Kitchen Under Cabinet Lighting

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infinity

infinity

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Journeyman Electrician (retired)
What are people using these days for kitchen under cabinet lighting? I like the LED tape with the metal channel and the opaque diffuser. I know that it can be cut but that presents a problem when the cut section in the tape doesn't yield the exact length that you need. Then you need to locate the drivers somewhere close by. Opinions?
 
infinity said:
What are people using these days for kitchen under cabinet lighting? I like the LED tape with the metal channel and the opaque diffuser. I know that it can be cut but that presents a problem when the cut section in the tape doesn't yield the exact length that you need. Then you need to locate the drivers somewhere close by. Opinions?
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I have used DiodeLED in my house. Kind of pricey but is a high quality vendor. They will also do custom assembly to your specs with with quick turn around. And, yes, the channel w/ diffuser is the way to go. Plain LED tape looks hokey if you bend over and look and the light quality is not as good. Also, if you use plain tape over counters there is often the the issue of the LEDS reflecting off the counter top as dots and is very objectionable to most. There is some loss of light when using diffusers so you have to plan accordingly but the improved light quality is worth the trade off.
If you study their site you can get up to speed. Also, there are other high quality vendors, but I would stay away from the Amazon type vendors as not all LED tape lighting are created equal. There is some real junk out there.
With careful design you can put your drivers fairly remote and all driver output will be Class 2.

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Diode LED is the wholesale and manufacturing division of Elemental LED and is a premier wholesale supplier of LED lighting, providing a wide variety of linear, task, and accent lighting solutions for both residential and commercial applications. See our products and learn more at www.diodeLED.com.
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I put receptacle above cabinet but as low as possible so it hopefully isn't visible to plug the driver into. If no open space above cabinet then hopefully customer is ok with receptacle near top in back wall of cabinet.

Any cabinet with glass doors also gets strips along the stiles on inside of cabinet. They wouldn't have put glass doors on if they did not want to see what's inside with door closed.
 
I prefer GM Lighting bare ribbons. It's much easier to install. Wires run in-wall to the hidden driver.

At my friend's house, we ran six cables from the LED ribbons to the driver in the basement ceiling.

I did one where I put the driver on the floor behind the dishwasher and ran 14-2 and LV wire to it.

For glass doors, I like to run the ribbons down the back of the cabinet face frame, near the hinges.

In this kitchen remodel one of the Toggler dimmers in the first pic controls the driver in the pantry.

Cab1.JPG

Cab3.JPG
 
LarryFine said:
At my friend's house, we ran six cables from the LED ribbons to the driver in the basement ceiling.
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What kind of cables, did they come attached to the strips? The last commercial job we did had lighted shelves in a bookcase where the strips came with 6' leads. Can't remember the name of the company who made them.
 
infinity said:
What kind of cables, did they come attached to the strips?
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The ribbons come on a 10m (16ft) reel, with wires soldered on one end. If you need to cut it, additional wires are added to each segment with little terminal blocks.

For added wiring, I use in-wall-rated speaker wire. Where the ribbon doesn't stick well, I use contact cement. For the wires, either contact cement or hot-melt glue.
 
All the tapes I have used come as a maximum of 16'. You can run more than 16' of tape which is dependent on transformer size, however, you cannot run them continuously for more than 16'
 
I use 24v strip in channel

I put driver In a lower cabinet, usually under sink, but any cabinet will do.

I like using a plug-in driver w/2prong cord, so I can use a Casseta lamp dimmer with Pico
 
If you want to skip the diffuser for some reason they make COB version which eliminates the reflected dot look. It just looks like one continuous light
 
JoeNorm said:
If you want to skip the diffuser for some reason they make COB version which eliminates the reflected dot look. It just looks like one continuous light
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Just be aware that it has a 180⁰ beam angle.

I put it under a Euro-style vanity without channel because there was no face frame to hide it.

It cast a turquoise light from the floor up to 14 inches, with a crisp cutoff
 
James L said:
Just be aware that it has a 180⁰ beam angle.

I put it under a Euro-style vanity without channel because there was no face frame to hide it.

It cast a turquoise light from the floor up to 14 inches, with a crisp cutoff
Click to expand...
I meant to say that turquoise light cast across/around the whole bathroom. The bottom 14" was turquoise all the way around 😅
 
I prefer the WAC InvisilLED Tape lighting system. It hides up behide the front edge of cab and lights entire work area of counter. Seperate driver and all LV wiring in cab area. Cut to size and linkable to multiple linear sections.
1711795708697.png
Useful on up lighting in rooms around crowns also due to small profile.
1711796067489.png
 
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