Selection Guide for Under Cabinet Lighting. It is the starting point for planning your project. Contains:
1- Selection criteria
2- Options available on the market
3. A review of each option
4- Solutions from www.iluxxinc.com
2. Ask any chef: a well-
lit work surface is
essential for a
functional and
productive kitchen.
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3. A well-lit working
area provides a
functional work
environment and
adds pizzazz to your
Kitchen atmosphere.
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4. In short this is an
improvement that
has a lot of added
value and due to its
relatively low cost,
one of the most
cost-effective
improvement
you can make.
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5. The primary objective is to make the work surface more
functional. In other words, we want to see clearly. To
guide you, we have established the following rule:
No 1:
Light Output
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6. No 1:
Light Output
A minimum of 300 lumens per countertop foot is
required, ideally 400 lumens. For example: if you have
an 8 feet counter to illuminate, your minimum lighting
would be 2400 lumens or ideally 3200 lumens.
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We want to see the effect of light not the source so even
if the luminaire is very pretty the goal is to make it as
invisible as possible.
No 2: Discretion
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The countertop is often a crowded place. To avoid
shaded areas, it is best to multiply the light sources.
Linear lighting systems have a clear advantage on this
point because the light comes from all angles.
No 3:
Linear vs Spot
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LED systems that project a non-diffused light (without
lens or through a clear lens) create multiple reflections
on objects which are not desirable.
No 4: Uniformity
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No 4: Uniformity
Moreover, we see LEDs hot spots that are reflected on
the counter, backsplash or objects which is, in our
opinion, also not desirable. Our recommendation is to
opt for a system with an opal lens that diffuses the light.
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Unit of measure which determines the ability of a light
source to accurately reproduce the original colors of an
object.
No 5: CRI
(Color Rendering Index)
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No 5: CRI
(Color Rendering Index)
The higher the CRI, the higher the colors are reproduced
with fidelity. In the context of this application, a CRI ≥ 80
is a minimum while a CRI ≥ 90 is ideal.
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With today’s cutting-edge technologies, energy efficiency
should be our goal. For a typical kitchen, a good LED
lighting system should be able to meet all our objectives
with a power consumption under 60 watts.
No 6: Efficiency
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A green solution is above all sustainable. It is realistic
and legitimate to expect 50,000 hours lifetime from a
well-designed LED system. Suppose that the light is on
8 hours a day, 50 000 hours is a lifespan of about 17
No 7: Durability
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The installation is an important aspect. No special skills
are needed but requires a good deal of planning. Each
kitchen is unique, the system must be flexible enough to
fit your configuration. Beware of "One size fits all“
solutions. The key here is flexibility.
No 8: Installation
17. Before the advent of LED technology, fluorescent was a
common solution for under cabinet lighting. However,
because of its bulky size, we must admit that fluorescent
is a technology that is being replaced a lot more than
being installed.
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18. Strong Points
• The intensity and homogeneity of its lighting
Your options:
Fluorescent
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19. Your options:
Fluorescent
Weak Points
• Bulky size making a discrete installation very difficult to achieve
• Frequent replacement of tubes
• Lower energy efficiency
• Lighting control is more difficult (most systems do not allow the
dimming function).
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20. Your options:
Fluorescent
Weak Points
•More expensive installation especially if you need to hire an electrician.
• Delay for the tubes to reach full intensity
• Background noise emitted by the ballast and in some cases radio
interference.
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21. Small lights shaped like a hockey puck. They generally
use LED technology and their installation is surface or
recessed mount . Limited in power (1-3 watts), they are
usually powered from a 12VDC source.
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22. Some models are batteries operated but their power is
really too limited for this application. The pucks are a
good choice if the main goal is to create an atmosphere.
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25. Typically sold in 5 meters (16.4 feet) rolls. The LEDs are
mounted on a flexible printed circuit and the tape is fixed
via a double-sided tape. This product has been designed
to be cut at regular intervals which allows the use of
custom lengths.
26. Important to note that a new interconnection device must
be installed on each cut strip in order to be able to use
the remainder of the roll which makes its use a bit
harder.
27. Flexible strips are available in a wide range of power; a
minimum of 15W per meter is required for this
application.
28. Your options:
Flexible LED Strips
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Strong Points
• Discretion
• Flexibility of installation
29. Your options:
Flexible LED Strips
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Weak Points
• The light pattern is not uniform
and LEDs hot spots are visible
because no diffusion lens is used.
The following picture is a good
example.
30. Your options:
Flexible LED Strips
Weak Points
•Questionable durability because of a technical design (constant
voltage) that produces heat and an installation that does not permit the
dissipation of excess heat.
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31. Your options:
Flexible LED Strips
Important Note
We strongly discourage the installation of powerful Flexible LED Strip
directly on wood or melamine. LEDs produce less heat than other
sources but they still generate heat that must be dissipated to ensure
proper long-term operation of the semiconductor. The flexible strips
were originally designed for installation in aluminum profiles and we
highly recommend doing so.
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32. Your options: LED Luminaires
Several options are available to you ... but very few meet all
our selection criteria. A few examples:
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33. Your options: LED Luminaires
Several options are available to you ... but very few meet all
our selection criteria. A few examples:
www.iluxxinc.com
34. Your options: LED Luminaires
Several options are available to you ... but very few meet all
our selection criteria. A few examples:
www.iluxxinc.com
35. Your options: LED Luminaires
Several options are available to you ... but very few meet all
our selection criteria. A few examples:
And there is the option...
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36. Your options: LED Luminaires
Several options are available to you ... but very few meet all
our selection criteria. A few examples:
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37. • Meet all of our 8 selection criteria
• Several standard lengths.
• Built here with impeccable quality
• Quick delivery in USA and Canada
• Very competitive pricing
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