How to control kitchen cabinet up and down lights remotely?

UberTiger · 5 Oct 2018 at 19:56

We’re having a new kitchen installed and I’d like to have above and under cabinet lighting and and led strip light along the plinth.

We’ve got electric run to all the locations, but they’re not on the same circuit.

Can anyone recommend a way to control them all remotely with a single switch or a couple of buttons on a physical remote?

Also if anyone has any recommendation for decent above cabinet up lighting and below cabinet countertop lighting to wire into it that would be great.

I need to figure out how it’s going to be powered for when the sparky comes back to finish wiring the kitchen next week.

SoliD · 5 Oct 2018 at 23:09

Hue strrips sound like what you need.

Mark M · 6 Oct 2018 at 07:39

Any led strips will do it and as your installing a new kitchen you can either chase the connecting cables in the wall or along the back/top of the cabinets.

Work out how much LED strip you need and then calculate what driver you need to run it all. You could look at using one driver for the tops and one for the bottoms and another for the plinth if you do that too and connect all 3 to the same physical switch or buy a switch with 3 switches for independent control.

Post a pic of what you want to achieve and someone will be able to advise on the electrical side for you.

UberTiger · 6 Oct 2018 at 11:11

SoliD said:
Hue strrips sound like what you need.

If it was my place, I'd agree. But Hue is rather expensive and I'm thinking of getting something more basic that can be controlled via a physical remote that can be left in the kitchen rather than an app for someone less tech savvy than I.

ratface said:
Why cant you change the circuits to suit your requirements

We've already run cable through the walls and ceilings and initially I only planned for two down lights under two cabinets, and power for an LED strip light. Now that we've started putting the kitchen together I'm thinking two up lights above the tall oven cabinet and fridge cabinet might also be nice. I can get power to those points, but they won't be on the same cuircuit, hence thinking about using some wireless connectivity to control all of them.

A quick search on amazon leads me to believe that this could be a potential option

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Programmab...820613&sr=8-15&keywords=remote+control+lights

I'll get some pics up later with more info to make it clearer.

GeX · 6 Oct 2018 at 13:58

UberTiger said:
If it was my place, I'd agree. But Hue is rather expensive and I'm thinking of getting something more basic that can be controlled via a physical remote that can be left in the kitchen rather than an app for someone less tech savvy than I.

Confusing post is confusing. Whose place is it then?

I'd still use Hue and just put a dimmer on the wall https://www2.meethue.com/en-gb/p/hue-dimmer-switch/8718696743157 rather than mess about with off brand remote controlled sockets.

Abyss · 6 Oct 2018 at 14:23

If it isn't for your house then I wouldn't bother with a remote. It will just get lost / not used / batteries go flat. Complete waste of effort.

I'd either do it properly so it's controlled via a wall switch in the way that any non techy person expects to control a light or not bother.

Also just be careful that above kitchen units get very greasy and attract dirt/dust. Highlighting this area in (what I am guessing) is a rental property might not be ideal.