Basic concepts when choosing backlighting
We recommend choosing LED strip instead of halogen lamps. LED strips:
- More compact.
- More environmentally friendly (there are no toxic fumes inside the flask).
- More economical (consumes less electricity).
LEDs vary in color. There are one-color ones. Most often chosen:
- Blue.
- Green.
- Violet.
There are multi-colored ones. These are the so-called RGB strips.
Diodes differ in density. In our case, 30 pieces/meter is enough.
When there is a risk that your closet may flood, then choose tapes with moisture protection. They are called closed type and are designated IP65 or IP68.
There are only three classes: IP33, IP65 and IP68. The first tape is made in an open way, it does not have protection from moisture (protection is usually made by a silicone casing).
A power supply with a margin of 30% is selected for the sum of the LED powers (the margin is needed during current drops, which sometimes happens when diodes are operating).
Pay attention to the voltage of the LEDs. The block must be selected based on this figure. This is usually 12 or 24 volts.
Sometimes a brightness control is added to the circuit. For single-color tape, dimmers are used, for multi-color tape, controllers are used.
Selecting LED strip and power supply
LED strips are available with a supply voltage of 12 and 24 volts and a thickness of 8-40 mm, and are sold mainly in five-meter reels.
Pay attention to such an indicator as power per meter. Manufacturers do not always indicate it, unlike the number of diodes.
Always buy 20% more than you estimate you need. A roll of budget 12 volt tapes costs about $2. Do not take high-power LED strips that are used in store windows. They will create discomfort by blinding you at home.
Expert opinion
Bashir Rabadanov
Technologist at the furniture company Woodband
Be sure to choose the appropriate color temperature. Lamps can produce light with a blue, yellow, or white tint. In principle, it’s up to you to choose, but the best option is natural or neutral (daylight). Human eyes perceive it better.
Types of lighting temperatures
LED strip TAN ZHOU ZE with a voltage of 12 Volts with a distance of 2.5 cm between the lamps and a service life of 50,000 hours on Aliexpress costs from 10 to 15 dollars. You can arrange a real disco around the glass shelves.
The power supply is usually not included in the kit; it must be purchased separately, based on the characteristics of the tape. To illuminate the shelves, a simple power supply without active cooling with a voltage of 12 Volts is sufficient.
What you will need
Installing lighting in a cabinet is simple, but there are a number of important nuances.
First, let's prepare the minimal materials:
- LED strips (take only with adhesive surface).
- Connector or connectors (or soldering iron with solder for contacts).
- Controller with remote control (or dimmer for single-color LED strip).
- Plug with cord.
- Aluminum strip (for heat dissipation).
How to properly attach to shelves in a closet
After you have prepared the necessary tools, you can begin installing LED lighting on the shelves. First you need to measure the shelves and cut strips of the required size along their length. You need to cut in those places where special lines are marked (in the form of scissors).
Using a knife, you need to strip the ends of the LED strip.
The ends will need to be stripped of the silicone coating. The stripping length should be one and a half centimeters.
Two cables are attached to the cleaned ends with connectors or soldered. The soldering option is more reliable.
Many cabinets do not have additional lighting.
The wires must be insulated. To do this, use either heat shrink tubing or electrical tape. It is much more convenient to do this using heat shrink. A tube 2 centimeters long is cut and placed on the sealed area. After this, it is fixed using a hair dryer.
LED strips are attached to an aluminum profile or directly to a shelf with tape or an internal adhesive surface. But first, the surface on which the backlight is attached must be degreased. After this, the device is fixed on the walls of the shelf. As a result, all that remains is to connect the structure to the power source and turn it on.
Leave the connection of the LED strip to a specialist.
How to make lighting in a closet with your own hands
The simplest installation diagrams look like this:
The scheme can become more complicated. In order not to go too deep into the theory, we recommend watching these two videos. They succinctly and simply talk about installing LED strips:
Once you understand how the LED system works, you can begin installation:
- Glue the tape to the aluminum strip:
- We attach the tape to the closet. Suitable sealant for cars.
- Connect the contacts carefully.
We recommend watching the video instructions:
With motion sensor
Not everyone wants to use a switch; in the dark it is not always convenient. It is easier to make a system with a motion sensor inside the cabinet.
Choosing a location for installing cabinet lighting
Depending on the installation location of the lighting devices, the result obtained will differ. But the type of dressing room or kitchen furniture is also important to consider. Depending on the installation location, cabinet lighting can be divided into external and internal lighting, depending on the installation location of the devices.
The external one is realized with the help of spotlights built into the structural elements of the cabinet (canopy over the door, open wooden, glass shelves, etc.).
External lighting with soffits
With the same success, you can install LED strips on the outer surface of the cabinet, under it, above the top cover. But they should be hidden well, since an open arrangement of LED lighting in a wardrobe can spoil the aesthetics of the furniture or completely overshadow its design.
External lighting with LED strip
Another option for external lighting for a cabinet is to highlight the contours of the pattern on the glass doors.
It is more convenient to perform internal lighting using LED strip or spotlights.
Their installation location can be selected based on the following principles:
- Under the top in the center of the cabinet - used for trellis sections, above hangers and in other designs with volumetric space.
- On the front edge of the shelves - suitable for multi-level sections of a chipboard cabinet, where the light from the source will be distributed onto the contents of the shelves, built-in cabinet, located flush with the wall.
- On the rear upper edge of the shelves is an excellent solution for kitchen cabinets that are small in depth, as this solution will visually increase the amount of space in them.
- On the side walls of the closet , lighting is equally suitable for illuminating shelves and for the wardrobe department. Visually increases the height of the structure.
In each specific case, the installation location is selected individually, and it is important to ensure that the doors open freely. If you are going to illuminate a sliding wardrobe, then its doors should not hit the lamps, wires or switch. Once you have decided on the location of the backlight, you need to prepare all the tools and materials for the work.
Some tips
Three main tips when installing LED lighting in a cabinet:
- We recommend insulating exposed contacts with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing, otherwise there is a risk of fire.
- Do not confuse the plus and minus tapes. They are signed.
- Choose high quality materials.[/info-box] Trusted companies: OSRAM, CREE, GENILED, SVETECO, JOLIET TECHNOLOGY.
Equipment selection
In order for a wall-mounted or built-in shelf to be illuminated with an LED strip, you will additionally need to select:
- power unit;
Power supply for LED backlight
- controller (for multi-color ribbons), the selection of which takes into account exclusively the functionality of the equipment.
Controller with remote control capability
The power of the power supply is calculated using the formula:
M (power) = Ml (power of 1 m of tape declared by the manufacturer) * D (number of meters that need to be connected) + (20% - 25% of the result obtained for the safety margin).
For example, you need to calculate the power of the power supply for a tape with a power of 4.8 W per m. During installation, 4 m of tape will be used.
M = 4.8*4+20% = 23.04 W
Installation of LED strip in a cabinet: detailed instructions
So that you clearly understand all the information, we decided to make for you a whole step-by-step instruction with photos; at the end of the article you will find a video.
- First of all, you must measure the required length of the tape; you should make cuts only in the place as shown in the photo. If you need to connect the strip during the installation process, read our article on how to extend an LED strip.
- We prepare the place for installation, attach a regular plastic corner to it, it should hide the tape from view. You can even use a small baseboard, glue it with liquid nails.
- We make holes, there are two stages. First of all, we make a hole in the middle of the cabinet, on the side where it will be convenient for you. We recommend using a regular drill with a special attachment so you don’t damage the cabinet.
- We cut off the corners from each shelf; you can use a rasp. This is necessary in order to stretch the wire over the entire surface of the cabinet.
- We lay the wire, for this use cable channels, they are not difficult to find, it is best to fasten them with liquid nails.
- Glue the tape.
So we managed to make lighting in the closet, there is nothing complicated about it. The main thing is to connect the tape correctly and observe the polarity. In this way you can make a lot of interesting lighting in the house, just look at the photo.
Main conclusions
The best way to make your own lighting for a shelf made of glass or other material is to mount an LED strip. However, for this it is necessary to select it correctly, based on such parameters as:
- Density and dimensions of ice elements.
- Type of crystals - single or multi-colored.
- Resistance to high air humidity and water.
Also, for the ice strip you need to choose the right power supply - its power should be 20-30% higher than the same indicator for all ice elements in the circuit. It is better to install the LED strip on a special U-profile made of aluminum. This will avoid flare, excess lighting and overheating of the LEDs.
If you have additional information on how to easily and quickly make LED lighting for glass or interior shelves with your own hands, be sure to write about it in the comments.
Source: svetilnik.info
What kind of shelf lighting is there?
It is believed that shelves illuminated with LED strip primarily perform a decorative function and enhance the feeling of comfort in the room. Designers often resort to this solution when decorating small or low rooms, since illuminated shelves visually expand it and significantly extinguish the “pressing” feeling that some people experience from being in a cramped room. But this is not the only feature that is valuable.
Glass shelves illuminated with LED strip are also a good alternative lighting for the room. Especially in situations where bright light is not needed, when you can only get by with the light from this kind of shelves. An important factor in this case is the low power consumption of LEDs, which will certainly be very appealing to thrifty people who know and love to save wisely.
As for the aesthetic side, for LED lighting of shelves you can use LEDs of the same color or different colors. There are also tapes controlled using a controller. Nowadays you can find many such tapes and devices on sale. Also, some controller models allow you to vary the brightness of the lighting and, if desired, add flickering and other effects.
It is the decorated shelves that are very often equipped to accommodate various kinds of interior decorations, for example, figurines. Shelves for flowers are often equipped with lighting. This improves the perceived appearance of plants and does not have a negative impact on them, since LEDs, unlike many other light sources, do not create high temperatures.
On sale you can most often find LED strips with 30, 60, 120 and 240 LEDs per linear meter. The greater the number of LEDs, the more powerful the luminous flux will be. This factor also needs to be taken into account. And if the lighting of the shelves will also perform the function of alternative lighting, then, of course, it is advisable to choose a strip so that the lighting is sufficient for a particular room.
It should be noted that LED lighting for glass shelves weighs very little and also takes up virtually no space. And provided you buy high-quality equipment, such lighting will last for many years without fail.
