In a modern kitchen interior, you can often see diode lighting on a special tape. It allows you to correctly and competently distribute the light in the room, and also creates a comfortable environment for cooking. The LED backlight for the kitchen is quite bright, but at the same time, it consumes very little electricity. Such a tape can be easily installed with your own hands, and at the same time it will not take up extra space.
Content
- General information about LEDs
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Types of LED strips
- DIY backlight installation
General information about LEDs
LEDs are special semiconductor elements that emit light when electrical energy passes through them. On sale they can be found with different chemical composition, which just determines the brightness of the light they generate. Such elements are connected to the power source through a stabilizer, since with a direct connection they quickly overheat and fail.
For room illumination, special LED strips are usually used, which consist of many LEDs. They have a flexible base with a stabilizing resistor.
The convenience of such a tape is that it can be used to adjust the intensity of the glow. Recently, such devices have begun to be used not only to illuminate certain areas, but also as a decoration.
In specialized stores, you can buy other options for LED lamps:
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Overhead linear luminaires. They can be purchased as a single copy or in sets of several modules. In this case, the LEDs are connected to each other using a special conductor in one block. - Overhead spotlights. In most cases, this option is used for installation in false ceilings.
- Mortise spot and linear luminaires. Such appliances in the kitchen are mainly used for additional illumination of cabinets. It is very convenient to use them, since they are thin and do not take up much space, but in order to install them, certain qualifications are required.
And yet, LED strips are most often used to illuminate the kitchen, because they are easy to install with your own hands. You can find such devices on sale in different colors.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of LED kitchen lighting is its low energy consumption compared to other lighting fixtures and a long service life. For example, an LED strip on average can work up to 50 thousand hours, and LED panels - up to 70 thousand hours. Thus, even with daily use, these devices can last up to 14 years.
LED backlights do not use filaments and glass bulbs, so they are not afraid of sudden changes in temperature and mechanical damage. And thanks to the wide variety of colors, you can always find a suitable option for the design of a kitchen or other room.
Recently, infrared and ultraviolet spectra of diodes have become popular, and if you wish, you can choose a cold or, conversely, warm light transmission. Because LED strips are compact and flexible, they can be used to bring almost any lighting idea to life.
You can install such a backlight in a room with any temperature, and it is also completely safe, does not heat up and does not emit harmful substances during operation. By themselves, the LEDs have a high light transmission, and if desired, their brightness can always be adjusted.
The convenience of this backlight option also lies in the fact that it does not need time to warm up - it immediately gives bright and good illumination, and thanks to the LED strip, you can get a variety of angles radiation. In terms of cost, such lighting will cost several times cheaper than using other artificial light sources.
Despite the large number of advantages, LED backlighting also has disadvantages. For example, if at least one LED is out of order, then you will have to completely replace the entire tape, and for this lighting option it is imperative additionally install a transformer.
Types of LED strips
Before you start installing the LED strip in the kitchen, you need to decide on its location and, depending on this, choose a certain type. You can find several different options for LED strips on sale.
Typically, this type of backlight is installed in the following places on the kitchen:
- over the work apron;
- under the cabinets;
- inside boxes;
- on the ceiling if it has several tiers.
Thanks to this method, you can highlight cabinets, shelves or niches, as well as highlight the bar counter or various decorative elements. This lighting will help give your kitchen an interesting and modern look.
After the location of the LED strip has been chosen, you should decide on its type. In specialized stores, you can find such ribbons with different numbers of crystals (from 1 to 4). By the type of lighting, they can be monochrome or full color.
You should also decide on the number of diodes per meter of tape, since the more there are, the brighter the lighting will turn out, but at the same time, such a device will consume more electricity. The LED strips also differ in the size of the LEDs. For example, to illuminate the work or dining area, it is best to choose the largest three-crystal LEDs. And for decorative lighting, a regular single-chip tape is quite suitable.
The LED backlights also differ in the degree of moisture protection. The IP20 type does not have protection against moisture and therefore it is undesirable to use it in the kitchen, but IP68 can be installed even in the pool, since it has a high degree of moisture protection.
DIY backlight installation
In order for the LED lighting in the kitchen to work without interruptions, you should choose a power supply with a small power reserve. And in terms of its size, it should be compact so that it can be easily hidden. The power of the LED strip depends on the model, and it is indicated in the technical specifications.
When installing such a backlight, you will also need a switch, which can be selected in the following options:
- button;
- sensory;
- infrared.
Before gluing the LED strip to the kitchen unit, all the necessary measurements are taken first. If it turns out to be too long, then it can be cut, but this should be done in certain places, which are marked on it with transverse lines. When it is necessary to use several backlights at the same time, they are connected to the power supply in parallel.
The electrical cable that comes from the power supply needs connect with tape by soldering. This method is much more reliable than just using connectors. And for sealing the joints, a thermal protection tube is well suited. The LED lighting is attached to the kitchen with double-sided adhesive tape. For this, the surface must be clean and free from grease. First, you should fix the backlight in several places, trim it and then press it tightly to the surface.
Installing an LED strip with your own hands is not difficult at all, the main thing is to follow the general rules and adhere to the instructions. But thanks to such lighting, you can create a cozy atmosphere in the kitchen or in any other room.
