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homardmama_gw

"integrated" led ucl?

homardmama
11 years ago

Lighting Gurus:

Thank you all for your excellent and informative primer posts on LED UCL (particularly the LED UCL DIY and Continuation thereof).

We are in the thick of our kitchen reno, and after reading this forum were sold on LED UCL as opposed to Xenon. As a result of some KD/GC miscommunications (the details of which we will not bore you), we can't accommodate an external driver/transformer. We therefor are scurrying to find quality "integrated" LED UCL units (120V AC) that don't require an external driver/transformer, but are dimmable.

We found two options that, unless we are fundamentally misunderstanding things, may fit the bill, but were hoping someone here (davidtay?) might be able to give us a nudge in the right direction. The ones we found are the Pegasus LED Thin Undercabinet Task Lights (www.pegasuslighting.com/led-thin-under-cabinet-task-lights.HTML) and the Creative Systems Lighting Undercabinet ECO-counter (www.cslighting.com/contents/viewitem.asp?idproduct=331&idcategory=104).

Are we chasing a unicorn, or are these actually "integrated" dimmable LED UCL units? And if so, does anyone know if either of these products (or another) are any good, or are we going to have to resort to Xenon?

Thanks in advance!

Comments (7)

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    The capacitors in the electronic power supplies are not going to last as long as the LEDs.

  • David
    11 years ago

    You're looking at direct wire UCL (120V AC). Direct wire is preferable from your contractor's perspective for a number of reasons such as
    1. It is just another regular lighting circuit. There is no need to figure out the wire gauge required for the wiring lengths and power draw of each segment.

    2. The options are less constrained than low voltage eg - 12V or 24V. You can install xenon, halogen, t5 fluorescent or led or easily swap from one lighting type to another unlike low voltage lighting.

    The components (LEDs, capacitors, resistors, ...) should easily last 5 years or more (normal operational conditions assumed).
    Obviously a nearby lightning strike has the potential of wrecking electronics (& other electrical devices) in your home.

    The Philips eW Profile is an option which could be cheaper than the Pegasus or CSL as a total package and better thought out.

    The best (technical merits) is the uniLume from techLighting, though the price might not be.

    I've included a link to a vendor carrying the unilume as well as a link to tech lighting for the uniLume UCL.
    http://www.ylighting.com/tech-lighting-unilume-led-undercabinet-light.html

    Here is a link that might be useful: unilume manufacturer website

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "The components (LEDs, capacitors, resistors, ...) should easily last 5 years or more (normal operational conditions assumed)"

    If you get 5 years from the typical consumer grade capacitors you are ding very well.

    The LEDs themselves are likely the longest life part.

    If you use multiple smaller 120 AC to low voltage DC supplies (and they can also be mounted under the cabinet) replacement is NOT that big a deal, and voltage drop is not an issue and large wires are not used (the individual supplies are small ad low power/low current).

    60 W 12 V supplies are less than 2 inches x 1.5 inches x 3 inches, and cost about $16 each.

  • attofarad
    11 years ago

    Hi Brickeyee,

    If you could post a link to those small power supplies (and even lower power ones), than would be appreciated.

    Gary

  • MamaDoc
    11 years ago

    I'm having a hard time finding on this site where people here are recommending to purchase the Philips eW Profile direct wire UCL? I am wanting to compare this to Environmental Light's MaxLite Direct Wire UCL (the middle-of-the-road brightness, 18 LEDs in 12 inches, or 292 lumens).

    A couple questions about these two lights: does the Philips eW come with a built-in diffuser? I want to see if I can mount these lights at a slight angle to minimize the glare--either product better for this?

    Thanks for your help!

    Here is a link that might be useful: EL's MaxLite

  • David
    11 years ago

    You may find the following link helpful to make your decision.

    Here is a link that might be useful: power core information

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "If you could post a link to those small power supplies (and even lower power ones), than would be appreciated. "

    They are purpose designed buck power supplies, designed and built by the manufacturer for a single application.

    They are rarely a 'commodity' type supply that can be purchased.

    The few that are available as 'commodity' supplies are way to expensive to be used in things like single puck lights.
    The larger supplies easily run $50 each.

    Do a search on 'buck AC-DC power supplies' should turn up a number of possible architectures and 'commodity' supplies.

    One of the weaknesses in just about all consumer electronics are the use of aluminum electrolytic capacitors.

    They have a life span of around 10 years, used or not.

    They are used in just about every power supply design of every type as a cheap source of filtering.

    The longer lived solid tantalum capacitors are significantly more expensive, not useful in 'price point' designs.