Board logo

Looking for advice on under-cupboard LED lighting
David Jenkins - 5/1/15 at 07:35 PM

Our kitchen cabinets have under-cupboard worktop lights that use fluorescent tubes - they're roughly 500mm long and 15mm in diameter (called "T4" tubes). Frankly, they're useless... every time a tube goes I have to faff about trying to find a replacement, and usually this involves an on-line supplier so lots of P&P to pay as places like B&Q no longer stock T4s. I usually have to replace one of the 3 tubes every 10 or 12 months, and they're of 2 sizes.

So now I'm looking to replace them with LED lights, but I have no idea what to look for. They will have to be 240v (but I expect that there will be a power unit somewhere) and have roughly the same lighting ability as the existing 20W tubes.

Maybe folks can offer some advice - what's good, what to avoid, all that sort of thing!


DanP - 5/1/15 at 07:40 PM

If you have 240V coming to under the cabinet and you have pelmets fitted (to hide the lights and wiring) then you have loads of options, B&Q leds come with slimline tranformers - go into a store and look under their display units and you will see.


MP3C - 5/1/15 at 07:42 PM

I have used these before to light under cupboard lighting in some of our office conversions. They work remarkably well and are easily hidden. They are powered from basically a laptop power supply block (size wise) which can easily be hidden. They use no power and are very bright.

Matt

Edit:

This is probably a better representation of what you will receive.

[Edited on 5/1/15 by MP3C]


serieslandy - 5/1/15 at 07:43 PM

I've got these in my kitchen. I've replaced the Florecents as they've died.

They might not be the cheapest but they are good. If you want a pic let me know as I have 1 Florencent and 1 led so you can compare brightness.
Oh and they are 230v and took the old plug that came on the florecent light.


JoelP - 5/1/15 at 08:11 PM

When I fit new cabinets, I use a router to recess the round led lights into the base of the cabinet, which requires a 12mm depth, then drill a 7mm hole through the middle of the panel from the back, so the the wire cannot be seen inside or out. Then up the back to the transformer. Ideally one light every 60cm. Probably a bit of a polava if the units already fitted though!


daniel mason - 5/1/15 at 09:06 PM

Or just fit T5's


David Jenkins - 5/1/15 at 09:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
Or just fit T5's


That's going to be the very last resort - I don't want the same problems further down the line...


rgrs - 5/1/15 at 10:21 PM

I have used the generic led self adeshive strips available on eBay for about £8.00 plus a transformer on top of the cabinets, the light is good but it's only there to look pretty. They provide enough light to cancel out the shadow caused by the top cabinets, however they are not designed to provide 'task lighting'.

We are now a year in with no failures and the whole lot cost less than £15.00 to do !

Although the light output will be less than a t4 you can use the full length of the cabinet as you cut to the required length and just solder leads on as required.

Roger


Paul M - 5/1/15 at 11:06 PM

ordered a set of these yesterday as I'm in exactly the same boat as you (T5's though - 4 lights 2 different sizes & fed up of buying replacements)
led hut

30% off on screen price until end of jan and good cashback via topcashback at the moment.


russbost - 6/1/15 at 08:10 AM

I've used the same self adhesive led strip with an led driver transformer in my kitchen to good effect, but I am just trialing some new led lights which are small 3 led units & can be daisy chained together to provide as much or as little light in an area as you need, I think they will be ideal for under cabinet lighting, but am also looking at lighting the whole garage with them!

If they are any good I will be stocking & selling both the units & the drivers, but that's probably at least a month/6 weeks down the line assuming trials go to plan!


garyo - 6/1/15 at 09:12 AM

I have the same problem - and it must be a fairly common one. Given that you can buy very cheap 240V LED GU10's, I wonder why there's no availability of 240V LED T4 tubes - or something equivalent that doesn't require a transformer?


dhutch - 6/1/15 at 12:51 PM

Unless you are going for the ice-white look make sure you get 'warm white' ones, they are quite good these days.


Daniel


David Jenkins - 6/1/15 at 02:53 PM

Thanks for all the advice chaps... given me some things to think about!

I did find these on-line, which are the same sort of physical shape & size of the T4 fittings I've got now - but I hate to buy stuff I haven't seen working.

QVS lights

I also wish all advertisers would quote the lights' output in lumens - some do, some don't. Would be very useful when comparing each fitting.


[Edited on 6/1/15 by David Jenkins]


dhutch - 6/1/15 at 08:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I also wish all advertisers would quote the lights' output in lumens ...

And colour temp.

Accurately...


David Jenkins - 7/1/15 at 01:36 PM

I'm happy if they just say "warm white" or whatever!


dhutch - 7/1/15 at 01:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I'm happy if they just say "warm white" or whatever!


I would be if 'warm white' was a specific temp, but as some warm whites are colder than a 50w halogen and some are warmer than a flat torch, I no longer am.

Particularly when you are trying to match lights in the same room, as you often are, and almost always will be with under cupboard lights.


Daniel


Irony - 7/1/15 at 01:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dhutch
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I also wish all advertisers would quote the lights' output in lumens ...

And colour temp.

Accurately...


You can't really colour match LED Strips. There all bloody different. They seem to vary slightly from batch to batch somethings.