DiyLightAnimation
Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: duane.mosley on April 01, 2014,
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looking for ideas for doing my own led under cabinet lighting. I have found a link to a diy set up and it looks like it will work fine. I was wondering what I would need to do to be able to change the colors? here is the link to the page I found:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-High-Power-LED-Under-Cabinet-Lighting-Great-/?ALLSTEPS
thanks in advance for any ideas.
duane
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I installed dumb strings under the cabinet and simple controller from Ray. I put a 12 VDC PS and a timer under the sink installed wiring to go behind the sheetrock during kitchen remodel. the 12 v goes from the sink cabinet to a corner upper where the controller is. The RGB and positive feed to the 4 sections from there. In total about 10' of strip lighting.
The strips are glued to the front edge facing the back splash.
Here are pictures of the lights and wiring.
I really like them as the come on at dusk and go off in the morning, great night light for a late night raid of the ice box :-[
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I think that instructable is making the process more difficult that it needs to be. What you go with depends on what you want your light dissipation to look like. The instructable has 'spots' of lights instead of a full length LED strip.
I too have been thinking of changing out my under cabinet lights. Currently I have halogen puck lights in place that are hooked to a dimmer switch on my kitchen wall. This give me the ability to dim the halogen pucks with my wall dimmer. I have been looking at white LED strips that are just simply powered with a 12V PS. I don't have a big need for RGB so I haven't even considered a dumb strip. The strips have self-adhesive backs with adhesive tape to mount to the bottom side of the cabinet. One of the biggest questions I've had is what would be best from a strip, 30 led/m or 60 led/m.
Warm White: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warm-White-Waterproof-5050-SMD-300LED-5M-60LED-M-Light-Strip-Flexible-12V-/400417805389 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warm-White-Waterproof-5050-SMD-300LED-5M-60LED-M-Light-Strip-Flexible-12V-/400417805389)
Cool White: http://www.ebay.com/itm/White-Waterproof-5050-SMD-300LED-5M-60LED-M-Light-Strip-Flexible-12V-/181051379326 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/White-Waterproof-5050-SMD-300LED-5M-60LED-M-Light-Strip-Flexible-12V-/181051379326)
If I went with the LED strips powered by the 12V PS I'm pretty sure my dimmer switch would have to be replaced with a regular on/off switch, but I'm not positive.
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I have used RGB LED strips under my cabnets and that works fine for "mood" light but be warned the white on rgb is real blue and all your food prep areas may want to have a more pure white light - in my case I have the RGB strips under cabnets but also have some task pure white led for task areas
Ted K
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I am in the process of doing that right now.
Bought a roll of "Warm White" LED's only, did not want different colors.
These are 5050 LED's. Using a 12 Volt DC wall wort, yes did check the current needed first, the LED's where way too bright. Connected a 9 VDC and the intensity was lower and looked about right.
Will be using these under a sink counter with a breakfast bar and also as up lighting above the kitchen cabinets. I had the electrician add a separate circuit with switch and outlets above all cabinets on three walls.
Just have to use a wall wort for each strip.
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I installed dumb strings under the cabinet and simple controller from Ray. I put a 12 VDC PS and a timer under the sink installed wiring to go behind the sheetrock during kitchen remodel. the 12 v goes from the sink cabinet to a corner upper where the controller is. The RGB and positive feed to the 4 sections from there. In total about 10' of strip lighting.
The strips are glued to the front edge facing the back splash.
Here are pictures of the lights and wiring.
I really like them as the come on at dusk and go off in the morning, great night light for a late night raid of the ice box :-[
Craig, I think I will be hitting you up for some more info. Awesome.
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A thread close to my heart. I work in the industry. (cabinetry that is)>
We use Hafele for lighting. Some very neat stuff.
One of the best uses of LED's in the kitchen involve strips of LED's for interior lighting of drawers and base cabinets.
Things like blind corner cabinets become much more accessible and organized when you can actually see what you are doing.
Here is a link. Maybe, you can get some ideas....
http://www.hafele.com/us/products/led-lighting-under-cabinet-lighting-low-voltage-lighting.asp
I won't be around that much to comment back, so I'll just post this and run. Rough work week.
Keep up the awesome thread though. Loving it!
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No problem Terry, any time.
Our lights are not used for food prep or work lights, they are mood and a night light. The controller has a preset that fades from one color to the next. I have it set as slow as possible which takes about 1 minute to cycle thru RGBW, so the change is subtle and slow, nothing flashy.
When I told my wife I wanted to put RGB in the kitchen, she thought it would not look good, so I told her we can keep them on white if that were the case and use colors for holidays. She loved the slow rolling colors instantly and shows the lights to anybody that comes into our home.
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Hi
was thinking about doing the same too!
CW, which controller from Ray did you use? I assume it has its own program to change colors without receiving a DMX signal.
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It has a few preset routines, speed and brightness adjustments, and a remote.
Here is the link: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Touch-LED-Controller-DC12-24V-input/701799_537855406.html
Craig
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This thread is perfect timing... Is there a battery pack that exists too, or are you all using AC/DC transformer to power these? I just am finishing up with the trim in my kitchen as well and would love to put a strip under the cabinets. My issue is I have discontinuous cabinet (will post picture in a minute) and would be great to have a small battery pack power one side. routing a wire through now will be almost impossible, but I think I can pull the fridge out and work something that way. OR just stick with lights on the left side.
It has a few preset routines, speed and brightness adjustments, and a remote.
Here is the link: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Touch-LED-Controller-DC12-24V-input/701799_537855406.html
Craig
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I can get to left side through the steps to basement as that one wall is accessible. I will struggle to get to right side though even pulling out fridge and drilling through cabinet is possible but will add complications if I wanted to control all the lights together. Any thoughts on how I might be able to tackle this?
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The THX-2010 controller from Ray Wu is also wireless capable. I am wondering if one could also use wireless DMX as well.
Brian
I can get to left side through the steps to basement as that one wall is accessible. I will struggle to get to right side though even pulling out fridge and drilling through cabinet is possible but will add complications if I wanted to control all the lights together. Any thoughts on how I might be able to tackle this?
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thanx...will check out his store and see what it looks like.
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what is the max distance between splices with the strips on ray's site, using ray's controller? I have a solo cabinet that I would like to lite up but the run for the under cabinet would be about 3.5' and the wire run for the upper cabinet light would be about 9', is that too long? I want to splice the strip so that I only have one controller.
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anyone have an answer? don't want to seem impatient, but I have the wall open right now and I need to get it closed real soon. cathedral ceiling above the cabinets so fishing it after I put the drywall back would be next to impossible. thanks
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I think the max distance depends on the number of nodes and the total distance of the string. You want to make sure the voltage drop at the end of the string doesn't cause issues.
Others have said that they ran up to 18' without issues. http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=11008.msg146371#msg146371 (http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=11008.msg146371#msg146371)
I would wire a test strip with the lengths you want and test each color to make sure it works.
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I'm using this in my kitchen connected to a power supply using a wall switch to turn it off/on.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003G9408K/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have one section that goes roughly 6 -7 feet between cabinets because of a window and another section about another 5 -6 feet because of the microwave and I don't see a drop at all at the very end. Wife loves it now that its in.
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I can get to left side through the steps to basement as that one wall is accessible. I will struggle to get to right side though even pulling out fridge and drilling through cabinet is possible but will add complications if I wanted to control all the lights together. Any thoughts on how I might be able to tackle this?
Ryan, Have you looked at running a wire along the top of the cabinets and then coming either thru the top in the back corner or many times there are small openings between cabinets that a small wire can be threaded thru. That is how I ran power for my old style flourescent strips.
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I believe you are right... http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/customer_service/assembly/A/A34383710.pdf is the install guide. I know there is the bar across the top the cabinets hang from, and then a bit of a spacer at the bottom. I can easily go around the vent in the cabinet above the stove top and then maybe sneak in the back again on the right side....it will be a bit tricky, but with that 3 core cable i have I might be able to fish it through. my fish string is probably not going to make it because of the end on it, but i'm only going 2' up. I wish she would of asked for this BEFORE we did the tile....
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From underneath the cabinets look for space between them, that is how I found my openings. If you can't get you head in there use a mirror and a good flashlight.
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If you are using smart strings, the primary issue with the space between nodes is the control signal, not so much the voltage drop. I would determine the length and set them on the counter with that length of wire between the sections and see if you can control all of the sections.