Kitchen lighting

[Clutz]

Hi All
I am a beginner with this LED stuff, I just fancied some pretty lights to brighten up the kitchen on thoes cold winter mornings or something to show to the grand children at christmas. I think I shall only need about 2-4 meters of the strip lighting but the price seems to vary widley.
Can anyone tell me, should I buy a complete kit or would I be better off buying the seperate componants. If so what other componants will I need. (240v UK)

Thanks

 

[(*steve*)]

Prices vary for a number of reasons.

1) whether the kit contains the power supply or not.

2) how many LEDs per unit distance

3) the quality of the LEDs.

4) whether the strip is enclosed in something that makes it look pretty

If you're not familiar with these things, I would recommend you buy a kit that has all the bits you need. I know that I've seen them in IKEA, and while rather expensive, at least I got to see them turned on and fitted to something.

At the other end of the spectrum you could purchase raw strips of LEDs, sight unseen, figure out a way of mounting them, and finding a power supply etc. that was suitable. Cheaper, but almost certainly more difficult, and with a poorer finish.

The most important detail once installed is the light output. You need to see them in operation to know whether they'll produce enough light for you in your situation.

I'd also recommend feeling how hot they get. Hot is bad. Having a housing that gets warm is better than a housing that stays cool and LEDs that get really hot. If they stay cool they will live forever (well, a bloody long time). If they get hot, their lifetime will be dramatically shortened. If they're only on for a few minuted per day, then a lifetime of 5000 hours rather than 50,000 hours is not significant. If they're used for ambient lighting, it may be.

I hope some of this helps.