When fitting out a new kitchen, with halogen lights under the cupboards to illuminate the work surfaces, which should be used: low voltage or mains?
Why might you choose one, rather than the other?
When fitting out a new kitchen, with halogen lights under the cupboards to illuminate the work surfaces, which should be used: low voltage or mains?
Why might you choose one, rather than the other?
LV. Safer
Why??
I would choose T4 fluorescent fittings, fitted as far forward as you can. Another alternative I have used is a T5 HE fluorescent tube clipped to the back of the pelmit, with separate electronic control gear.
If you must use halogens, use LV capsule ones (not reflector ones) -- perferably several 10W ones, which will give a light spread as near to that of a fluorescent as it it possible with halogens.
I lit my brother's kitchen work tops this way. We repositioned the lights several times using blue tac and found the best placed lighting was about
1-2 cm from the pelmet (600mm worktops and 300mm units). We also experimented with aluminium foil on the underside of the units and had we got the time to find a flat polished surface and fit it before his wife kicked off about the kitchen not being finished I think we would have also covered all the underneath of the units in something shiney.Adam
If that is the only choice, then LV
LV gives more light for a given wattage, the quality of the light is "whiter", the bulbs are more resilient and will last longer - especially in the presence of vibration (e.g. cupboard doors opening and closing).
Low voltage bare capsules, not dichroic reflectors, just because of the reduced height. Go for lots of small ones rather than a few big ones.
In ceiling downlighters I'd probably go with mains, because they're simpler to install and don't care about cable run lengths. I still get more flexibility of bulb package with LV though.
Mains is also more reliable in service, as contact corrosion is a real problem for LV. Arguably it's safer too, as if anything is going to cause a problem, it'll be the high current ones.
Low voltage, because the bulbs are cheaper and last far far longer.
Everyone I know who has mains voltage halogens always has one or two dead ones every time I visit.
I've got through about 2 bulbs on 12v systems in 4 years out of 30 units...50W bulbs from Newey and Eyre for about 60p a time in reasonable quantities.
Is that because they have them on a dimmer? I see few LV ones on dimmers, but lots of mains ones are dimmed. Halogen lamps don't like being dimmed.
Possibly. Some of mine are on dimmers and are fine.
You just need the right dimmer/transformer combo.
I would fit neither. I would (and did) fit these:
I used 4x16W under the cupboards and a 30W shoved up the chimney to illuminate the cooker. It would have taken over 500W of halogen lighting to get the same even and high level of illumination.
Christian.
Those are interesting Christian..Are they high frequency flicker free etc?
If you click on one of the specific size links, it says "Electronic ballast flicker free instant start". I certainly notice no flicker and I'm quite sensitive to it.
Christian.
Obviously you can't distinguish between 220v and 12 then?
Test by sticking your fingers in a 12v outlet pin set and see if it hurts. If you don't notice the feeling try the 220v.
DUH!
However, by far the most likely method of injury from an electrical installation is from fire, not electrocution. In fact, electrocution is extremely rare.
There are several reasons why higher voltages provide much better fire safety which I won't go into here. However, countries with 110V systems have an average rate of death and injury much higher than those on 230V. The really ironic thing is that this doesn't only apply to fire deaths. More people get electrocuted in 110V countries as well, due to poorer design standards allowed by the lower voltage and the attitude of users that it isn't dangerous.
Christian.
I fitted three of those for a friend at the end of last year. Very nice in fact, easy to fit, instant on and no flicker at all,with a decent colour temperature.
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