lighting suggestions for built in

[Bob Cooper]

Need some advice for lighting this cabinet. There's one solid wood shelf and 2 glass shelves. Glass doors inset into a faceframe with concealed hinges. it's roughly 48" x 48" x 14". i have a 120 line just under it for under counter light and a 120 line above it for interior lights. Right now both of those lines are not in boxes...just romex. One other point. there's only about 2" of space above the top of the cabinet.

questions

1) what type of lighting would you use? Strip LED <-- I've never used this but this is what i'm thinking.
2) where would you locate it? If strip (adhesive) LED should i run it along the top just insight doors maybe 1" back or also just under that shelf <-- so running left to right? Or would you run it vertically -- either in the front outside corners behind the front ?mullion? (the vertical piece between the doors).
3) recommended supplier for the LED lights? i assume the transformer is not hard wired so I'll need to install a box w/a receptacle.

Here's a picture of what i'm building and thanks for any advice you can offer.

497015

[John Ziebron]

Many years ago I built an entertainment center with the two end cabinets having glass door panels and glass shelves. I put a halogen puck light centered in the top with a hidden dimmer switch. I used to have to put smaller items on the upper shelves to get enough light on the bottom ones. A few years later when LED adhesive strip lights came out I ended up using them. The cabinets have a face frame so I stuck the strips on the inside of each vertical member. I purchased a power supply that has a remote with dimming capability. The strips do a perfect job of evenly illuminating everything in the cabinets. And I can dim it down to use as a night light.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Your project sounds like an antique wardrobe turned stereo cabinet I recently put LED strips in. I looked at Lowes, Home Depo and Menard's. There is a big selection and several configurations. I will track down the exact model. LED's are a very nice improvement over those hot puck lights. I had to make a small valance to avoid direct glare for the one attached to the shelf. The one on top hid nicely behind the face frame. These are plug in and have a switch on the cord. There is no transformer. They attach with tiny screws. I wish the wires were brown. Other than that everyone is pleased.

From Home Depot, our store has the 2 foot version.
Commercial Electric Plug In or Direct Wire Power Connection 4 ft. White 4000K Integrated LED Strip Light (with Power Cord and Linking Cord) 54261141 - The Home Depot (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Plug-In-or-Direct-Wire-Power-Connection-4-ft-White-4000K-Integrated-LED-Strip-Light-with-Power-Cord-and-Linking-Cord-54261141/206028944)

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Commercial Electric Plug In or Direct Wire Power Connection 2 ft. White 4000K Integrated LED Strip Light (with power cord and linking cord) 54263141 - The Home Depot (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Plug-In-or-Direct-Wire-Power-Connection-2-ft-White-4000K-Integrated-LED-Strip-Light-with-power-cord-and-linking-cord-54263141/206028921)

[Bill Dufour]

Wires can be painted brown. latex or spray paint.
Bill D.

[Cameron Wood]

My .02 is to attach the adhesive LED strip to a strip of aluminum stock, not to the cabinet itself. They make a C channel with cover for exposed locations but not needed inside a cabinet. The strip won't stick reliably on wood.

I get stuff from a trade lighting shop. They help select the right lumens per foot, Kelvin value, transformer, dimmer, & cut to length and solder on the leads.

[John Ziebron]

Cameron is correct. I had forgotten that the strips weren't sticking well in some areas and at the time I just used a little hot glue. Years later in my new home I put the same kind of LED strips under my kitchen cabinets and, after discovering that there are aluminum strips with clear or translucent covers along with mounting clips, this is what I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B2RD777/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

I also discovered after using these strip LEDs for a few years that the inexpensive ones that you buy at places like Amazon have overrated lumen outputs and they loose that output faster than name brand LEDs. I know this now from having to recently replace the kitchen cabinet ones that I installed 3 years ago. I now only buy this kind of lighting from this company:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/?campaign=BING%20-%20SBL%20Brand&adgroup=SBL%20Brand&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BING%20-%20SBL%20Brand&utm_term=superbrightleds.com&utm_content=SBL%20Brand

[Bob Cooper]

great...thanks and i'll review a couple sites to learn more about how to connect seperate runs. Also very helpful insight on the AL channel..i would not have though of that.

I need to determine if i run 2 horizontal runs -- one at the top of each section and then maybe vertically down in the lower cabinet -- either between the doors or all the way on the outside of the cabinet. Also i'm thinking a color temp of 3500 or 4000 would be right. Dimmable ideal.

[Ted Calver]

I've done a couple of projects where I wanted the LED's to last because of the difficulty in replacing them if they failed. I had good results from Flexfire (https://www.flexfireleds.com/). Gave me good over the phone support and their products are guaranteed. A bit more pricey, but worth it to me.

No affiliation.

[Bob Cooper]

Ted...thanks i just looked at their products and filled out the form to talk to them and see what they say. If i do run them down vertically i'm going to need to cut a dado in the back so that they don't interfere w/the shelf.

[Sal Cangialosi]

Look into Armacost Lighting.

[Bob Cooper]

Will do….thanks Sal

[Bob Cooper]

ok..i have a pretty basic LED wiring question for you. i'm showing below 2 options for how to connect 3 parallel runs of LED lights. Is option 1 even feasible and if so how do you form the connection where i have the question mark. Or do you need to run everything as one long serial strand (option 2).

[Phil Gaudio]

Used led pucks (Hafele I believe) with dimmer. Electronics are located under cabinet and home run wire from each puck to power supply. Ended up getting light filters to reduce light intensity beyond what the dimmer could accomplish.
https://i.postimg.cc/fLc6WsWN/IMG-3143.jpg (https://postimg.cc/YGSX8Jmn)

[John Ziebron]

Bob, you can use either option. Pick the one that is easiest for your install. There are a lot of different kind of "quick" connections fittings sold and all use the method of piercing the copper traces. In my experience I have found these types of connections to be unreliable and can eventually cause dimming or a lost connection entirely.

I only use a connection by soldering the wires to individual strips. These LED strips are all the same in that they can be cut to length but that cut can only be made in increments of 3 LEDs. This is clearly shown on any strip that you purchase. You then simply have to take a sharp knife and cut the top layer of protective silicon off, about an 1/8" from the end, and solder your wires to the plus and minus tabs. I typically use small gauge, like 20, speaker wire which is inexpensive and has one side marked to ensure correct polarity connection.

[Bob Cooper]

So Phil...that's just one puck per shelf? sitting there in the middle. if i don't use tape LEDs that clearly another option. i'm curious how you concealed the wires running from the puck back to the transformer.

[Bob Cooper]

John...what's kind of confusing is it woudl seem like you'd see voltage drop depending on the way you route these -- i.e. if i did it like picture 2 you'd almost thing the intensity would fade as i got toward the end vs. when they are run in parallel that wouldn't be the case. that said maybe the wiring on the strip takes care of that. Also i guess there's no need to terminate the end of a strip

[Steve Jenkins]

So Phil...that's just one puck per shelf? sitting there in the middle. if i don't use tape LEDs that clearly another option. i'm curious how you concealed the wires running from the puck back to the transformer.
I’ve done shelves with luck lights and just drilled a hole from the back edge of the shelf through to the puck hole. 3/4” shelf no problem.

[Phil Gaudio]

I’ve done shelves with luck lights and just drilled a hole from the back edge of the shelf through to the puck hole. 3/4” shelf no problem.

This: I cut the modular plugs off the ends of the pre-made cables to reduce the size of the hole needed: you just need an opening big enough for the OD of the wire itself. Once through, re-connect the plugs/sockets. Run the cable down the back (exterior) of the cabinet to your power supply.

[John Ziebron]

Bob, we're not talking about a lot of current draw from these LEDs so voltage drops when you wire them in series, for instance, is negligible. You just need to make sure the power supply you get has a high enough current rating, plus about 20%, for the number of LEDs you are connecting to.