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Under Cabinet LED for workbench

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Mr. Roboto

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Dec 11, 2012
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New Hampshire
I'm looking for some recommendations on under cabinet LED lighting. I am building an L shaped work bench (see the picture below) and will be building some cabinets to mount on the wall above it. I would like to install some LED task lighting underneath the cabinets to illuminate the workbench, but can't seem to find what I am looking for. Most of what's come up in my search is geared towards kitchen cabinets, and I'm not sure if it will be bright enough. My garage is fitted with the FEIT 4' LED fixtures from Costco, however, if I were to mount those under the cabinets, I believe they will be far to bright since they will be so close to the bench.

Anyone done anything similar? Any recommendations?

2q1t5af.jpg
 
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sands35

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St. Joseph, MI
A trip to one of the big box stores or to ebay. You don't need anything complicated there.

I used a bunch of the ~18" T5 fluorescents and am happy with them. LED under cabinet lights at the big box places are still too expensive for what they are IMHO.
 
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mark11

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Jul 8, 2013
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The least expensive option is LED strip under the cabinets. Ebay or Amazon is about 15 bucks for 16 feet and an inexpensive wall wart will power them.
 
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akdiesel

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Wasilla, AK
I went through the same concern a year ago. I had put a single row of the 3528 led strip light that was not waterproof under my cabinets. These did not work for task lighting, plus the fact that they were not the waterproof made it so the led's would shine in different direction if the strip was not perfectly flat.
So earlier this year I went with two these strip lights in the waterproof design. The 5050 style. http://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-600-LEDs...hash=item4d26bfe57a:m:mlj7bGUhfCJjxD1r__W7Qzw
The lights have a rubber type membrane to protect them si used some of the Sika brand concrete adhesive from Home Depot to hold it in place. I also had to purchase a 12v / 110v adaptor to power them.
Very pleased with the lighting. I can see pins on the bench, and the lighting is spread evenly to where it does not have any rogue led lights shining in your eyes.
 
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Beemer533

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Syracuse, NY
I just used some 3 chip LED strips and glued them to 1x1 lengths of aluminum angle. Works quite well, but next time I would run 2 strips to get a little more brightness.

This is a terrible picture, and it doesn't really show how bright it really is, but it gets the idea across..
20150220_134510_zpsjhtxhrhc.jpg
 
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M

Mr. Roboto

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sands35 said:
A trip to one of the big box stores or to ebay. You don't need anything complicated there.

I used a bunch of the ~18" T5 fluorescents and am happy with them. LED under cabinet lights at the big box places are still too expensive for what they are IMHO.
Click to expand...

I guess that was my issue, there are so many damn options that I was looking for someone who had some first hand experience with a particular product.

mark11 said:
The least expensive option is LED strip under the cabinets. Ebay or Amazon is about 15 bucks for 16 feet and an inexpensive wall wart will power them.
Click to expand...

akdiesel said:
I went through the same concern a year ago. I had put a single row of the 3528 led strip light that was not waterproof under my cabinets. These did not work for task lighting, plus the fact that they were not the waterproof made it so the led's would shine in different direction if the strip was not perfectly flat.
So earlier this year I went with two these strip lights in the waterproof design. The 5050 style. http://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-600-LEDs...hash=item4d26bfe57a:m:mlj7bGUhfCJjxD1r__W7Qzw
The lights have a rubber type membrane to protect them si used some of the Sika brand concrete adhesive from Home Depot to hold it in place. I also had to purchase a 12v / 110v adaptor to power them.
Very pleased with the lighting. I can see pins on the bench, and the lighting is spread evenly to where it does not have any rogue led lights shining in your eyes.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the recommendation. Each leg of my bench is about 8 feet, so one order of 5 meters (roughly 16 feet) will be spot on. I just need to do some research on how these strips work. Looks like they have terminals every 6 LEDs and they basically just screw into those connectors pictured. The ad is rather vague in specifying weather or not those are included or not.
 
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mark11

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135
On a different note I like the cabinets but I'd change out the toe kick to pressure treated if it's not too late.
 
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Falcon67

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Jun 11, 2009
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18,371
Location
Merkel, TX
I went through the same concern a year ago. I had put a single row of the 3528 led strip light that was not waterproof under my cabinets. These did not work for task lighting, plus the fact that they were not the waterproof made it so the led's would shine in different direction if the strip was not perfectly flat.
Click to expand...

I have a row of singles I plan to put in the race trailer. Haven't really worked on that yet, but hey they were cheap.
 
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simpler=better

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Oct 6, 2015
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499
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Baltimore, Maryland
Beemer533 said:
I just used some 3 chip LED strips and glued them to 1x1 lengths of aluminum angle. Works quite well, but next time I would run 2 strips to get a little more brightness.

This is a terrible picture, and it doesn't really show how bright it really is, but it gets the idea across..
20150220_134510_zpsjhtxhrhc.jpg
Click to expand...

This is the way to do it. I've got these under the hood of the car too
 
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