring will be well worth the investment if you ever need to access or service your drivers. We recommend leaving 2" of space between drivers for access and serviceability. Also, we highly recommend labeling each driver with the location of the light that it feeds.
6. Connect the drivers to the light. Connect the Ultra-Thin extension cable plug to the plug on your light. Be sure to pay close attention to the arrows located on plug (there is one small arrow molded into the plug on the light side of the cable and one small arrow molded into the plug on the driver side of the cable). These arrows must point towards each other. Also, if you look inside the plug, you’ll notice a groove on the light side and a bump/key on the driver side. Be sure that the bump/key fits nicely into the slot. Screw the connectors together. If you used your own wire for extending the distance between the driver and the light, cut off the aspectLED supplied connector on the light and driver and strip the black and red wires, then connect to your extension wire, being careful to keep the polarity consistent. We recommend using wire with a red and black conductor, making it easy to keep track of which wire is positive and negative. It is important to remember that each model light has its own specific driver and drivers are NOT interchangeable between different model lights.
7. Install your luminaire into the cut-out hole. After you’ve verified that your light cord is connected to the driver output cord, gently lift upwards on the retention clips on each side of your light fixture and carefully push it into your cut-out hole. Once the light fixture is in the hole, allow the spring-loaded retention clips to come down, holding the light firmly in place against the drywall or ceiling material. Do not install this luminaire into ceiling material with a thickness over 1”.
8. That’s it! You’re finished! Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed the conventional installation process. Once your light is installed into the ceiling, your project is finished. Now is a great time to take a moment to sit down and enjoy your favorite beverage while giving yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

For new construction applications, we recommend using aspectLED’s Rough-In Bracket/Plates. Before installing drywall, layout your light locations and securely fasten the rough-in plate to your joists at each light location. The rough-in brackets have convenient slots in them allowing you to make minor adjustments to the bracket positioning after you’ve mounted them. Run wire (following the conventional or low clearance installation instructions above) to each of your light locations before drywalling. Before drywalling, double check the location of each light. Once you’ve drywalled, you won’t be able to adjust the positioning. Instruct your drywallers to cut-out the holes for each light using the rough-in bracket as a template. Then, once drywall is finished, install your lights by following the remainder of the conventional or low clearance installation instructions in this document.