 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneralRural LivingHome AutomationSecurity AlarmsConstructionRepairPlumbingCleaningPest ControlLawn and Garden |
Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / December 2007Need kitchen undercabinet dimmable light ideas
Folks - I'm redoing my kitchen and I want to add undercabinet lighting (which I don't have right now). It needs to be able to be controlled by X-10 (or otherwise via my HomeVision automation system. I'd like the lights to be dimmable, so I can include them in scenes. Here's my problem: 1) the most popular undercabinet lights - florescent - don't dim, and are potential X-10 noise sources (at least that's my somewhat dated understanding). 2) 12v Halogens don't dim well, I believe, and ar probably hot. 3) 120v xenon lights DO dim, but they are HOT. I bought one to try out in my old kitchen and the inside of the kitchen cabinet gets really hot (not just a little warm). I wouldn't want to put anything sensitive to heat in the cabinets if I used these. That pretty much rules them out too. 4) The LED lighting I've seen so far is not bright enough for task lighting need in the kitchen; but then again, I haven't seen too many of these yet. Not sure what options I have left? Any Ideas? Thanks, Ron How about a string of Christmas rope lights? > Folks - > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Ron > How about a string of Christmas rope lights? I thought about that, but haven't experimented with them yet. I'd have to see how hot they get when concentrated enough to focus enough light on the workspace. Has some promise... Thanks, Ron > "Ron" wrote in message >> Folks - [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> otherwise via my HomeVision automation system. I'd like the lights to be >> dimmable, so I can include them in scenes. >> How about a string of Christmas rope lights? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Thanks, > Ron Well I bought a 9' rope of white LEDs and an 18' rope of white incandescents. Neither is bright enough for kitchen task lighting, even with the full 18' of incandescent rope concentrated under one cabinet. Need to find another solution.... Ron > Well I bought a 9' rope of white LEDs and an 18' rope of white > incandescents. Neither is bright enough for kitchen task lighting, > even with the full 18' of incandescent rope concentrated under one > cabinet. > > Need to find another solution.... Have you considered xenon lamps? They're small, dimmable (according to one online purveyor) and last a long time. They are relatively cheap and have a ~20,000 hour bulb life (same source).  SignatureRegards, Robert L Bass ==============================> Bass Home Electronics 4883 Fallcrest Circle Sarasota · Florida · 34233 http://www.bassburglaralarms.com Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650 Customer Service 941-232-0791 Fax 941-870-3252 ==============================> Yes Bob, read Rons first post. He has pretty much eliminated everything, claiming produces too much heat. And the suggested rope lights don't produce enough light. At some point in time Ron will figure out if he demands "dimmable" and "lots of light" then that equals heat. Ron, if rope lights are not bright enough, look at 120V halogen pucks. >> Well I bought a 9' rope of white LEDs and an 18' rope of white >> incandescents. Neither is bright enough for kitchen task lighting, even [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > one online purveyor) and last a long time. They are relatively cheap and > have a ~20,000 hour bulb life (same source). Yes, I've come to that conclusion - bright and dimmable equals heat (which I guess should have been obvious). So I guess I'd like to modify my question here: What do people who already have halogen or Xenon fixtures install undercabinet experience w.r.t heat in the cabinets? Are you using pucks or the more traditional (florescent style) fixtures? Ron > read Rons first post. He has pretty much eliminated everything, claiming > produces too much heat. And the suggested rope lights don't produce enough > light. At some point in time Ron will figure out if he demands "dimmable" > and "lots of light" then that equals heat. > > Ron, if rope lights are not bright enough, look at 120V halogen pucks. 24 inch fixture with a bulb at each end. These are no less efficient than any other incandescent and therefore generate no more heat. I think th ebulbs are about 15 watts each. > Yes, I've come to that conclusion - bright and dimmable equals heat > (which I guess should have been obvious). [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >> Ron, if rope lights are not bright enough, look at 120V halogen >> pucks. > ...bright and dimmable equals heat (which I guess should have been > obvious).... There's another approach you might wish to consider. You could install 2 circuits of xenon bulbs and switch them independently, giving you 4 levels: All off A On B On A+B On It's not as slick as infinite dimming but it might be all the flexibility you need and it will eliminate the dimmers. SignatureRegards, Robert L Bass ==============================> Bass Home Electronics 4883 Fallcrest Circle Sarasota · Florida · 34233 http://www.bassburglaralarms.com Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650 Customer Service 941-232-0791 Fax 941-870-3252 ==============================> >> Need to find another solution.... > > Have you considered xenon lamps? They're small, dimmable (according to > one online purveyor) and last a long time. They are relatively cheap > and have a ~20,000 hour bulb life (same source). #3 option in my original post WAS xenon lights. I've tested these, and they dim great, look great, BUT -- They are WAY too hot for kitchen undercabinet use, in my opinion. Makes the insides of the cabinet hot (not just warm). Of course, the undercabinet application is how they are marketed. It's puzzling to my why anyone would want to use these in this situation, unless I'm the only one who puts heat-sensitive items (like food!) in their cabinets. ;-) Ron Finishes drying the dishes. > #3 option in my original post WAS xenon lights. I've tested these, > and they dim great, look great, BUT -- They are WAY too hot for [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Ron > #3 option in my original post WAS xenon lights. I've tested these, > and they dim great, look great, BUT -- They are WAY too hot for [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > only one who puts heat-sensitive items (like food!) in their > cabinets. ;-) In my kitchen the layout is somewhat different. All of the over-the-counter cabinets contain dishes, glasses, cups or dried spices (*lots* of spices :)) so a little extra heat there is of no consequence. I've been kicking around the idea of installing under-cabinet lighting there for a while. Xenon looks like a good possibility for my app. Since we have lots of dimmable ceiling cans and other switched lights in the kitchen, I don't think I'll dim the under-cabinet lights. If I get around to it any time soon I'll let you know how it works out for us. SignatureRegards, Robert L Bass ==============================> Bass Home Electronics 4883 Fallcrest Circle Sarasota · Florida · 34233 http://www.bassburglaralarms.com Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650 Customer Service 941-232-0791 Fax 941-870-3252 ==============================> Bob - I probably would do a similar thing - it's the spices I worry about. Even though some of them are "dried", storage recommendations for spices are usually "cool and dry". So I'd be concerned about the heat there... Ron > In my kitchen the layout is somewhat different. All of the > over-the-counter cabinets contain dishes, glasses, cups or dried spices > (*lots* of spices :)) so a little extra heat there is of no > consequence. > I probably would do a similar thing - it's the spices I worry > about. Even though some of them are "dried", storage > recommendations for spices are usually "cool and dry". So I'd be > concerned about the heat there... In our previous home larger jars of dried spices were stored in the cabinet above the stove which was always warm. There was no ill effect though I didn't keep sensitive stuff like saffron there. I get a kick out of the expiration dates printed on spices. Some are "good" for about a year and a half. Others are marked, "Best if used by 12/03/2015" or some such. ISTR there were jars of spices discovered in one of the pyramids and they were still usable. (Note: That might be MUL). SignatureRegards, Robert L Bass ==============================> Bass Home Electronics 4883 Fallcrest Circle Sarasota · Florida · 34233 http://www.bassburglaralarms.com Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650 Customer Service 941-232-0791 Fax 941-870-3252 ==============================> I have the standard halogen bulbs (two in a fixture) under the dark part of my kitchen counter cabinets. I have these run off a motion detector with a remote, coily cord, sensor. I have tucked the sensor behind the fridge so it only sees straight down the counter in use. This works perfectly and never cuts out as long as you are standing in front of the 24 x 24 inch cutting board. It shuts off within about 15 seconds of walking away. It must be possitioned so that forward and backward motion of the person cuts the lines of vision of the sensor. A word of warning. Undercabinet/counter lights do not work well if you have shiny backsplash material. The glare will make it harder to see the item you are working on. You need a matt/dull work surface and a dull backsplash/wall. > Folks - > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Ron |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.