We're getting a new kitchen fitted next week and still haven't bought any lights for under the kitchen wall units. Is there anything I should be looking out for? I've heard some get really hot and cook any food in the wall unit! Can I get what I want from B&Q/Wickes? We've only got 3 wall units but would like them to light up a slightly larger worktop area. Where do you put the switch for turning them on?
Unfortunately any of the 20W halogen lamps (a typical choice) will cause a lot of warming of the cupboards
High frequency small fluorescent fittings (e.g. made by Hera) are a very good choice and produce little heating of the cupboards. There is also no flicker from them
As long as you also use some halogen or tungsten lighting in the room, you won't get the bilious effect of fluorescent tubes.
.andy
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The snag with using ready made fittings is that they tend to come with tubes which probably aren't the best choice of colour temperature for this sort of use. Also, probably a much more restricted choice anyway in that size.
If you make up your own - pretty straightforward, and often rather neater, you have a huge choice in tube colour. And also the ability to use tubes near exactly the length of the cupboard.
CPC do the Omicron range with 2700K tubes which will mix well with tungsten lighting. These are available with or without integral switches. Maplin also do one size from the range.
B&Q's ones are a higher colour temperature which will not mix well with filament lamps. They would be OK if the rest of the kitchen is fluorescent lighting of the same colour, and quite brightly lit.
I have just tried using one of the new T5 (5/8" diameter) tubes under a row of cupboards. I used the 35W (longest) one with remote electronic control gear (from Farnell). It's quite bright for this application (maybe too bright). It spans nearly 3 600mm units, and is mounted on the rear of the pelmet with terry clips and spacers.
When I've redone kitchens, I include provision for switching the under-cupboard lamps at the doorway, as with the rest of the lighting. I provide lighting points in the wall such that they will be just under the cupboards, using the Klik architrave lighting sockets (available from any electrical wholesaler). Then it's a simple matter of wiring the klik plug onto whatever lighting you choose.
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Unfortunately any of the 20W halogen lamps (a typical choice) will cause a lot of warming of the cupboards
High frequency small fluorescent fittings (e.g. made by Hera) are a very good choice and produce little heating of the cupboards. There is also no flicker from them
As long as you also use some halogen or tungsten lighting in the room, you won't get the bilious effect of fluorescent tubes.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
© Copyright 2004.All parts of this Usenet posting are Copyright by the author. It may not be sold in any medium, including electronic, CD-ROM, or database, packaged with any commercial product, or published in print or electronic form without the explicit written permission of the author. The copyright of included material belongs to the original author.[/quote:8133d8b98e]
I have used the B&Q lights and the sealed units fail at lot. They are not worth the bother.
I use 7w PL lamps in holders. The lamps are at right angles to the wall facing forwards so the light spreads out well. I connect two lamps in series with a 13w choke which came out of a defunct Philips SL lamps. Nothing is wasted!
If you want to buy purpose made units I like the slimline flourescent linklights from TLC. I think my PL lampholders came from Ryness.
I have a surface mounting rocker switch fixed to the underside of one unit. The lights and switch are concealed by wooden trim which is fitted around the outside bottom edge of the units.
You put the switch where it's convenient for you and not too close to the hob or near the sink. If necessary use a pull switch.
In article , Andrew Gabriel writes
B&Q's range are by a firm called "Eterna". These are slimline fittings and tubes in, IIRC, 10w, 16w, 20w and 25w. They're "linked" fittings; up to 6 can be cascaded from one supply using the link cables supplied.
The tubes are 3400K and give a very pleasant light. I have them fitted under the cupboards in my kitchen. They come with retaining clips fopr flush-mount or right-angle mount and have an off/on switch, though mine are controlled from the wall switch. The rest of the kitchen lighting is halogen.
Can't find them on B&Q's website. TLC has them, and quite a bit cheaper than B&Q too:
In article , Andrew Gabriel
B&Q's range are by a firm called "Eterna". These are slimline fittings and tubes in, IIRC, 10w, 16w, 20w and 25w. They're "linked" fittings; up to 6 can be cascaded from one supply using the link cables supplied.
The tubes are 3400K and give a very pleasant light. I have them fitted under the cupboards in my kitchen. They come with retaining clips fopr flush-mount or right-angle mount and have an off/on switch, though mine are controlled from the wall switch. The rest of the kitchen lighting is halogen.
Can't find them on B&Q's website. TLC has them, and quite a bit cheaper than B&Q too:
Now I've worked out you aren't just reposting articles, any chance you could use a newsreader which:
a) doesn't screw up the Subject: line, b) doesn't generate incomplete References: line, c) Properly quotes quoted text. d) and ideally warns you if you didn't trim any of the original posting?
[a) + b) combined screw up threading in threaded newsreaders]Ah, that would be why all your articles are broken. Please find some other way to use Usenet, e.g. via
Cheers.
I used the ones supplied by TLC. They're very good and give a nice light that is bright and easy to cook with. They're also pretty cheap and come in a wide variety of lengths. I prefer a slightly less yellow tube when cooking anyway, so the 3400K tri-phosphor suits me perfectly. They certainly don't make the room cold, though. I've got 4 16W 525mm for under cupboard use and a single 30W 815mm concealed up the chimney to light up the cooker, which is installed within.
Use a dual gang switch shared with the main room light switch by the entrance door. I haven't installed mine yet, so they're switched with the understairs cupboard, which isn't quite so convenient!
Christian.
If you do that make sure that the new lights are powered off the same lighting circuit and not off the ring main. Otherwise you will have two different live circuits going to the same switch which is dangerous.
Regarding my use of PL7 lamps, could I add that they are a nice warm colour unlike some long flourescent tubes. Most compact flourescents are OK for kitchen use. The lamps are spaced about .5m apart.
Like in the hallways of perhaps most houses in the land?
But why would you power lights off the ring if you're going to the lengths of adding a circuit to a wall switch?
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