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under cabinet lighting

gocanoe's picture

under cabinet lighting (post #75797)

gocanoe on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 04:07
in

Hi all, I just built a home office and I built a cabinet over the top of the desk.  I would like to install some fluorescent lighting under the cabinet.  The cabinet is 87" long.  Do I install 2- 36" lights spaced a few inches apart or do I install 2-24" lights spaced a foot apart?  I don't want to install the short ones only to find out there isn't enough light and I don't want to install the longer ones and be wary of it being so bright it brings in aircraft.  Any advice would be helpful.  By the way, I have it wired so that each side would have its own switch so only one half at a time or both could be lit.  Thanks, Ken

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(post #75797, reply #1 of 18)

by DanH in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 04:17

My thumb suck is that 25 watts fluorescent is the minimum you can get away with for a 4-5 foot desk, and roughly twice that is ideal. Your unit is 7.25 feet so I'd guess another 25 watts if you want it all illuminated, or 75 watts total.

This assumes only modest ambient lighting. If room lighting is relatively high you can cut back, and if low you may want to add more.

Again, this is just my thumb suck, based on what my (aging) eyes seem to like.


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot

This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.  --Theodore Roosevelt

(post #75797, reply #2 of 18)

by peteshlagor in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 05:03

Perfect application for dimmable linear lights.


 

(post #75797, reply #3 of 18)

by Stikineriver in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 07:40

I just used those battery powered LED's. Cheep, quick & easy!

(post #75797, reply #4 of 18)

by Mongo in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 07:44

It's better to have too many lumens that you can dim than not enough.

I'm planning on using LED strip lighting the next time I have some cabinet illumination to take care of.

Mongo

There are 10 kinds of people in this world; those who understand binary and those who do not.

(post #75797, reply #5 of 18)

by TomT226 in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 12:50

I'd install anything but flourscent.  Don't like the color or the flicker. Try the Xenon or other small lights with a dimmer switch.  I've got a 12' long cab/desk combo in the study with 2-2' long Halogn fixtures that are hard wired to two dimmers.  Each strip has 3 bulbs.  Mounted to the bottom of the bookcase, and offset 1" for a heat-sink.  Much more natural than flourscent.

 

 

(post #75797, reply #6 of 18)

by mrsludge in reply to Anonymous [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 17:17

Tom- any Energy Star rated flourescent on the shelf today meets criteria including an electronic ballast to eliminate hum/flicker.  They also have much better color than in the past.


We put in the GE fluorescent undercab lights from HD in our kitchen (linkable ones labeled "thinnest"), and they were very reasonable compared to the xenon/halogen competition.

(post #75797, reply #9 of 18)

by TomT226 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 12:06

Still don't like the color.  It's not 5000K, and they do flicker somewhat.


 

 

(post #75797, reply #10 of 18)

by DanH in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 12:59

Personal preference -- most people can't tell the difference. If the OP wants fluorescent, no reason he shouldn't use them.


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot


This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.  --Theodore Roosevelt

(post #75797, reply #11 of 18)

by TomT226 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 13:13

Sure, but, IMHO, this forum is to generate opinion and allow people access to other views and experiences.  Just my $.01 worth...


I'm fixing to take all (8 8-foot) flourescent fixtures out of my shop, and replace with regular lighting.  Tired of taking pieces out of the shop to check color by sunlight because of the metamirism flourescent causes...and the hum and flicker.


 

 

(post #75797, reply #12 of 18)

by DanH in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 13:19

You can buy "color accurate" fluorescents that are even better than incandescents for seeing colors. Pricy, but really popular with artists and craftspeople.

If fluorescent fixtures hum they're cheap and should be replaced. Good magnetic ballists have very little hum and electronics have none at all.


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot

This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.  --Theodore Roosevelt

(post #75797, reply #13 of 18)

by DanH in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 13:23

PS: A problem with 8-foot fixtures is that it limits your options in terms of lamps and fixtures. 4-foot fixtures have a much wider variety available.


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot


This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.  --Theodore Roosevelt

(post #75797, reply #14 of 18)

by cameraman in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 01/19/2007 - 14:37

Tom, you can blend some tungsten lighting with the flor. lighting to get you closer to the daylight color spectrem. Experiment with it, if you are just needing a viewing area.

(post #75797, reply #7 of 18)

by maverick in reply to gocanoe [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 18:10

 you might want to install your lights butted up to each other so you dont have to put the exposed romex in  a conduit

(post #75797, reply #8 of 18)

by DanH in reply to Anonymous [original] on Thu, 01/18/2007 - 20:25

No need. Plug it in and use black rubber cord.


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. --T.S. Eliot


This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.  --Theodore Roosevelt

If you use Seagull Ambiance (post #75797, reply #15 of 18)

by Jeff_Clarke in reply to gocanoe [original] on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 20:51

If you use Seagull Ambiance xenon you control the amount of light by adding more bulb holders - and the quality is excellent

http://www.seagulllighting.com/Linear-Lighting.htm

Jeff, You were caught by the (post #75797, reply #16 of 18)

by calvin in reply to Jeff_Clarke [original] on Thu, 02/11/2010 - 04:50

Jeff,
You were caught by the late dated reappearing post. This one from 2007.

Forum building at it's finest.

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.


http://www.quittintime.com/

 

A funny thing happened on the (post #75797, reply #17 of 18)

by Jeff_Clarke in reply to calvin [original] on Thu, 02/11/2010 - 05:50

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum ;o)

Excellent! (post #75797, reply #18 of 18)

by calvin in reply to Jeff_Clarke [original] on Thu, 02/11/2010 - 08:02

Excellent!

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.


http://www.quittintime.com/