Useful though that is, I'd say lumens at the work surfaces are the more important, especially in a kitchen where those surfaces are even further off-axis from a downwards directed light source than the extent of the floor.
Personally, I find that an overall light is better than a directional one. A
4000 lm florrie that shines all around seems better than a directional (even 180 deg+ LED). Under-cabinet lights are the exception.
That's the point isn't it? They run cold because they are much more effic...
Oh. You mean colour temperature. You can get lots of different ones, even down to incandescent coloured ones.
Andy
14W and upwards (which are the newer T5 tubes) should have a long life, even when switched relatively often. If not, the ballast is out of spec. I've fitted many of those, including eight in my kitchen which are now 8 years old, and not a single tube has died, but they are all using well known manufacturer tubes and control gear with proper programmed start.
The spec of the older 4,6,8,13W T5 tubes is not so carefully specified, and control gear for them does vary in quality enormously and good gear harder to find.
I've seen some which are switchable between different colour temperatures.
As usual when considering home improvements, I get paralysed with indecision if there's too much choice and end up not actually doing anything.
Yup, in my recent bathroom refit I ened up using three of:
They had a choice of three colour temps, ranging from daylight, to warm white, and a middle one which was perhaps close to 12V halogen. I went with the middle setting in the end, which was slightly "cooler" than normal tungsten, but fairly neutral:
Well it has to be said its both cheaper and easier that way ;-)
Its funny how choice can be paralysing... when I did those bathrooms, it took ages just planning and buying the bits simply because there was so much choice.
ision if there's too much choice and end up not actually doing anything.
I finally took the plunge and bought a couple of Robus units from Screwfix to replace a batten. You can switch between warm and cool light, but we'll probably stick with the cool - the warm would be fine for mood lighting but not really suitable for a kitchen.
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