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Under Cabinet Lighting: Where's the switch?

13 years ago

For your undercabinet lighting, do you have a switch directly on the light strip, or a separate light switch in the wall that turns it on? My contractor is asking me which way I want it, and to be honest, it's never occured to me. What did you do, and why?

Featured Answer

billp1

13 years ago

Our switch " Dimmer " is to the right of our sink and all the under cabinet lights are tied to this dimmer.

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Comments (15)

sue36
13 years ago
I have a wall switch...there are 3 switches together (cans, pendants, undercabinets).
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lexmomof3, I think you're right that in this day and age, installing the newer types of LED lighting,which in your case is well known Maxlite, listed as dimmable, is just...unbelievable. I am hoping there is something he hasn't told you about his circuit, something he can add, amend or re-do. If not him (as this is highly...unprofessional to leave a client to have to suspend the light by pulling off the plug from the bar), then I suggest you get in another electrician in to attempt to place a switch and withhold final payment in the interim to the first. I am sorry that communication problems have crept into your kitchen lighting, with now the back splash in too. You might call your lighting retailer and ask for assistance too.
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Depending on how big the kitchen is (although you don't think it is big at all) and the layout, it may be easier for him to wire it one half at a time to different switches. Maybe it is more difficult run the wire continiously around doorways, open areas of wall that would then require drywall patching, etc. Even if you had multiple switches let him know that they would have to be together and in no way would it be convenient to walk across the room to turn on the rest of the lights. Do it right or find someone else. It sounds like they are trying to cut corners for some reason. Was the bid much lower than others you got? By the way, I am having flourescent UC lights installed and my electrician felt one switch was the only thing that made sense - he pointed out that each one has an on off switch on it as well and if you wanted to turn a couple of for some reason, you could do so on the fixture itself. Sue
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Thanks for making me think through this. I opened up the metal junction box and the driver is indeed there. I posted a couple of pictures to the original post to better illustrate the issue. I am not going to bypass the driver at all. I was thinking of simply cutting the wire that goes into the LED strip (picture 2) which comes from the driver and then wiring in a button switch that is rated for 5A (Driver out is 12v 60w DC). If you still think I need to hire an electrician, I will give up and buy a separate motion light that can be attached under the cabinet much cheaper than spending $300+ to fix this design problem.
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ccoombs1
13 years ago
I have a wall switch too. UC light and over-the-sink light share a double switch box.
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cat_mom
13 years ago
Wall switch; ganged with overhead lighting and ceiling fan switch.
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homechef
13 years ago
mine will be near the sink together with the over the sink light and disposal switch.
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cjc123
13 years ago
Wall switch to the right of the sink on a dimmer, 2nd one is in the buffet area of my china hutch (also on dimmer). All my kitchen lights are on dimmers SO happy I did that!!
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warmfridge
13 years ago
I guess I'm the anomaly. My switches, which have a high and low setting rather than a dimmer, are on the xenon light strips. This cabinet run only has the UC lights, so it works fine for me to have the switches right on the lights rather than ganged with something else, and one less switchplate on my backsplash is a good thing, IMHO.
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billp1
13 years ago
Get a Lutron dual dimmer. Two sets of lights that only take the space of one wall plate. Max 300 watts on each dimmer but it does save ganged switches on your back splash.
blfenton
13 years ago
Wall switch near my prep sink/area.
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steff_1
13 years ago
Mine are currently on the wall, but I'm changing that soon. There are just too many outlets and switches on the wall so I'm moving them up to the cabinet.
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idrive65
13 years ago
I have a switch on the wall the turns them all on or off at once, but each fixture has its own switch (normally left on) if I wanted to turn them on individually.
xand83
13 years ago
LED strips connected to the OTR microwave outlet. Then a wireless light switch installed under one of the wall cabinets. Can't see it at all.
plllog
13 years ago
Wall switches/dimmers for the more or less the whole kitchen in the doorway, including u/c LEDs. Switches for disposer and sink lights in backsplash. Switch for the butler's pantry u/c LEDs by the dining room door.
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katsmah
13 years ago
Mine are on a dimmer wall switch next to the dimmer for the in cabinet lights.
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marthavila
13 years ago
My cabs all have xenon light bars in varying configurations of 2 and 3 lights per bar. LIke Warmfridge's set up, each bar has it's own on/off and high/low switch. Still, I primarily control all kitchen lights by means of a wall panel at the entrance to the kitchen. There are 6 switches with dimmer controls for all my lights: ceiling cans, pendant, undercab, above cab and in-cab. Sometimes I get a kick out of just playing with panel switches and dimmers just to see the different lighting effects in the kitchen. :-)
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