Ikea under counter led light strips? can anyone recommend them?

[MR GUS]

For some reason the join up strips i'm contemplating are instore only!? ..has anyone got any or a similar brand they can recommend, I like the idea of basic illumination without putting a whole set of ceiling lights on each time.

[mespilus]

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/Torches/d220/sd2490

scroll to the bottom of the page.

[MR GUS]

Mes,
Don't know what's coming up at your end however there's no under counter lights amongst that lot as far as I can see!?

[billt]

I think he's referring to item 28276!

[Ivan]

buy a 5m roll of LEDs from ebay (just search for '5m LED' ). You can cut then into smaller strips and solder new feed wires, so you can have several strips rather than one long one, if you wish. I've done it for my worksurfaces, and I like it. 12v feed. Should cost under £20

[MR GUS]

Cheers Ivan, are they bright enough to do most counter level jobs (eg, making a cup of tea, chopping food, or are they too low output to be considered for anything more than effect lighting?

Ideally i'd like it to have a useful purpose & knock out using the big lights most of the time..

[mespilus]

I think he's referring to item 28276!

Indeed I was.

Now where's that virtual coconut?

[Ivan]

I got the deep blue ones, because I fancied it being a bit different. Certainly bright enough to make a cup of tea etc, but not as bright as mini-fluorescents. If you go for the white ones, like my mother has, then they are definitely bright enough. I particularly like this type of low-level lighting for eating breakfast early when it's still dark. Even mini-fluorescents make my eyes sting when I've just woken up, so these deep blue LEDs will be less aggressive when I'm feeling rough (and I won't see the filth coming, should I get raided in the early hours!)

[MR GUS]

Thanks for that Ivan i've just found my "best" LED headlamp so was trying it out in order to get an idea where i'd have these set up.

Seeing as these'd have a big old transformer are you forever switching on & off at the wall or is it pretty efficient?

I may also simply try one of those 3 watt lamps I saw on ebay for a cupboard (though admittedly 12v is preferable) in the interim or do you think that's a no-no? ..again this is based on my holding my Myo Xp up in the larder at a typical light fitting position.


Incidentally, & typically just before I found my lost Myo XP led headlamp I bid up on one via fleabay, seems they're going cheap currently, I went for the myo RXP as it's regulated & programmable light levels allowing you to go as LOW as 8 lumens whereas my old Myo XP is not, which suits me fine as 2 are very useful to have around,
Superb for checking the livestock, stables etc..

However using predominantly rechargeables burn time with more lighting than I deem necessary on numerous occasions has made me think i'd like to dial in to my actual lighting requirements & therefore longevity on a trip or simply to eke out what I can efficiently ..make sense?

Needless to say It rrp's at around £70 however the chap selling them is only obtaining a price of £30-36 for them as he's not listing clearly enough for them to be found, this is way cheaper than the old myo xp model sells for!

..if anyone is in the market for one, hopefully the cheap price will hold (a gamble, but when isn't an auction)?

heres a link it ends soon (( 09 Aug, 201120:47:12 ))

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180706753011&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_949

if you clicked a buy it now you'd be looking at £63.00
So anyone with a kid doing Dof E this may be a chance for you.

A really handy bit of working kit possibly for fitters & sparkies, though somehow I don't think this seller will be issuing a vat invoice  

The old xp is superb for rootling around the water tank, loft etc & runs on 3 AA's (suitable for lithium & rechargeables) offering a decent strong light.

Just thought i'd put it up here as it's too good to miss & petzl use pretty good LED's plus for any upgraders theres dedicated forums for revving up existing torches / headlamps

(tip look at their feedback they've sold a few plus grivels & ice axes etc, I will however be cracking mine open to check it's led type & thus authenticity, just in case)
This is the sort of light i'd wear for night cycling etc to help out, pretty versatile & rugged.

Only one currently but might be worth noting &  stating if you intend to bid (so not to bump up price for another Navi member, he has sold these before, so theres every chance again.
Hope this helps someone out,  eg a loft crawling fitter / plumbing type.

[Ivan]

Here you go Gus. It's difficult to get a good photo of indirect lighting in a dark room, but it's the best representation of what it looks like I can get. I still haven't got round to attaching the pelmet (or whatever it's called at the bottom of the wall units), which will hide the actual LEDs which you can just about make out beneath the units.

[ecogeorge]

The below photos are as follows-
Top= plinth leds  only - no flash. bright enough to see where to walk only - night light.
Middle = same  leds but flykiller lit on worktop.
Btm = same again but includes 2 x 7w led downlights above counter.

rgds George.

[MR GUS]

Nice, (pelmet ..spot on an awkward low use word so congrats on hauling that one up from the depths of yer brain)

It's a very useful pic actually Ivan, & makes me think basic chopping could be done without a trip to A&E if it were were cold white.
So i'll definitely give it a go.

Makes me think that I ought to stick some above the kick boards too for proper floor lighting or do you think light(ish) granite floor would simply bounce & dazzle as white?

I received my new, (proud, can you tell)?   headtorch today & am wandering around with it on it's lowest setting, yet to crack it open & compare led's however it's ruddy fantastic, the throw on lowest could sort out the lighting for a supper for 3 at a smallish table in flood mode (but you'd be sitting very still).
reprogramming light levels takes a few seconds per adjustment, the sos is a proper signal & the strobe is enough to set your brain off   ... Overall would & could make for an excellent bike light.

[Ivan]

Pah! I guess ecogeorge wins the bling kitchen competition. I must admit to considering the plinth lights.

I should say how I wired them up - A double socket on top of the wall units, powered up from a pull switch under the counter. I've used a switch mode PSU (from a router, 12V) - so it's pretty efficient in converting 240v to 12v, and of course, when the lights are off, there's zero current because it's being switched off on the AC side.

[MR GUS]

Cheers George, you'll never trip over the dogs (scratch that I know it's just all too possible regardless)!

Could you do us a favoutr & list if you can recall where obtained & brands if still available in the ole fleshy data files?

the 2 x 7 watts  would be excellent for larder / over the hob (any idea of rating to allow for steam et al?

I do have what could pass for plinth lights, but am keen to know in order to compare & assess before I go further.

I'd love never to have to stick the overheads on again ideally, that's the obvious aim without placing any risk with kitchen duties (food prep 'n all)

[cj]

Are the 2 x 7w the high power GU10s?

Do they cause havoc with radio reception on FM? Mine do. I though all electronic devices were supposed to have CE markings to indicate they do not cause Electromagnetic radiation? They do not have any such marking.