Illumination of the working area in the kitchen pursues not only an aesthetic, but also a practical goal - it makes the work of a housewife easier
CONTENT
- 1 Pros and cons of lighting under cabinets in the kitchen
- 2 How to properly position the LED lighting for the kitchen work area
- 3 More about types of LED lighting for kitchen units
- 4 Control options for LED lighting in the kitchen
- 5 Calculation of the required level of illumination of the kitchen working area
- 6 Choosing kitchen lighting for wall cabinets - editorial advice Tehno.guru
- 7 Installation and connection of LED lamps to the power grid: the nuances of the work
- 8 Operation of lighting on light diodes: tips, tricks
- 9 Summing up
Pros and cons of lighting under cabinets in the kitchen
Illumination of the working area can be arranged using various lighting devices. Let's try to understand what advantages and disadvantages each type has.
Lighting type | Advantages | Flaws |
Filament lamp | There is a choice of power in the range from 20 W to 500 W | High energy consumption and heating at low luminous flux |
Lamps are pretty cheap | Short service life | |
LED spotlights | The ability to select the desired color temperature, spectacular design of the lamps | In small towns, it is not always possible to choose a base for the cartridge |
Durability and energy savings | The cost is significantly higher than that of incandescent lamps | |
LED Strip Light | Easy to install, regardless of surface bends, low energy consumption | The need to connect additional equipment (power supply, controller) |
After installation, the tape is completely invisible | When buying a cheap tape, the diodes will lose brightness quite quickly. | |
LED panels | Ease of installation and maintenance, durability (more than 50,000 hours), cost-effectiveness | High price |
Emit soft, uniform light that is pleasing to the eye | Are afraid of voltage surges, which are not uncommon |
This is how the advantages and disadvantages of different types of backlights were distributed.
LED strip is quite easy to install, but requires protection
How to properly position the LED lighting for the kitchen work area
When designing the illumination of the working area in the kitchen, you should follow some rules:
- The light should not hit the eyes of the person directly in front of the countertop.
- The shadow of the person standing should not fall on the countertop.
- If spotlights (spots) are used, they should be directed to a specific area of the tabletop. Thus, several lamps can provide full illumination of the working area.
- When using LED strip or panels, they are mounted on the bottom of the wall cabinets in such a way that the light is directed to the tabletop, but does not enter the eyes of the person in front of it man.
HELPFUL INFORMATION!
If you plan to install an LED strip, you should not spend large sums buying an expensive moisture-dust-proof strip. It is cheaper to purchase a special protective case with a diffuser.
More about types of LED lighting for kitchen units
There are 3 main types of LED kitchen countertop lighting:
- LED Strip Light.
- LED panel.
- Luminaires with lamps and spots on light diodes.
The latter, in turn, are subdivided into:
- Backlight on hangers;
- Surface mounted luminaires for wall cabinets;
- Recessed panels, strips or spotlights.
Let's analyze each of these types in more detail.
LED strip for the kitchen: general information
Quite a convenient option for illuminating the work surface. Installation is simple, the tape can bend in any direction. However, there are several disadvantages. The first is the need to purchase additional equipment - a power supply, without which the strip will not work. Cost can also be a challenge. The fact is that a tape with protection against dirt and dust is quite expensive, and a simple one, if not protected, will fail very quickly. In this case, you will have to purchase a special protective corner with a diffuser, which will not only protect the tape from dirt, dust and moisture, but also prevent the light from hitting your eyes.
LED panels: by far the best option for under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen
This is a relatively new type of backlighting that has already gained great popularity. The light diodes are hidden behind frosted glass, which allows you to easily wipe off moisture, dirt or dust that has got on it. One such panel, with a power of only 8 W, is enough to provide an area of 3 m² with even, soft light. Such panels are easy to assemble and dismantle. The only thing that can be called a minus is the cost. One product measuring 210 × 210 mm can cost from 1,000 to 6,000 rubles.
Lighting for the kitchen under the cabinets: LED lamp with lamps or spot
Nowadays, it is a very common option. Spotlights are directed downlights. They may differ among themselves in design, location, operating voltage. Let's try to deal with this issue in more detail.
Pendant LED lighting in the kitchen: what is it
This option is suitable only if there are no wall cabinets above the work surface. LED luminaires are fixed to the ceiling using brackets or cables so that the working area is as illuminated as possible. Most often, such ideas come to life in kitchens where the work surface is located in the center. The second use is for lighting the dining area.
Overhead LED lamps for kitchen cabinets: a good solution for the hostess
A very common option for lighting with LEDs under the cabinets in the kitchen. The main thing is to correctly position the lamps so that the luminous flux does not hit the eyes. All light should be directed towards the countertop. This will greatly help the hostess - after all, on the work surface in the kitchen, you often have to cut finely, take out small bones from fish, and the like. This is what good lighting is for.
Recessed LED luminaires and spots: placement rules
A good option is LED lamps for kitchen cabinets. The main task is to install them correctly. And for this it is necessary to seriously think about it, take into account the angle of dispersion of the light flux, combine it with the distance from the cabinets to the countertop. Only after this does it become possible to understand at what distance the spotlights should be placed from each other. With very rare placement, it may turn out that the light will fall on the countertop unevenly, in spots.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW!
When purchasing spotlights with lamps for kitchen cabinets in the store, do not forget to tell the seller where they will be installed. Ceiling lights won't work here. They will shine at one point. This is due to the distance. Passing from the ceiling to the floor, the beam of light has time to scatter, but from the cabinet to the countertop it is unlikely.
Furniture lamps for kitchen cabinets can be made in the form of spots with external fastening. In this case, their installation will be quite simple. During operation, the luminous flux can be redirected in any direction, which is the main convenience of the spots.
LED self-adhesive tape 220 V for the kitchen.In a special publication of our portal, we will tell you in detail about the LED strip for the kitchen. You will learn the advantages and disadvantages of LED lighting, how to make lighting in the kitchen with LED strip - ready-made solutions, how to illuminate the kitchen with LED strip with your own hands.
Control options for LED lighting in the kitchen
Lighting control can be done in the usual mechanical way, but the touch-type switching on is much more convenient. Touch lighting for kitchens may vary. It could be sensortriggered by touch or the presence of a person (while lighting devices are supplied motion sensor), or a sound sensor triggered by a clap. The second option is, of course, the most convenient.
Also, if the fixtures support the dimming function, you can install a dimmer that allows you to dim the lighting, make it softer when necessary.
GOOD TO KNOW!
When dimming, remember that the light and dimmer must be compatible. Dimming protocols have not been canceled either.
Calculation of the required level of illumination of the kitchen working area
According to the standards, lighting in the kitchen should be at least 150 Lx per m². Of course, you can calculate everything in watts, but modern energy-saving lamps will make us hang around the entire kitchen. One more nuance: all the norms were developed back in the Soviet Union, and therefore the final figure needs to be done one and a half times more. Let's try to calculate.
Take a 3.5 m² work surface as an example. Then you get 3.5 × 150 × 1.5 = 787.5 Lx. This is the minimum lighting required for the work surface. The indicator may be higher, the main thing is that the luminous flux is not directed into the eyes of the person standing in front of the countertop.
Choosing kitchen lighting for wall cabinets - editorial advice Tehno.guru
In order not to be disappointed later, having bought LED lighting for kitchen cabinets, editors Tehno.guru took the liberty of giving some advice on choosing.
- Before you make a backlight in the kitchen, decide what kind it will be. The best option, despite the price tag, can be called LED panels.
- Calculate how much luminous flux (in lux) is required for lighting. Choose a comfortable color temperature.
- If you decide to mount recessed lamps, double-check the correct markings several times so as not to spoil the headset cabinets. If you have any doubts about your abilities, it is better to seek help from professionals. It would be ideal if all the necessary grooves and holes are made during the manufacture of the kitchen set.
Several beautiful interiors created with LED lighting
The most important part of the work can be called the connection of the mounted backlight to the electrical network. Now let's talk about this.
Installation and connection of LED lamps to the power grid: the nuances of the work
The installation of electrical wiring and the connection of lighting devices to the mains is a very responsible matter, requiring the utmost accuracy and care. Each of the types of LED devices has its own nuances that should be considered during installation and connection. Let's try to deal with them.
Installation of LED panels: features and difficulties that you may encounter
The installation of LED panels itself is not difficult, but there are some nuances here. When purchasing such a panel, pay attention to the package bundle. It can be of two options - with and without a separate driver. For the kitchen, it is better to choose the second option - the absence of a separate driver means that it is already built into the case. In this case, all that is required is to bring 2 wires to the panel: "phase" and "zero". If the driver is separate, then the connection is made as follows: the driver itself is connected to the network (the same 2 wires), and the luminaire is connected to the driver through a special connector, which is already on both devices.
IMPORTANT!
Before connecting the supply wire to the mains, it is necessary to de-energize the line. This can be done from the switchboard by turning off the input circuit breaker or packet switch. It is strictly forbidden to work when the machine is on! Remember that electric shock is dangerous to life and health.
Before starting electrical work, the voltage must be removed.
LED strip: installation and connection rules
The LED strip is quite easy to install. All that is required is to choose the place where it will be located, peel off the protective film from the back, and then press the tape to the desired surface.
The connection is made through a special power supply, without which the operation of the LED strip is impossible. The main task here is not to confuse the "+" and "-" of the output from the power supply and the "+" and "-" of the LED strip. Another important nuance is that the length of each of the strips should not exceed 5 m. Otherwise, the LEDs will start to go out. This is due to the fact that the paths connecting the LEDs do not withstand the load. If the distance is greater, it is better to run a second tape 5 meters long, connecting it in parallel (serial connection is not allowed).
Surface-mounted and recessed lighting fixtures: the simplest option
Such lighting devices do not require additional equipment when connected - they are connected directly to the mains. Here you can only recall about attentiveness, accuracy and extreme discretion and compliance with electrical safety rules.
Operation of lighting on light diodes: tips, tricks
Although LED lamps are considered the safest type of lighting fixtures, some rules should be followed when using them:
- It is forbidden to use LED lamps in rooms where the air temperature is above + 40˚C.
- If dirty, the lamp can be wiped with a dry or slightly damp cloth - the use of aggressive, abrasive products is not allowed.
- The installation of a voltage stabilizer is recommended. Although LED luminaires have their own protection, voltage drops drastically reduce their service life, and surges above 244 V completely disable them.
- It is necessary to periodically check the contacts and the tightness of the cap to the cartridge in order to avoid heating.
- It is forbidden to install ordinary LED lamps in closed (without ventilation holes) plafonds. This drastically shortens their service life.
Summing up
There is no doubt that the illumination of the kitchen working area is a necessity that should not be neglected. The main task is to do everything right. There should be no dimly lit places on the work surface, the light should not be obstructed by a person standing in front of the worktop. Thus, the most optimal installation will be the installation of lighting in the kitchen under the wall cabinets of the headset. And if the working area is in the center of the kitchen, then the best solution would be an LED ceiling lamp on suspensions. And remember, there is never too much light above the work area. And if it is arranged correctly, then it will be much more pleasant to cook food.
We hope that the information presented in today's article was useful to our dear reader. If you have any questions along the way, you can ask them in the discussions below. Editorial team Tehno.guru will be happy to answer them as quickly and fully as possible. Do you have experience in installing kitchen lighting? Then we kindly ask you to share it in the same discussions. It will be very useful for novice DIYers. Write, ask, communicate, share your experience - after all, for this discussion and created. And finally, according to the already established good tradition, we offer for viewing one short, but very fascinating and instructive video on today's topic.