BC lamp fittings

[Nigel Molesworth]

I want to fit a fluorescent light above a 60cm kitchen cupboard, but a

60cm light fitting is too wide. I think my best bet would be to get a couple of BC lamp holders and fit compact fluorescents - I've got these nearly everywhere in the house, so I've always got spares.

Ideally I'd like to use lamp holders with a built-in bracket on the side, so I can screw them to a base; the lamps would be horizontal.

I've seen this sort of fitting in fridges, ovens, extractor hoods, but they are proving elusive to buy on they own, especially with a BC.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You could use a 21" tube with a separate ballast. This would give the most even light.

[Christian McArdle]

Batten holder and a lump of wood?

Alternatively, fluorescent tubes can be quite short. There's no magic 60cm length being the shortest.

lengths from 275mm. You'd get a 10W 423mm in a 600mm cupboard easily. Indeed, you would probably squeeze in the 525mm, although this might not be possible. If you want extra light, just use a couple adjacent. You don't need the link leads, you can just run the supplied leads into a junction box if you prefer. You can also butt the lights up directly with no lead at all and they will link. I do that with a couple of mine.

I have a number of the 16W/525mm and a 30W/815mm in my kitchen and they provide very nice under cupboard illumination. (The 815mm one is up the chimney to light the cooker surface). They're very cheap, too. Just over a fiver each, including tube and cable.

Christian.

[Nigel Molesworth]

[Chris Bacon]

Why not get a narrower one?

[Rob Morley]

Get the sort of holder with a threaded base intended for table lamps, and attach it to a steel bracket.