Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Puck light choices for under cabinet lighting

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destruct05
11-04-07, 07:54 AM
After some delay in my kitchen project I'm ready to do the finishing touches.

I'm looking for 12V puck lights than can be recessed.
Based on the threads on this forum I figured Xenon would be better than Halogen (heat).

Doing a Google brings up many choices. However, some models don't look trustworthy to me...

Here are some choices I found:
http://www.seagulllighting.com/AmbianceŽ-Lighting-9485-298.html

http://www.waclighting.com/USA/products/search/?searchtype=1&keyword=HR-86&go=Go%21&restrict=waclighting_com

Any experience with beallcor?

Are there other good brades that I overlooked? Or any bad experiences with above?

P.S. I also found some LED lights. E.g. some disks at Ikea or some "regular" looking pucks online. I assume that technology is still not ready for prime time?


dezwit
11-04-07, 09:28 AM
I've never met a puck light that was worth installing.
You might want to consider the modular undercabinet system from Seagull.
It is about as good as it gets.

fungku
11-10-07, 09:02 PM
I've always put in Halogen ones, and they do get very hot, and are not all that durable (but are easy enough to replace). I'd rather have undercabinet lighting than not, though. Especially if you have a nice backsplash and nice countertop like granite.

Usually L.E.D. lighting is never as good as the other choices (usually not as bright, and blue-ish).


twelvepole
11-10-07, 09:55 PM
I have read that the halogen are a fire hazard. I saw an hgtv show where the homeowner loved the halogens because they were so hot they served as food warmers and could melt butter! Scarey! I'd recommend doing some more research. Fluorescent lighting is cooler and more energy efficient. Seagull Xenon is not Energy Star rated.

dezwit
11-11-07, 06:42 AM
Remember that if you recess them into the bottom of your cabinets, they will be exposed to the inside of the cabinet unless you have a false bottom in the cabinet and that you will have to run the wire exposed inside the cabinet so it will be subject to physical damage.
The two wire "zip cord" that typically comes with these lights is not allowed to be fished inside the wall. This is a very typical mistake made by HOs.
As to efficiency and Energy Star rating, you are not taliking about enough load to make any significant difference.
I am just not a proponent of flourescent in a kitchen because of color rendering.

apri9000
01-06-08, 03:40 PM
Definitely think before recessing - my cabinets didn't have the depth to recess without passing the lights and wiring directly into the cabinet space.

I wrote up my experience of a set of halogens and xenons here:
http://www.bloglobyte.com/diy/i-hate-ikea-lighting-the-under-cabinet-light-saga/

destruct05
01-06-08, 04:51 PM
BTW. I ended up with the WAC Xenon as well. I built a false bottom to recess the pucks.