Like most people, you probably didn’t even know that under cabinet halogen light bulbs needed to be changed until they stopped working. And once they stop working, it can be a little tricky to figure out how to access and change the bulb.
However, changing a halogen light bulb in an under-cabinet fixture is a simple process that most homeowners can accomplish. The key to successfully changing the light bulb is to be aware of the necessary precautions and have the right tools.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to change under cabinet halogen light bulbs. So read this blog post till the end, and you will find some valuable information!
Summary: Under-cabinet halogen lights provide focused task lighting and enhance the overall ambiance in a kitchen or workspace. Over time, halogen bulbs may burn out or lose brightness, requiring replacement to maintain the desired lighting level. Changing an under-cabinet halogen light bulb is a relatively simple process, but it is essential to exercise caution and follow proper procedures to ensure safety and prevent damage to the light fixture or the new bulb.
Before attempting to replace the halogen bulb, turn off the power to the under-cabinet light fixture to avoid electrical hazards. Allow the bulb to cool for several minutes, as halogen bulbs can become extremely hot during operation. Once the bulb has cooled, carefully remove it from the fixture, which typically involves either unscrewing the bulb or gently pulling it straight out from a pin-based socket. It is advisable to wear gloves or use a cloth to handle the halogen bulb, as oils from your skin can shorten the bulb’s lifespan or even cause it to fail prematurely.
After removing the old bulb, install the new halogen bulb in the fixture, ensuring it is securely seated and making proper contact with the socket. Avoid touching the new bulb with bare hands; instead, use gloves or a cloth to handle it. Once the new bulb is installed, turn the power back on and test the under-cabinet light to ensure proper functionality. By following these steps, you can safely and efficiently replace an under-cabinet halogen light bulb, maintaining optimal lighting conditions in your space.
8 Advantages of Under Cabinet Lighting
1. Functional:
The primary advantage of under-cabinet lighting is the ease by which the light allows you to see. In addition, it can help lower your electric bill or save on batteries if it’s battery operated.
2. Decorative:
Another advantage that increased illumination would bring is an increase in home security. For example, halogen under cabinet lights can create a well-lit path to the front door.
3. Task Lighting:
Under-cabinet lighting is often used for specific task lighting.
For instance, if you regularly work in your garage or an outbuilding, installing under cabinet strip lighting would ensure that additional light is available when needed. It would also allow you to benefit from the security that additional lighting provides.
4. Mood Lighting:
No discussion of under cabinet lighting is complete without touching on the mood-enhancing effects that it can create.
The subtle illumination provided by under cabinet lights adds to the coziness created by central heating in a winter’s evening home.
In addition, it creates a special kind of ambiance in a summer dining room lit only by the candles on the table.
5. Convenience:
The best under-cabinet lighting units are cordless units operated by battery or induction power sources.
This makes it easy to move them from room to room as needed, ensuring that no area of your home is left in darkness when you want to work there.
6. Energy Efficient:
Installing under-cabinet lighting means moving the light source from one location to another depending on your needs.
This can provide a great deal of flexibility in minimizing the costs associated with lighting a room since you can decide just how much illumination is needed.
7. Cost-effective:
Under-cabinet lighting makes efficient use of the electricity it requires.
In most homes, this represents a significant reduction in the cost of lighting because it does not require raising the height of the light source to make sure that it is illuminating entire surfaces.
8. Versatile:
Under-cabinet lighting comes in a wide range of styles and shapes. This makes it possible to choose the type of light you want for each area.
For instance, some under-cabinet lights are designed with an enameled aluminium housing that can act as a thermal conductor to bring heat away from your cabinets or wall.
Different Types of Under Cabinet Light
1. Halogen Lights:
Under-cabinet halogen lights have a color temperature of around 3000K (Kelvin). Kelvins measure a light source’s relative “coolness” or “warmness.” They are ideal for task lighting since they emit strong, vibrant colors to enhance focal points.
2. Fluorescent Lights:
Fluorescent lights can be found in various beam spreads and color temperatures. They work great for ambient lighting or under-cabinet lighting spread out evenly.
3. Incandescent Lights:
Incandescent lights are the least expensive and the least desirable for under cabinet light fixtures. These are good for task lighting in a single area, but they are not very energy efficient.
4. Xenon Lights:
Xenon under cabinet lights is great for task lighting. They provide a strong color rendering index (CRI) and can be found in cool, neutral, and warm color temperatures.
5. LED Lights:
LED lights are the newest to come out in under-cabinet lighting fixtures. However, they have a very long life and typically don’t need to be changed as often as other under cabinet light bulbs.
6. Puck Lights:
Puck lights are a long, thin light source that works well for under cabinet lighting that requires a strong area of concentration. They can be purchased in energy-efficient and color temperature options.
Things You Should Know Before Installing LED Under Cabinet Lighting
1. Make sure you’re replacing an existing under cabinet light.
2. You must use approved lights for damp environments to install LED under cabinet lighting.
3. Avoid cutting into the power cord while installing the new light(s).
4.
5. The light tape kits are the easiest to install as they do not require a junction box or dedicated wiring.
6. For LED under cabinet lighting to work correctly, you should have some kind of insulation behind the cabinets.
For example, suppose your cabinets are directly against an exterior wall without any sheetrock, etc. In that case, it is possible that the cabinets could get hotter than normal and start a fire.
7. If you’re under cabinet lights with a junction box, mount it within 1-1/2″ of the ceiling (not included in the light kit).
You might need additional mounting support if you don’t use a junction box (junction box already included with the lights).
8. Make sure you use a voltage converter if you’re using some LED under cabinet lighting with some halogen lights.
How to Change Under Cabinet Halogen Light Bulb: Step-by-Step Procedure
Step 1: Turn Off the Power
Before you begin to replace the light, turn off the power at the breaker box. If you are not comfortable or experienced doing electrical work, hire an electrician to replace the light.
If you plan on doing the job yourself, you should only be handling the screws and the actual light bulbs.
Step 2: Remove the Damper
The damper is the plastic protective grill that sits in front of the light fixture. It has screws on each side and will need to be removed before you can access the light bulb inside the fixture.
Step 3: Remove the Retaining Ring
Once both screws of the damper are removed, you can pull it away from the light fixture to access all wiring and components inside the light.
Removing this piece shouldn’t require any tools, but be careful when removing it so that you don’t knock out the wiring of the fixture with the damper.
Step 4: Unscrew the Housing
Using your screwdriver, carefully remove the screws holding up the light fixture housing. Put them in a safe place where they won’t roll around or get lost when you drop them. Be very careful when removing the final screws to avoid injury from dropping metal shards and sharp edges.
Step 5: Remove the Bulb Cover
With all of the wiring exposed, you can now remove the cover surrounding the bulb itself. This is controlled by a single screw on either side of the light.
Once both screws are removed, pull outwards to remove it. Be careful when removing the cover, as it will likely be holding tension on the wiring.
Step 6: Replace the Bulb
Step 7: Turn On Electricity and Test
Once everything is back in place, you can turn on the main power switch to ensure that the light is working.
If it’s not, you may need to check the connections and wiring of the light again before calling an electrician or asking for help from a friend or family member.
Step 8: Replace the Housing and Appliance
To replace the housing itself, line up all of your screws to fit snugly with the housing of the light. This ensures a tight seal and will prevent water from seeping into the wiring behind the fixture itself.
Some Tips to Make Your Under Cabinet Lighting Look Better
1. Make sure all of your under cabinet lights are on a dimmer switch.
2. Hire someone else to install the wiring and electrical connections.
3. Install higher wattage, more energy-efficient bulbs that will be less hot to touch and last longer. 110v is suitable for the USA, 220v is good for other places where electricity is slightly higher.
4. Use LED (Light-emitting diode) under cabinet lighting instead of halogen lights for even brighter light with less heat.
5. Make sure your electrical connections are secure and watertight, or moisture will affect performance, and they will probably blow out due to overheating.
6. Make sure your electrical connections are not touching anything they should not, or your electrical circuits will be overloaded and pop breakers.
7. Do not buy under cabinet lighting that is not dimmable or compatible with your dimmer switch.
Should Under Cabinet Lighting Be Warm or Cool?
It is always best to keep your halogen light bulbs in the same color temperature range. This will help reduce any sudden changes and allow the most flexibility with the placement of lamps and fixtures.
For example, if all of your under cabinet lighting is 5000K and 6000K, then you will be able to reduce the number of fixtures you need and also be able to use a single dimmer or switch.
In this example, the warm color temperature is 3000K, and the cool color temperature is 8000K for halogen light bulbs.
The 5000K lights are close to the overhead lighting in color temperature. Catering companies typically install 6000K lights because they blend well with the overhead halogen lights.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ):
Final Thoughts
Replacing a halogen light bulb is an easy, fast task that will save you money and time. You can increase the brightness of your under cabinet halogen light bulb by cleaning its reflector.
If you’re tired of looking at an old, dingy-looking kitchen or bathroom because it’s too dark to see what you’re doing, there are several ways you can change this.
One option is to replace your light bulbs with brighter ones that use LED technology. Another option is to clean the reflector on your current unit, so more natural and ambient lighting comes through the lens onto the surface below it.
This will make it easier for all types of people who suffer from low vision to perform tasks like cooking dinner without feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. Plus, they last much longer!
We hope this article on how to change under cabinet halogen light bulb has been helpful. If you have any questions or want to know more, let us know in the comments below!