Lights for under Kitchen wall units - Reccommendations pls
 

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?

On 18 Oct 2004 08:15:01 -0700, (DIY Novice) wrote:

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

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.

In article ,
Andy Hall wrote:
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.

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.

--
*If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Andy Hall writes:
On 18 Oct 2004 08:15:01 -0700, (DIY Novice) wrote:

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.

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.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andy Hallwrote:
On 18 Oct 2004 08:15:01 -0700, (DIY Novice)
wrote:

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

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.

On 18 Oct 2004 (DIY Novice) wrote:

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!

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!

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.

If you want to buy purpose made units I like the slimline flourescent
linklights from TLC. I think my PL lampholders came from Ryness.

Where do you put the switch for turning them on?

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.

--
Richard Porter
Mail to username ricp at domain minijem.plus.com
"You can't have Windows without pains."

In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes

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.

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:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind.../Lighting_Fluo
rescent_Index/Linkable_Flourescent_Fitting/index.html

--
..sigmonster on vacation

Mike Tomlinsonwrote:
In article , Andrew
Gabriel
writes

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.

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:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind.../Lighting_Fluo
rescent_Index/Linkable_Flourescent_Fitting/index.html

--
..sigmonster on vacation[/quote:b8fdf35aaf]


I have the Eterna and they are lousy. Most only last 2 years and fail.
They are a sealed system and you can't fix them.

In article ,
lid (Gayton) writes:
Can't find them on B&Q's website. TLC has them, and quite a bit
cheaper
than B&Q too:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind.../Lighting_Fluo
rescent_Index/Linkable_Flourescent_Fitting/index.html

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]

User-Agent: newsSync (DIYprojects.info) 27701

Ah, that would be why all your articles are broken.
Please find some other way to use Usenet, e.g. via
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_ugroup=uk.d-i-y
if you want web based access.

Cheers.

--
Andrew Gabriel
Consultant Software Engineer

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 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.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ing/index.html
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X196238D8

Where do you put the switch for turning them on?

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.

On 19 Oct 2004 "Christian McArdle" wrote:

Where do you put the switch for turning them on?

Use a dual gang switch shared with the main room light switch by the
entrance door.

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.

--
Richard Porter
Mail to username ricp at domain minijem.plus.com
"You can't have Windows without pains."

In article ,
Richard Porter wrote:
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.

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?

--
*No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver,purple

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.