A while back I sought some input on cabinet lighting and said I would update
the list when I finally finished--better late than never, I say!
The lights are LED strips from IKEA: Dioder $50 for a 4 pack of 1 foot long
LED strips, including mounting brackets and 120V plug, power supply, and
switch.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50119407
Installation: I found it difficult to place the strips in our bookcases such
that they were not directly visible or visible as a reflection--we wanted truly
indirect lighting. I finally settled on putting two at the top, one at the
botton and one at the side, all hidden by the closed door, but clearly visible
when the door is open. I ran the low voltage wiring up to the top of the
cabinet where I have the transformers (about he size of a matchbox) and switch
hidden behind the molding.
Pros: For cabinet lighting they were relatively cheap. The halogen sets with
brass reflectors looked nicer when the doors are open, but were about twice as
expensive. The operating cost is nice too, each 4-strip unit draws 11W IIRC
and have a service life of 20,000 - 50,000 hours. I have them plugged into a
photosensor so they come on automatically at night and act as the night light
in the room. They also do not generate any noticeable heat at the light
emitters, which was important to us since we planned to leave them on most of
the time.
Cons: They aren't the most attractive units when visible and it's difficult to
hide the wiring. The light is quite strong, but is more of a bluish white than
a warm yellowish white.
Some pictures of the installation.
http://picasaweb.google.com/ianmcfetridge
Let me know if you have any questions.
- Ian
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