Can you put pendant lights over an island with recessed cans?
Condo wiring and hidden transformers often make it difficult to bypass low-voltage converters for pendant fixtures without professional help. This limitation can stall a kitchen update, leaving homeowners unsure if rewiring is even possible before calling an electrician.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 75.0× more often in r/askanelectrician than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Looking for canned light to flush mount kitsDid this help you?
- 2Planning to hire an electrician to check if rewiring is possibleDid this help you?
- 3Modifying the ceiling hole size and rewiring connections into a separate junction box.Did this help you?
- 4Rewiring existing fixtures to run LED replacement tubes by cutting out the ballastDid this help you?
- 5Jiggling the old fluorescent bulb to get it to stay onDid this help you?
- 6Replacing old fixtures entirely with plug-in or linkable LED under cabinet light modelsDid this help you?
- 7Using battery or USB-powered motion-activated LED stripsDid this help you?
- 8Researching procedures on YouTubeDid this help you?
- 9Touching wires together until figuring out what did whatDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I live in a condo and probably can't rewire things to bypass the converter. Before I pay an electrian to come out and tell me it's not possible I'm hoping to see what your thoughts are on it.”source ↗
“Changing an old fan to a simple light fixture. I didn’t pay attention to the wiring when pulling the fan down.”source ↗
“Can someone help me figure out how to wire this simple light fixture up?”source ↗
“You need to shut off the breaker pop that box out cut the hole the right size to fit that light and then wire that wire into the junction box. It’s a little bit of work, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.”source ↗
“I’d like to know if I can install a mini chandelier from a recess lighting on my ceiling???”source ↗
“I have these ... watching for suggestions”source ↗
“I think maybe the fixture is actually failing tbh. A little plastic piece broke off. I’m able to continually jiggle the bulb to get it to stay on but even that’s not working anymore. So either the fixture or bulb or both are on their way out and i figured i might as well just replace it.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How to take apart a vanity light fixture without breaking the glass
- 2How to change a light fixture over stairs without a ladder
- 12How to remove a stuck light fixture globe
- 3Can I fix a hanging light fixture without an electrician?
- 6How to swap the order of wall light switches
- 3How to replace a 4 foot fluorescent bulb by yourself