Options for simple Kitchen Fluorescent light upgrade?

[jkn]

Hi all One of those questions where 'not enough' information is gonna be supplied, I'm afraid ...

We're having the kitchen ceiling re-boarded & skimmed shortly. I will be taking down the current light and pull-switch in preparation. I would like to replace the existing 5 foot standard contract fluorescent fitting with something a little better, either aesthetically and/or functionally; yet just at the moment I really don't want to spend long on making any changes.

So for the moment altering the wiring (much), or extending to make a 'proper' job of it, is not on. Instead ... I'm looking for ways to improve the appearance and maybe utility of the current scheme with minimal work. The kind of things I'm thinking of are:

- a 'deluxe' fluorescent fitting, just for appearances sake. Are there such things?

- maybe replacing the single 5 footer with a couple of shorter 'staggered' ones, or something similar

- a genius idea that I haven't thought of and which will amaze me!

OK, a little bit more info. The kitchen is 2.5m by 2.6m, with a window facing east. There are standard cupboards (with a gap to the ceiling) on the N wall. The kitchen is actually one half of a kitchen/diner; there is a similar-sized room (with a similar Fluorescent) connected on the W side.

The current Fluorescent is in the middle of the kitchen ceiling, running E-W. I think the joists run this way.

As I say, not enough information! Nevertheless, any thoughts?

Thanks a lot Jon N

[Andrew Gabriel]

You have wall mounted cupboards with a gap between the tops and the ceiling, so the best thing to do is to install fittings out of sight on top of the cupboards, and use indirect light bouncing off the ceiling to light the room. This scheme works extremely well. If you are having the ceiling reboarded, it is very easy to take a cable run from the existing point across to each group of wall cupboards and drop down the wall to just above the cupboard top. These could also supply undercupbard lighting, which also works well for local worktop illumination. You can choose if you want to retain the central lighting point for something rather low power and more decorative than functional (centre of the kitchen ceiling is just about the worse place to have functional lighting unless it's over an island), or get rid of the central lighting point all together. If you have a worktop or sink on the other side from the cupboard, you could look at one or two recessed downlighters over that, or a wall mounted uplighter to again provide indirect light from the ceiling at that point. All are available in fluorescent form to give good lighting levels without burning a hole in your pocket or the planet.

In my mind, the 'deluxe' one is the one which isn't visible, hence the suggestion of putting them out of sight on cupboard tops.

[Joe]

There were circular fluorescents and moderately decorative housings for them. The tubes are still on sale, so I assume the fittings are also. Not as powerful as 5 footers, so a partial solution.

[John Rumm]

And very "old peoples home chic" they look as well ;-)

[Andrew Gabriel]

I always think very 1960's when I see them. Anyone remember the ones which had a filament lamp in the middle, which was actually the tube's ballast?

[Frank Erskine]

I remember a linear fluorescent fitting, made by Atlas I think, which had a filament ballast lamp in a slotted red metal housing at one end. The lamp had four pins, ISTR.

[Tim..]

I have a variaton to this, kinda.

I dont have any space betwixt top of units and ceiling, so I cut a 4x5 foot oval from MDF and mouted it in the center of the ceiling 3 inches from it. On top of this board are 4x20w compact under-cupbard style fluro's around its periphery on one circuit.

Flush mounted into the center of the board are 4x 35w 12v halogen eyeballs which give me directional light onto the table below, and cooker.

Works a treat .

Tim..

[jkn]

Hi Andrew Thanks for the suggestion. I was anticipating something like this, which *ideally* would be my approach. However I've left things a bit late for this (he's coming Monday!) and I haven't done the necessary (to me ;-/ ) research to determine the fixings & wattage necessary for this. Hence my original question.

Now, given your strong re-recommendation for this, let me ask something else.

I would consider adding some cable to allow me to fit such over-cupboard indirect lighting when I get a roundtuit. One reason I was avoiding doing any wiring changes was because to my mind this would involve cutting holes/slots in the joists to take the wiring. Since the plaster boarding is going over the current ceiling, what (simple/quick) approach would you take to taking the newcables across the joists?

As you can probably tell I'm reluctant to rip into the current ceiling too much, although I could be persuaded...

Oh - a point of clarification. Given the room width of 2.5mm, is it feasible to light the whole width from lights above the cupboards on one side only?

Thanks Jon N

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

[jkn]

Hi Tim

Thanks, that's an interesting idea. I could fit something like this at a later date, I guess. Is a 3-inch gap sufficient for the indirect illumination? I'd have thought that would have cramped things a bit...

Cheers Jon N

[Mathew Newton]

How about a laser for that size? ;-)

[RzB]

We managed to get the "Lighting Bible 6" catalogue from these guys...

wonderful inspiration... Stuff I never knew existed... Completely changed our minds on all sorts of things re our kitchen refurbishment...

Web site is grim - flash overload... but 3 inch thick catalogue is filled with ideas... Almost as good as the Axminster catalogue as far as a good read is concerned :-)

Roy

[Owain]

They say it's won awards, which is why it's slow.

Beyond that initial page, I get *nothing*

Owain

[jkn]

Hi Owain

Works for me with Firefox. Ridiculous website, without a doubt. TBH this is the way I _don't_ want to go ... I just want something cheap and cheerful on this occasion. I'm warming to the idea of running some cables to the gap above the cupboards and fitting fluorescents there eventually. So given that the current Centre lamp is a 65W 5 foot strip, what sort of uplighting wattage should I be thinking of?

Cheers Jon N

[Owain]

I'm using Opera, which is usually very good.

Depending on the ceiling colour, bounced light may be only 30% efficient, so maybe 3 tubes?

If you want light on the other side but don't have cupboards, you could always use fluoro uplighters or a false cornice.

Owain

[Richard Cole]

Jon

Works fine for me (in Firefox) as well, but the font selected and colours used were so bad, I sent them feedback. Hopefully (well maybe one day :-

[mike]

"jkn" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I'm warming to the idea of running some

I have a circular fluorescent - I googled for some sources, but they seem hard to find - loadsa tubez, though; I replaced an uglu strip light with it.

The critiscisms are valid - it's not a good worklight, but my feel mike

[meow2222]

If you need something quick and simple, I'd put in a 4' electronic ballasted fl light with a 3500K tube. Later if you get time you could add a sheet wood cover over it to block direct view and spread the light about more.

Electronic ballasts mean no flashing during startup, and no running flicker. 3500K is probably the best of the (cheaper) halophosphate fl tubes, triphosphors are the best but will add a tenner to the price.

Beware of accepting whatever tube youre offered, a lot of people wind up with junk grade tubes, or unsuitable ones such as 4000K.

If you run wires to any over-cupboard area thats easily reached, more lighting can be added in later if you ever get a round twit.

If youre able to take each lighting point feed back to the switch, do. Then as and when you can put a switchbank in, which is a real improvment over a single switch.

NT

[Owain]

TLC have them - the sort that look like a shallow upside-down cut-glass fruit-bowl.

Owain

[Andrew Gabriel]

You should paint the ceiling matt white (titainuim dioxide) for maximum reflection and diffusion. Also make sure tops of cupboards are white (doesn't need to be matt). You will need more power because of losses at non-perfect reflective surfaces. What is the length of the cupboard run? Are you thinking of any other lighting in the room, such as under cupboard, down lighters or uplighters on the other side of the room, etc? What height of object is the largest you can stand on the top of the cupboard at the back, and yet it not be visible when you are standing at the other side of the room?

[Andrew Gabriel]

Larger B&Q's have a selection, but I've never seen any I particularly liked.