Cabinet lighting is a popular in modern furnitures or indoor decoration, providing task lighting and adding aesthetic appeal to your house. There are thousands of lighting fixture available on the market because of different demands. But 12V under cabinet lighting fixtures are particularly popular because of low voltage, high energy efficiency. There are a few things that we should know about 12v under cabinet lights, including powering options, installation, transformer requirements and the categories of lighting fixture.
Why the voltage of 12V is preferrable among LED under cabinet lighting?
1.12V LED light is safe to use
Compared to the other LED lighting fixtures, 12v under cabinet lights are safe, especially in humid environment such as the kitchen. The low voltage light reduces the risk of accident that may happen during the installation or usage like electric shock.
2.12V LED lighting is more efficient and durable
There is another reason why 12V LED lights become common as cabinet lighting: More energy efficient. The energy efficiency of 12V under cabinet lighting not only consumes less electricity but also makes the light fixture more durable, which reduces the risk of damage of light fixture that saves the efforts on maintenance. It is significant that most under cabinet lights are fixed onto the surface of cabinet or some even recessed into the furniture.
3. 12V cabinet lighting requests only slim cable to get powered
Since the light is installed on the surface or recessed into the furniture. There is an extremely limited space for the lighting fixture and the electricity cable as well. A slim cable is good enough for 12V under cabinet lighting be powered, which help to get the cable through the furniture and install the light onto or into the furniture.
All of the above reasons lead 12V LED lights to become commonly used as cabinet lighting.
Is a transformer needed for 12V under cabinet lighting ?
A power transformer (or LED driver) is generally needed for 12V lighting. It safely converts standard household voltage (120V in North America, 220V for European countries) to 12V, minimizing electrical risks. To choose a proper LED driver, we need to consider the power of the under cabinet lights and which type, hardwired or plug-in, the plug-in LED driver is good for consumers who don’t want the spend time on wiring.
How to install under cabinet lighting ?
There are generally two ways of intallation: Surface mounted or Recessed-in. The surface mounted installation is more simple: The light is fixtured onto the surface of cabinet by screws or even 3M sticker. But the recessed-in installation is a bit complex, which requires to drill a hole or slot so as to put the light into the furniture. (As the below picture shown)
Which Under Cabinet Lighting is Easiest?
As for installation, the surface-mounted under cabinet lighting is easier than recessed-in ones. But as for what type is the easiest ? If you want to skip the efforts on installation, those battery powered under cabinet lighting is the easiest because of no trouble on wiring. Moreover, these cabinet lighting often comes with motion sensor to automatically turn on/off the lights. Therefore, it will automatically turn on when detecting movements.
What categories of cabinet lighting are available on the market ?
There are mainly four categories of cabinet lighting on the market : cabinet light bar, recessed-in light, light tape and puck light.
Cabinet light bar
Light bar is a long lighting fixture that are usually installed under the cabinets to provide even lighting, which is suitable for large areas illumination. For example, LUMILAND’s 20923M, this light bar is installed under kitchen cabinet, provding a wide range of task lighting for your kitchen.
Recessed-in Cabinet Lighting
Recessed lights are fixtures that are installed inside cabinets, providing a clean, modern look. They can be used for general lighting or focused lighting, and are suitable for situations such as retail store where concealed lighting is required.
Puck lights
Puck light is small, round lighting fixture (some are square or rectangular shapes) that are usually used for local lighting. They are suitable for providing concentrated light in a specific area. They are often used in display cabinets or workbenches.
Light tape or light strip
Light strip is a flexible LED lighting solution that can be cut and bent as needed, making them suitable for use in small or irregular spaces. They are often used for decorative lighting to create a soft atmosphere.
