Energy Saving

  • Elegant, Simple, and Budget Friendly LED Under Cabinet Lights

    Who is ready to remodel that kitchen? Maybe you need extra light to meal prep, or you want to host a fabulous dinner party now that we can have people over.  Under-cabinet lighting is an excellent option for that touch of class in your kitchen. Sadly, not all under cabinet fixtures are the same and choosing the right one can be daunting. Join us as we discuss some of the key features to look for when selecting an under cabinet fixture.

    Overall Construction:

    LED Under Cabinet Light Selector White and Bronze

     

    Even though this fixture is hidden under your cabinet, the quality of the fixture is important. No one wants to buy a fixture only to replace it years later due to poor craftsmanship. Our under cabinet fixture comes in two colors: white or bronze. It is well made and intended to last well into your next bout of creativity. Not only is the fixture made to last, but it is simple and elegant. 

     

     

    Compatible Lengths:

    LED Under Cabinet Light Selector Wood Cabinets

    Cabinets come in varying lengths to accommodate our creativity as well as functionality in our kitchen. No one wants to locate the perfect fixture just to find out that it only comes in two lengths. Fortunately, our undercabinet fixture comes in 9”, 12”, 18”, 24”, 34”, 42”, and 46-inch lengths. Now that the lengths are covered, what about color temperature?

     

     

    Color Temperature:

    Not sure what color temperature is? Learn more here.

    LED Under cabinet selectorColor temp is a personal choice. Whether you like a cooler or warmer-looking kitchen, we got you covered.  With our fixture, you can switch between 3000K (warmest), 3500K, and 4000K (coolest).  Now you don’t have to buy a new fixture or swap out a light bulb just to change the color temp.

     

     

     

     

    The nitty-gritty:

    This information may be more interesting to your electrician, but the details are important when selecting a fixture. Our 1⅛” by 3 ½” LED fixture has an excellent color rendering of 90CRI along with an average life of 50,000 hours. It can be dimmed from 10% to 100%.

    LED Under Cabinet Light CCT Selector Inside

    Like most LEDs, this fixture uses 75% less energy than the standard under cabinet lighting. With the following approvals: Energy Star, JA8, Title 24, and ETL, this eco-friendly fixture does not require an external transformer. See our kitchen blog for how to properly light a kitchen. Plus it is easy to install by any qualified electrician.

     

    Hopefully, you learned a little more about under cabinet lighting, and are excited to try it out. Thanks for dropping by our website. We are a small family business and hope that no matter where you shop you consider buying from a small business. We are Total Lighting Supply and we know lighting. We have been doing it for 30 years plus :)

    See our video that we make specifically for this LED Under Cabinet  CCT Selector Light.

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    Tags: Energy Saving, LED under cabinet lighitng, kitchen lighting, DIY Projects, CCT Selector, Budget Friendly

  • Lighting Your Kitchen Like a Pro

    (Updated January 2016)

    Whether one is doing a kitchen remodel or starting from scratch, the lighting design is frequently the last thing considered and often the first thing to get cut from the budget. Lighting design and planning should be phase 1 of a kitchen project whether you are starting from scratch or remodeling. If you want your lighting to look like it was done by a pro, choosing the right light and the right placement of the light will make all the difference in the world. To avoid headaches, hassles and driving your project cost up unnecessarily, the lighting decisions need to occur in the initial stage of the project and not as a 'hindsight is 20-20' kind of thing.

    What are the aspects that need to be considered in making these decisions? Lighting designers say that using three types of lighting functions is paramount to good lighting design-whether it is in your kitchen or elsewhere. It is a 'layering' technique:

    1. General or ambient light source: this is the primary and central source of lighting that provides overall illumination. Think of this as the general lighting that allows you to move about in the space safely and allows you to perform general tasks.
      - Best choices for general lighting: ceiling and wall mounted fixtures, recessed lights.
    1. Task lighting: lighting that allows you to perform specific tasks such as, food preparation, reading, cooking, etc. Effective task lighting should not have distracting glare and shadows and make sure that it is bright enough to avoid eyestrain.
      - Best choices for task lighting: recessed, pendant lights, under the cabinet lighting, floor and table lamps.
    1. Drama/accent/focal lighting: lighting that is used to introduce elements of drama or accent by bringing the viewer’s attention to something in particular-such as artwork, plants a wall, etc. How to make focal lighting work effectively? Make sure the light on the focal point (object) is three times brighter than your general lighting source around it.
      - Best choices for focal lighting: recessed lights, track lights.

    Some Thoughts on Dimming Systems

     

    Some designers like to incorporate dimming systems in their lighting design. Our designer recommends that dimming systems be avoided in most cases-with the exception of dining rooms and media rooms. Here are some reasons why a dimming system should be avoided: 1) color temperature shifts (if you are not using a LED lamp) 2) bulb does not dim in the full range and will drop out around 15-20% (common with LED lamps) 3) flickering. Halogen bulbs experience color temperature shifts when being dimmed-not to mention that they require more energy to run and create unwanted heat. Fluorescent bulbs do not have a filament-which translates to it not being conducive to being dimmed-they drop out at 15-20%-which in turn, does not give you the full range. Fluorescent bulbs will also flicker when being dimmed. LEDs do not have a filament either, and suffer from the same things that fluorescent bulbs do; dropping out at 15-20% and flickering. Flickering is a bigger deal than one would initially think: it can cause neurological disturbances, headaches, fatigue, eye strain, affects your perception of motion and is a distraction, to name a few of the problems. As technology changes, the LED are becoming more easily dimmed, but we like to reserve dimming for where dimming is actually needed. Hopefully, we've succeeded in talking you out of using a dimming system.

    You can achieve a more pleasing effect by using the layering technique-not to mention that it looks professional. You can also keep your lighting costs down by using fixtures that can perform multiple functions.

    General Light Source

     

    6" recessed cans are a great choice for the general lights-and will give you the most choice by way of lamps/bulbs that fit into the fixture. When I did a kitchen remodel in my own home in 2008, LED lights for 6" recessed had just been introduced to the market. Yes, initially, LED bulbs cost more than their counterparts, but now with the changes in LED technology, prices have dropped down to where they are more than affordable. The new LED bulbs provide up to 60,000 of continuous light that is cool burning and instant on. No other bulb can do that! LED is also the most 'green' choice you can make in keeping your carbon footprint minimized. Initially, we tried out LED bulbs that had a color temperature of 27K. We found these to look too 'yellow' and ended up going with a brighter, slightly cooler color temperature of 30K. Much better! You can go up to as high as 4100K. We found that the 5000K and above is just to white of a light for use in a home-to the point where your eyes see it as blue.

    LED 6" recessed kitchen lights

    Here is an example in my kitchen with just some of the recessed lights on-this is my 'everyday' lighting choice. The lights are LED bulbs in 6" recessed cans (my camera did yield some unwanted lens flare from pointing up in to the lights-those reflections are not really there on the ceiling).

     

    LED 6" and 4" CFL recessed kitchen lightsIn this example of my kitchen lighting, I have all of the recessed lights on. All decisions for the lighting source and placement were intentional. We looked for a light that had a broad, white, diffused, bright, even light-one that did not have 'edges' to the beam spread. This reduces the shadows on the work surfaces and the amount of glare. The LED lights we chose met that criteria. Track lighting was not a good choice because it is harsh, directional and creates lots of shadows. It wasn't appropriate for our application (you might have call for a directional light in your kitchen layout, however).

    My lighting designer wanted all my work surfaces to be evenly lit. Notice the distance of the recessed lights in relation to the cabinets. They are place 18" out from the cabinets so that it would light the cabinets and allow the light to light the inside of the cabinet when opened. This distance also minimized shadows cast in the area of the work space when standing at the counter. The space between each recessed light is about 2 feet-allowing for a well lit room. Notice too, that one is placed over the doorway.

    Look carefully at the bank of recessed lights above the table (far top right of image). These are 4" LED Modules just like we used in the 6” housing. Using the 4" housing and module also breaks things up and adds interest-we didn't need as much light over the table area.

    With the 6"recessed cans, our lighting designer put them on two switches so that you could just have some on and at other times, have them all on when you want it to be brighter. That provided two levels of general lighting.

    Task Lighting

     

    The next layer of lighting in my kitchen is task lighting. Right above my kitchen sink is a light to provide me with an additional layer of light-by way of a LED under cabinet fixture.
    kitchen sink task lightAn additional LED under cabinet light fixture over the kitchen sink for additional task lighting (I turned the general lighting off so that you can see this light source better - we have a full video on the new LED under cabinet fixture at this link)

    stovetop task lighting Task lighting over the stove top area achieve by way of halogen MR-16s

    Accent Lighting (for added drama)

     

    Accent lighting in my kitchen was achieved by way of additional fixtures under the cabinets The LED under the cabinet fixture is a great choice over a fluorescent since it lasts longer, is more energy efficient AND has a lower profile. Not to mention that the color rendering is much better. The LED under the cabinet is a specular light source-it gives an added dimension that a fluorescent bulb cannot. Think of it as adding more 'bling'.

    under cabinet lighting Under cabinet lighting
    cabinet lighting specials LED under cabinet & cabinet lights

    Pictured here are the LED under the cabinet lights and LED cabinet lights in the upper cabinets.

    Of course, it goes without saying, that if you have natural light to work with, by all means incorporate that in to your lighting design. Natural light always makes a home more appealing. When trying to achieve natural lighting with lighting fixtures, be sure to use bulbs that are described as 'daylight' instead of those described as warm-that way the color temperature is more closely matched.

    Hopefully, by sharing what went in to the decision making process for lighting choices in my kitchen remodel, you will have at least a better starting point. Avoid using a dimming system and avoid trying to light the entire room with just one light source such as a ceiling mounted fixture.  Please feel free to contact us for solutions to your lighting challenges-we are here to help!

    If you found this article to be helpful, please send us your before and after photos and a brief description of your experience-we'd love to share your success story!

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    Tags: Energy Saving, led, LED under cabinet lighitng, 6" recessed lighting, LED recessed lighting, kitchen lighting, Under Cabinet Lighting

  • New LED Ceiling Surface Lights

    LED ceiling surface lightsOur dimmable LED ceiling surface lights come in a variety of styles, sizes and color temperatures and are perfect for bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, closets, laundry rooms, offices and much more! Made with a soft but strong diffuser, metal design components and metal base, our ceiling lights can be easily surface mounted in a multitude of locations such as ceilings and walls.

    Available in a bright 3000K warm white or 4000K cool white LED package, you will find the right light tone for your space.

    Need to bring light to a utility room? Your master bathroom too dark? Kitchen a bit dim? With a variety of sizes to choose from we have the size to fit virtually any room or office you need to illuminate.

    Concerned about energy use? Not to worry, our LED surface lights offer great energy savings and amazing light output. You can find the watts and lumens an every detail page of our ceiling LED lights to help you match the perfect light too your lighting requirements.

    • 10", 11" & 12-1/2" at 14watts produces 1200 lumens
    • 14" & 14-1/2" at 20watts produces 1800 lumens
    • 19" & 19-1/2" at 35watts produces 2900 lumens
    • 32" at 70watts produces 5800 lumens

    Watch our LED ceiling surface light videos!

    Come visit our growing list of LED ceiling surface lights and discover the LED difference!

     

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    Tags: Line Voltage, Energy Saving, Green, led, kitchen lighting, video, Surface Lights, Ceiling Lights

  • LED Cloud Ceiling Surface Lights Overview & Video

    LED cloud ceiling surface lights

    Our cloud LED ceiling lights are perfect for almost any surface mount locations such as laundry rooms, bathrooms, closets, hallways, kitchens, meeting rooms or office spaces. Elegant outside, smart inside with little to no maintenance required unlike those old fluorescent or incandescent fixtures. The soft but strong diffuser helps keep it from breaking while the all metal sturdy base allows for quick and easy installation.

    Available in three styles: mushroom cloud, cylinder cloud or square cloud, our LED ceiling lights bring bright diffused light in either a 3000K warm white or a 4000K cool white dimmable LED package.

    Need to bring light to a utility room? Your master bathroom too dark? How about that walk in closet? With six sizes to choose from: 11", 12-1/2", 14", 14-1/2", 19" and 19-1/2", we have the size to fit virtually any room or office you need to illuminate.

    Concerned about energy use? Not to worry, our LED surface lights offer great energy savings and amazing light output. Just see the watts versus lumens list below.

    • 11" & 12-1/2" at 14watts produces 1200 lumens
    • 14" & 14-1/2" at 20watts produces 1800 lumens
    • 19" & 19-1/2" at 35watts produces 2900 lumens

    Watch our cloud LED ceiling surface light videos!

    Our LED ceiling surface lights are affordable, quality made and are available in the size, finish and light output you need. Come check out our growing selection of LED surface lights today!

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    Tags: Line Voltage, Energy Saving, Green, led, kitchen lighting, video, Surface Lights, Ceiling Lights

  • LED Satin Nickel Two Ring Ceiling Surface Lights Overview & Video

    LED two ring ceiling surface lights

    Our LED two ring ceiling lights are perfect for almost any surface mount locations such as laundry rooms, bathrooms, closets, hallways, kitchens, meeting rooms or office spaces. Elegant outside, smart inside with little to no maintenance required unlike those old fluorescent or incandescent fixtures. The soft but strong diffuser helps keep it from breaking while the all metal sturdy base allows for quick and easy installation.

    Available in two beautiful finishes: bronze or satin nickel, our LED ceiling lights bring bright diffused light in either a 3000K warm white or a 4000K cool white dimmable LED package.

    Need to bring light to a utility room? Your master bathroom too dark? How about that walk in closet? With four sizes to choose from: 10", 14", 17" or an oval 32", we have the size to fit virtually any room or office you need to illuminate.

    Concerned about energy use? Not to worry, our LED surface lights offer great energy savings and amazing light output. Just see the watts versus lumens list below.

    • 10" at 14watts produces 1200 lumens
    • 14" at 20watts produces 1800 lumens
    • 17" at 35watts produces 2900 lumens
    • 32" oval at 70watts produces 5800 lumens

    Watch our LED two ring ceiling surface light videos!

    Our LED ceiling surface lights are affordable, quality made and are available in the size, finish and light output you need. Come check out our growing selection of LED surface lights today!

    Posted in:

    Tags: Line Voltage, Energy Saving, Green, led, kitchen lighting, video, Surface Lights, Ceiling Lights

  • Going ‘green’ with your recessed lighting fixtures

    Many buildings (residential, retail and commercial) have 6” recessed lighting fixtures in their hallways, restrooms, board rooms, lobbies, stairwells, etc., where down lighting fixtures were needed and installed.

    With the cost of electricity going up almost every 6 months, energy efficiency becomes a higher priority on everyone’s minds. We decided to weigh in with some comments sent to us in regards to other light bulb options that can be used in recessed lighting that is more energy efficient, while keeping the cost down. The larger the building, the more this consideration is important to the bottom line.

    A few months ago at Total Lighting Supply, we were sent a new fluorescent screw in retrofit, called the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL (which is also available as a “Top Spiral” R30 CFL). A retrofit refers to the addition of new technology or features to older systems. Note that the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL (or R30) fluorescent spiral should not be confused or seen as the same as the other fluorescent R40s and R30s that are available.The retrofit light bulb that we were sent for the 6” recessed light is a compact fluorescent (CFL). We were pleasantly surprised to find that it  actually outperforms the rest of the other recessed lights by far.

    Here’s what we did: we replaced our old 65 watt incandescent flood with this new “Top Spiral” R40 CFL. Since the fixture already had an incandescent R40, all we had to do was to swap out the light bulbs. If you were to swap out a incandescent R40 with a “Top Spiral” R30 CFL or vice verse (incandescent R30 with a “Top Spiral” R40 CFL), keep in mind that in doing so, you will also need to use a different trim to accommodate the diameter of the bulb.

    The new bulb, shown here, costs less than $10 and will out last the incandescent energy pig significantly longer.  Is it worth your time and energy to swap out? We spent $4.95 on the incandescent R40 bulb. The “Top Spiral” R40  CFL costs $9.50. So, you’re thinking, where’s the savings in that? You realize a savings with the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL by way of how much longer it will last: 8,000 hours versus 2,000 hours for the incandescent. That means the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL lasts 4 times longer than the incandescent R40. Right off the bat, there is a $4.55 savings. And, in large building applications, that will help to keep your maintenance costs down.

    You will also realize a huge savings in energy consumption. The incandescent R40 is 65 watts versus the 30 watts for the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL. Remember, wattage is not the brightness of the bulb, but a measurement of how much energy it consumes. Another energy savings aspect is the heat output of the bulb: the incandescent puts out a lot of heat. So much, in fact, that we know of a gallery in Aspen CO, that runs their air conditioning in the winter to offset the heat output of their incandescent R40’s!

    Is one bulb brighter than the other? Brightness of a bulb is measured in two ways: candlepower and lumens. Our government mandates to the industry that brightness of a bulb be expressed in lumens. The “Top Spiral” R40 CFL is almost 3 times as bright as the incandescent R40: 1640 lumens versus 580 lumens, respectively.

    If all of this wasn’t enough to impress you, here’s one more aspect: this new fluorescent also has a better light spread and better aesthetic qualities than the incandescent counterpart. If you are lighting a hallway, a kitchen or a front desk at a hotel, it will provide a good, even, soft light, without the harsh shadows that the incandescent has. The light output of the “Top Spiral” R40 CFL (or R30) is a better task light to work under because of the even light spread. Incandescent R40’s typically make a hallway look like a mining shaft due to a narrower beam spread.

    You can see why we are excited about this new fluorescent “Top Spiral” R40 CFL reflector bulb; we give it a 5 star rating. If you are interested in saving money and energy, you will want to swap out your incandescent R40s (or R30s) for these “Top Spiral” R40 CFLs (or R30s). These bulbs are also offered at bulk price rates.

    Coming up in the next article: comparing LED light sources to fluorescent. Which one is better and more affordable? What applications are best for either light source?

    Retrofit CFL

    Buy the Top CFL Reflector bulb today!

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    Tags: CFL, Energy Saving, Fluorescent, Green

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