Domestic Lighting

[Coldicote]

I need new lighting in my kitchen and am tossing up between a fluorescent tube or LED lights. I know nothing about LEDs - are they wired in a similar way to other lights with a switch near the door; does each light have a separate switch; can they be fitted without channels being cut into the wall for the wiring? I would be glad to hear from anyone who has these lights and can suggest the best option.

[woofgang]

I have got halogen spots in multibulb fittings. Mine are like this but hold four bulbs and I am very pleased with them, a good bright light without any of the buzz and flicker of fluorescent tubes. The fittings were wired into the celing where the old light sockets were and work off the same on off switches
like this
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[ivor4781]

fluorescent are the best and more efficient than halogen and dont flicker either ,(that you can visibly see anyway)
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/lighting/fluorescent-lights/fluorescent-premier-light-fitting---123cm-061608

[hc4361]

I have recently taken down my fancy pants, super smart kitchen lights and returned to fluorescent. I didn't like the quality of the light nor the shadows that were cast. I seemed to be in my own shadow all the time.

[Coldicote]

Thank you all for your useful and informative answers. I 'm expecting an electrician to call in the next few day and feel inclined to settle for a simple strip light.

[Coldicote]

Perhaps I should have said I am looking for a separate, secondary lighting system not a replacement.

[buildersmate]

I see we don't seem to have many fans of LED lights - something you asked about. They are about 4x more efficient than halogen.

It depends what effect you are trying to get here. We had 18 20W halogens as downlighters under units and in pelmets in bridge units between kitchen units. In the ceiling we have 10 50W MR16 halogen spots controlled in two switched blocks with dimmers. It allows various mood lighting combinations in a largish kitchen about 20 feet by 12.
The 20W halogens have just be changed for 5W LEDs which give out the same light but saves 260W when they are on.

I will do the same with the MR16 spots once the price of LEDs falls far enough for decent quality, and I can get dimmable units.
Surely no-one puts fluorescent tubes as main ceiling lighting these days? They may still have value as behind pelmet illumination.

[ivor4781]

"Surely no-one puts fluorescent tubes as main ceiling lighting these days? They may still have value as behind pelmet illumination. "
i assumed it was for illuminating a kitchen efficiently not a living room, builder,as for leds they are getting a bad press and rightly so for the claims about long life which is proving to be not so long for a single bulb that cost around £7 florescent tubes last many years

[Old_Geezer]

It is going to depend on what you want. Fluorescent is bright, harsh even, but a good choice for a kitchen that one might argue needs such clinical light to highlight where you forgot to clean etc. :-)

I changed mine to halogen when I re-did my kitchen. They look classier, more style, but I needed one every few feet and it was a bit of a pain to work out how to site them in a pattern that covered everything and found or avoided a nearby beam and suchlike. I like them but wish I'd added a few more if I am honest. Light is ok but not as much as I'd like.

LEDs are fine, it depends on the actual bulb you use as to the exact answers to your quest. My beef about them, and things do seem to be improving, but I'm unsure whether improvements will hit a wall, is a) cost, which is still high compared to incandescent, and b) the number of lumens one can get from a single bulb. For a kitchen where one tends to want light bulbs stating they are the equivalent to 40 or 60 watt incandescent are still a little offputting.

[Old_Geezer]

*** technology !!!

"to your question" as typed.

[woofgang]

wow, don't we all have strong opinions about kitchen lighting!!

[ivor4781]

and your point is .....

[buildersmate]

Keeping on track, I'm experimenting with LED lighting and watching the prices fall. The benchmark is clearly Philips, but many Philips types are still too expensive for my liking. Auraglow and Aurora are other brands that seem to be well made.

[sylantechelectri]

We are one amongst the leading brand in Led lighting. We provide all sorts of solutions regarding the lighting. Led Lighting solutions provide to be the emphasis of our ranges is on LED Lighting energy saving to eco-friendly LED Bulb. It’s help for energy bills reduced.
https://sylantechelectricals.com/led.php