Forgot Under Cabinet Lighting - Best way forward?

[millec199]

Hi,

Before I start I will say that I will be employing a qualified electrician to do any work discussed, as I know my limitations and electrics is one of them . I am just looking for ideas before I get a quote.

Basically my builder replaced the ceiling in the kitchen that had one central light and offered to install downlights for no extra charge (which was nice of him).

However as I was in a rush to spec where I wanted them I forgot that I also need some form of under cabinet lighting. Now the ceiling is up and plastered and everything is decorated, I want to install the under cabinet lighting with as little destruction as possible, but ideally I want them all run off the same switches (there are 3 different switches that turn on the kitchen lights)

There are 9 mains voltage downlights with 50w GU10s in that are spread out around the kitchen. I have access to 2 of them from the floorboards upstairs as we have yet to lay a floor in the bathroom.

Can I get an electrician to split a feed from one of the lights and feed a transformer for 12v lighting? I would only need 4-5 under cabinet lights? Would this therefore switch on the transformer and therefore the cabinet lighting when the main lights are switched on.

If I can't do the above are there any other ideas of how to install under cabinet lighting, ideally using the same light switches (I don't mind if they are on a different switch but would want it next to the existing light switches).

Open to any advice.

Thanks

 

[seasickstevie]

Would this therefore switch on the transformer and therefore the cabinet lighting when the main lights are switched on.

Yes, but surely you'll want to switch the work-surface lights independently.

A kitchen can take on a completely different look when the ceiling lights are off, and work-surface lights on.

You'll need to take a cable somehow from the switch position to somewhere under/above/behind whatever, the cupboards.

Moral of the story . . . think the job through first.

 

[millec199]

Thanks.

I wish I had the time to think it through, however it all happened one morning whilst I was leaving for work and was done that day before I got home. He just offered spot lights at no extra cost ( I had originally not asked as I was trying to keep cost down as kitchen was not the main work I employed him for (he was actually building extension off the kitchen but he took ceiling down as it was bowing and was disturbed with what he was doing).

I think in an ideal world we would have a different switch at all 3 locations for the under cab lights, however I think this would take a lot of re-working and as we have been in a building site for weeks and have just got clean I don't want to make too much mess.

Thanks again, hopefully it will be an easy job so won't cost too much.

 

[conny]

If he can take a feed from the upstairs ring and drop it down to a transformer, (or switched fuse unit), above the cabinets you can then drop the cables behind the cabinets to each individual light fitting mounted under the cabinets. Get fittings which have their own independent switch fitted as you may not want all the lights on at the same time.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

my builder .. offered to install downlights for no extra charge (which was nice of him).

It wasn't, actually.

 

[seasickstevie]

. . . drop it down to a transformer, (or switched fuse unit), . . .

You'd go first of all to the fused control unit (fcu). Then your transformer (if using ELV fittings).
But that's what you probably meant

 

[17thman]

if you fit ones off a plug top it is not notifiable.

or you could remove some tiles (if you have them) and supply an fcu from a socket outlet. notifiable.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if you fit ones off a plug top it is not notifiable.

It's also pointless - it won't work.

You need the bit of the plug with the pins and the fuse as well, not just the top.

 

[seasickstevie]