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bunnyemerald

Under-cabinet lighting, pt. 2

Bunny
12 years ago

Last week my GC installed xenon puck lights. I lived with them a couple of days and decided I don't like them. I've already told my GC I want to change to something else. While the temperature of the light is very nice, the shadow patterns they cast down the backsplash are annoying and nullify the otherwise pleasant light. Plus they were mounted at the back of the cabinets and really do nothing for task lighting. If I have to choose, I'd take improved task lighting over backsplash mood lighting. It's just me living here, I don't need to be put in the mood. I would prefer a more solid band of light rather than the separate pools that pucks create.

So, given the GC's seeming lack of vision, I'm gonna need to make suggestions to him (I know, I know). I have seen and very much liked low-profile fluorescent fixtures. I'm not too good for fluorescent, if the temp's right. I wouldn't mind paying extra for LED but I'm wondering if it's even on his radar. He seems to be an Ace Hardware/Home Depot guy. And there's nothing wrong with that, but that's probably where I need to locate alternative lighting.

Comments (7)

  • jscout
    12 years ago

    I have LED strips from superbrightleds dot com that I really like. The color is whiter than incandescent (maybe a tad more than halogen) but warmer than fluorescent. It's a thin light bar, thin power supply and a small touch dimmer. Here are a few pictures.

    Installation - Lights off:

    Installation - Lights on:

    Front View with moulding at eye level:

    Angled view of lights:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Super Bright LEDs

  • billy_g
    12 years ago

    You should check out the other undercabinet lighting threads.

    We have undercabinet LED lights from Philips - see link below.

    Some of the things we like:

    - line dimmable - no transformers needed

    - they have a curved lense to spread out the LED light

    The strips mount at the front of the cabinets and direct the light both down at the counter and back against the backsplash. Lovely!

    Billy

    Here is a link that might be useful: Philips undercabinet LED lights

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    jscout and billy_g, are your LED lights low-voltage, or are there low-voltage models available?

    I realize I should check out the other undercabinet threads, but there's one issue that I have to take into account: The wiring for the pucks is low-voltage. I've already paid a chunk of change for that. So I'm motivated to find a low-voltage alternative (i.e., savings made in fluorescent fixtures would be negated by the cost of new wiring).

    As far as timing goes, I'd just as soon get this electrical stuff resolved soon, so may need to opt for a local source rather than online.

  • brianadarnell
    12 years ago

    Linelle, my installation looks like yours. Wires coming through the wall just below the cabinet and then backsplash notched out to allow it to connect with my lights. The only difference is that my lights are toward the back so I don't see the wires because my lights are rectangular not round. HTH

  • Bunny
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    brianadarnell, I'm actually greatly relieved that notching the backsplash isn't a weird thing. Once I decided I didn't like the pucks, I went off on everything about the installation. What kind of lights did you use, i.e., LED, xenon, low-voltage, direct wire?

  • billy_g
    12 years ago

    The Philips LEDs are line voltage, which I wanted.

    It looks like the Superbright LED strips are low voltage and it sounds like this may work better in your situation.

    Billy

  • jscout
    12 years ago

    If those wires are low-voltage, then all that means is the transformer is somewhere else. In my installation, the light bar is low voltage and the transformer is line voltage. So, if your transformer is 24v, then the light bars from my installation would just connect to the wires in your wall...in theory.