Kitchen Cabinets LED Strip Lighting

[CarolAnne1]

I am having a new kitchen fitted very soon and am not keen on the pyramid type under cabinet lights the kitchen company were trying to sell me. I have been looking on the internet and quite fancy the adhesive led strip lights. They seem straightforward to fit - if you have one continuous length of cabinets and a convenient socket to plug the transformer/controller into!
However I have 3 completely separate lengths of cabinets and would also like 2 downlights (controlled with the strip lighting) either side of my extractor hood. Ideally I also want them controlled by one light switch next to the main kitchen light switch. Could I run all 5 into one transformer/controller (max wattage permitted) situated into the attic roof space above the kitchen? and if so, I am assuming this can't be wired directly into the lighting circuit? Or are there any similar types of lighting set ups which can be used?
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Anything is possible.

What you want to do can be done, but you are going to need an electrician to engineer the best way to do it, especially if you want it all to be switched by a separate (or more than one) switch by the door.

There are a number of considerations as the downlights may have different power/voltage requirements to the LED strip - so could require a different type of driver.

 

[CarolAnne1]

Thanks for your reply, looking at the available LED strips they all seem to require a 12v Transformer so would be using 12v downlights. In my current kitchen there is a small fluorescent under each section of cabinet each having a twin & earth cable going up to the attic and joined together in a junction box which in turn is connected to the lighting circuit. That seemed so simple until I started looking at the LED strips and noticed they were joined to transformers and even though the strips could be connected to each other it doesn't say how to connect up 3 separate strip (3 transformers and 3 plug sockets seems a bit excessive)

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK. Questions first
The existing fluorescnt lights, where are these switched from?
Also, why do you keep mentioning plugs and sockets? you should not need either of those.

Just so you are aware. the existing fluorescent lights are powered from 230V mains. Some LED lights can be 230V, some run at extra-low voltage (eg 12volts). So you would need an LED driver per cabinet if the existing wiring is used as it is. It should be possible to have one LED driver in the loft for the three cabinets plus two downlights but it will need a certain amount of re-engineering, and careful checking of the compatability.

 

[CarolAnne1]

The existing fluorescent lights are switched from a 2 gang switch (the main kitchen light being the other one). I only keep mentioning plugs and sockets as the transformers/controllers I have looked at are plugged into a socket.

I suppose the 230v LED lights would be the ideal scenario as the same wiring set-up could be used, its just the ones I have seen have all be 12v. I will do some more research.

Thanks

 

[endecotp]

I only keep mentioning plugs and sockets as the transformers/controllers I have looked at are plugged into a socket.

Look at some different ones then

https://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-strip-lights.html

Typically these could be fitted above the cabinets or in a wall or ceiling void.