Undercounter Kitchen lights

[jinkster]

I am wanting to change my undercounter (under cupboard) lights in the kitchen. There are flourescent strip lights and the bulbs have gone. What should I replace them with? I have this connection (see photograph). Maybe some halogen lights would look better?

[Raverbaby]

These should plug straight in (I think), they come in various sizes/wattages.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite-white-t4-cabine...

ETA just noticed you want to change from flourescent.
TBH flourescent is probably the best lighting for kitchens IMO.
Hopefully someone will be along with better suggestion.

[jinkster]

Do you know if they are pretty bright/ more modern than the standard fluorescent tubes?

[Raverbaby]

jinkster said:

Do you know if they are pretty bright/ more modern than the standard fluorescent tubes?

The T4 and T5 are more modern than the normal flourescent lamps (T5 & T8) they use less power with similar or better light output, the colour is more of a white rather than the usual "warm white".
I've got them under my units and they are quite bright, they do as a kind of non intrusive background light.
I also chose to put a 5ft flourescent on top of my kitchen units (out of sight) and this lights up the kitchen pretty well.
If your local to somewhere that sells the lights you could always buy one and if your not happy return it and have a rethink.
Maybe LED striplights is an option aswell.

[williredale]

Raverbaby said:

These should plug straight in (I think), they come in various sizes/wattages.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite-white-t4-cabine...

ETA just noticed you want to change from flourescent.
TBH flourescent is probably the best lighting for kitchens IMO.
Hopefully someone will be along with better suggestion.

I have these in my kitchen and they do the job. I have two pairs of the 495mm ones under our cabinets. The tubes don't last forever and I've never found anywhere to buy tubes so just buy whole units each time. In the six years we've had them I think four of the tubes have gone.

[Raverbaby]

williredale said:

I have these in my kitchen and they do the job. I have two pairs of the 495mm ones under our cabinets. The tubes don't last forever and I've never found anywhere to buy tubes so just buy whole units each time. In the six years we've had them I think four of the tubes have gone.

A local wholesaler will sell them, Edmunsons, Ross Electrical, CEF are a few off the top of my head.
Ebay is another source.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Lighting-/20697/i.html?_...

[williredale]

Raverbaby said:

A local wholesaler will sell them, Edmunsons, Ross Electrical, CEF are a few off the top of my head.
Ebay is another source.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Lighting-/20697/i.html?_...

I can be really thick sometimes! Cheers

[Raverbaby]

williredale said:

I can be really thick sometimes! Cheers

[h0b0]

We have under cabinet lighting in our kitchen. They make the cabinet hot so we can't use the bottom level for food. Our previous place I installed cheap Ikea units which look nicer and don't heat up the cabinet. The Ikea ones probably cost less than 100th of the cost of my new ones!

[singlecoil]

I generally prefer fluorescent lights for worktop lighting because of the good spread of light and reduce shadows. Modern units give a very suitable light and don't produce much if any heat. Lighting pelmets will be needed, of course.

If it is a granite worktop with sparkly bits in it then point source lighting such as halogens and LEDs will show those better, if that's what is wanted.

[Smiler.]

singlecoil said:

I generally prefer fluorescent lights for worktop lighting because of the good spread of light and reduce shadows. Modern units give a very suitable light and don't produce much if any heat. Lighting pelmets will be needed, of course.

If it is a granite worktop with sparkly bits in it then point source lighting such as halogens and LEDs will show those better, if that's what is wanted.

Self-adhesive LED strip is good for this. I got some from Guy (EcoLed) & it works a treat - easy to install too.

It replaced some horrible capsule lamp fittings that were always failing.

[chr15b]

Ikea do a modular led kit, not too expensive, you buy a power driver which can run 6 or 10 lights. I've got a strip light under a set of wall cabinets and four circular ones in and under some glass door cabinets either side of the hob.

Was <£100

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Smiler. said:

Self-adhesive LED strip is good for this. I got some from Guy (EcoLed) & it works a treat - easy to install too.

It replaced some horrible capsule lamp fittings that were always failing.

Smiler,
Any chance of a pic or a link please? This sounds the sort of thing I need.
Thanks in advance.

[Smiler.]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Smiler,
Any chance of a pic or a link please? This sounds the sort of thing I need.
Thanks in advance.

This is the stuff

I use WAGO 222 series connectors for the mains & 12v connections.

Speak to Guy at EcoLed for more details or pm me if you need any help with the fitting.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Smiler. said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Smiler,
Any chance of a pic or a link please? This sounds the sort of thing I need.
Thanks in advance.

This is the stuff

I use WAGO 222 series connectors for the mains & 12v connections.

Speak to Guy at EcoLed for more details or pm me if you need any help with the fitting.

Many thanks. I'll investigate.

[SLacKer]

I binned my old fluorescent tube system which was hot and I was forever changing tubes. I went for LED strips top and bottom of the wall units and now have superb lighting without the heat.

These are the ones. They come with a variety of interconnect leads of different lengths and you can split the strips into smaller pieces.

Here is the result - a little over exposed it is not quite as bright in reality

[Craikeybaby]

Another vote for sticky backed LEDs here.

[SLacKer]

Forgot to mention if you do go with these then a small countersunk screw in some of the mounts on the underside of cabinets is useful as the sticky is only a small pad.

[aberdeeneuan]

I have the sticky backed LEDs - these ones:
http://www.jcc-lighting.co.uk/products/undershelf-...

I'm sure you can get them cheaper, but these have been in for three years and we've had no issues with them at all.

[E36GUY]

As well as the LED strips, we also have a great way of finishing the LED to a higher standard. Mount them in a slim line aluminium profile which has a frosted diffuser that snaps in and reduces the glare of the LED spots themselves. Mounted half way between front and back of the wall unit the LEDs will light the entire splashback and work surface such is their wide angle. The aluminium is also a nice clean surfance for the sticky back of the LED strips long term and acts as a heat sink which is never a bad thing to have.

Aluminium profiles Here