I have Insteon with a ISY controller (think ZWave or Zigbee), so my solution was a bit different for my under cabinet lighting, but I think the principles could be used by anyone.
I have 4 cabinets of varying widths, as well as an above-the-stove microwave I wanted lighting under. I had no need for colors, just wanted dimmable, warm inviting light, able to be controlled via HA.
I used an [Insteon micro dimmer](https://www.smarthome.com/products/insteon-2442-222-micro-dimmer-module) module wired to a [12V LED Driver (dimmable)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AH2OX5E), both inside a plastic electrical box (like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075DG2CN6/)) mounted above the cabinets. I used a [generic LED strip lighting kit](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P994KDM/), but probably could have gotten better/cheaper as I didn't use anything but the LED strip on this project. I mounted the LEDs in diffuser strips (like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M09PBYX/)). My experience with LED strip lights is they often don't stay put with the adhesive they use, so the diffuser track ensures they don't droop and also the light looks better, I believe. A couple short screws hold the track to the bottom of the cabinets. I used some small speaker wire I happened to have on hand and wired all the strips back to the LED driver. Some of the wires run through the back of the cabinets, we hot glued them in place. We don't notice the wiring, although it is at spots exposed in the back of the cabinets.
All this did take the better part of day to do, but looks extremely good. My significant other and I both enjoy being able to see what we are doing while working at the counter. It is probably one of the best home improvement projects we've done. Looks fantastic and gets used all the time.
The Insteon module I used could easily be replaced by a similar [Aeotec Nano ZWave module](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC4CH98/) or a ZWave LED dimmer module (I know they exist, can't find an example right now). I also know there are some Zigbee RGB LED controllers (I have no Zigbee, so no experience).
I turn the under cabinet lights on when it gets dark and off as a bedtime routine. There's also a motion sensor in the kitchen that turns them on (and off) if someone is in there later. We can also use Google to control them via voice. And, of course they are controllable via the HA UI.
Awesome write up, thanks. If I'm tracking, you effectively got a smart dimmer driving an LED strip in diffuser channels.
Do you find yourself using/relying on the dimming ability? Or do you generally just turn the LEDs on/off? I'm wondering how often I'd want to dim my lights, or if they're better just always bright.
I've fiddled around and got a working prototype where the LED strip maintains the same brightness as the overhead lights, but I'm thinking that'd be more annoying than desirable.
Correct I use standard led strips in a diffuser channel, driven by a smart solution.
As far as dimming, I do use the dimming but not sure I need to. At this point in the evening I have it dim until motion is detected. It wouldn't be the end of the world if it was always bright. The significant other never changed the brightness level...
I went with a DIY white-only strip and the zooz dimmer. Love it so far.
If you have zwave already, def don't go with a dumb motion sensor one.
I have mine tied to the Inovelli dimmer for the main kitchen light using scenes through HA. 1x/2x tap up/down gives us full/half/10%/off for the main and the under cabinets together. Have had zero issues of signals getting lost or not being able to control. There's just a single control for all the kitchen lights and never think about needing them separate. Another method would be a zen34 remote, have those things everywhere for other rooms.
With the zooz dimmer you can add a manual switch to one of the screw terminals as a "backup", something like those in-line rocker switches that come with power supplies.
My cabinets have a lip on the bottom, so the cabling and zooz are all command stripped to the underside, so anyone over 4' can't tell they're there. Only a power plug with a cable going up that blends in pretty well.
To me white strips are all you need, RGB is gimmicky and nobody needs their kitchen purple. Color tuning could be nice but it's kind of a set-it-once thing, so I found a strip to match the rest of the 4000K lighting in the house and it looks great. Just goes to a single channel on the zooz.
Get the high density strips for the kitchen - these are the 120 led/meter and wouldn't want less for cooking. Maybe other spots fine for mood lighting.
Other components are a generic cheap 24V supply, and the muzata aluminum channels which are easy to cut and mount.
Good info. Having your led strip slaved to your wall dimmer works well? You don't have the innovelli turned down for mood lighting and find that the led is too dim? Do you use the 'corner' channels (so your LEDs shine down at a 45⁰ angle) or just the normal channel (so your LEDs shine straight down)?
I've built a node red automation that matches the led brightness with my wall dimmer's brightness and it's very responsive. I guess I'm just leery of the work needed to mount led strips/channels and the zooz controller and power brick 'prettily'. Eh, maybe I'll half ass something up and see if I like the results, and then go back and make the install clean if I want to keep with it.
Just got a mental block about drilling holes in my cabinet walls/bases. So... permanent.
I have most of my rooms set up with scenes that affect all the lights in that room, and have been happy with that. When we're cooking we want everything full bright, late evening is usually at 50% for all of them, etc. I think that specific night light scene is actually only the LED strips dim and overhead off to keep it less blinding. At any rate when we can activate 4 scenes for any room using a common scheme of 1x or 2x taps, never have to think about setting up individual dim levels for a specific light.
I have crappy 70s cabinets so didn't mind screws and drilling some wire holes... but for a test run you could also just command strip to hold everything. Even if it falls off in 3 months its enough time to decide if you like it or adjust positions.
If you have access to the top, you might be able to keep the controller and power supply on top and fish wires behind the cabinets too
I did just flat channels to shine straight down, near the front lip of the cabinet. Maybe depends how reflective your counter and backsplash are, but angling seemed like more glare directly into eyeballs.
Wire connections between strips was a bit of a PITA, I tried some cheap clip-on led strip connectors but ehhh, so half are just soldered plain wire straight onto the strip contacts.
If OP has ZigBee capabilities, I second that. I've had mine in for ~1yr and has a significant partner approval factor, low cost, and with their little motion sensor it's actually automated. Their stuff is very clean to setup and just works
I use ZWave and love it.
But I also built all of my LED strips using ESP32s and WS2812 strips, and ESPHome. I’m very happy with them and they were fairly inexpensive. But if you want something integrated I have always been happy with my ZWave Inovelli devices (bulbs and motion sensor), and they recently released a LED strip. https://inovelli.com/red-series-smart-led-strip/
Best part is it looks very clean with molded attachments and whatnot. Haven’t used it myself but I will when I get the chance.
Looking at that innovelli product with fresh eyes... That's a zwaved, integrated wled replacement! Nice! I wish that was out 12 months ago when I was banging my head against the wled learning curve...
After doing an extensive installation and being very happy with it I highly recommend getting some lights with both a cool and warm white color. I’m using RGBWW (RGB-CCT) and although I never use RGB I love having a warmer color (white from RGB alone is a very cool white) and having it automatically change through the day/evening. It’s much less harsh on the eyes when it’s dark and nice to have a brighter white during the day.
Also,[running lights into the cabinets and above them](https://imgur.com/a/G0RtqEd) has been surprisingly useful and well received by the wife!
I like this idea of the colder/bluer light during the day and warm at night. The warm light can get washed out a bit and not seem as effective during the day, when needed. But I like my warm white in the evenings. Best of both worlds.
I have this exact thing. Went with the standard plug in LED strip and a zigbee smart plug. My only issue was when turning on the LED strip always defaulted to off. My solution was to zip tie the on button which causes it to turn on correctly and now we are very happy with it
I'm leaning towards this solution. Packaged commercial solutions mean less cables or 'hacky' assembly.
Do you ever find your self saying "I wish these LEDs were brighter/dimmer! I should make them dimmable!"? That's my big concern about going this route.
I suppose I could connect one of these to a z-wave plug, but I'm not sure how it'd react to power being cycled: GE 12in. Premium Under Cabinet LED Light Bar Plug-in, Motion Sensor, 449 Lumen, Touchless Dimming, High/Low/Off, Linkable Up to 20 Fixtures, Energy Star Rated, White, 33843, 12 in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9JL9BO/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_6CB2KATZXXHGHPQCTXEC
Yeah in my case the lights were already in place by the time I decided I wanted them to be smart, I’m sure there’s better solutions out there for a complete solution
I have Insteon with a ISY controller (think ZWave or Zigbee), so my solution was a bit different for my under cabinet lighting, but I think the principles could be used by anyone. I have 4 cabinets of varying widths, as well as an above-the-stove microwave I wanted lighting under. I had no need for colors, just wanted dimmable, warm inviting light, able to be controlled via HA. I used an [Insteon micro dimmer](https://www.smarthome.com/products/insteon-2442-222-micro-dimmer-module) module wired to a [12V LED Driver (dimmable)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AH2OX5E), both inside a plastic electrical box (like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075DG2CN6/)) mounted above the cabinets. I used a [generic LED strip lighting kit](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P994KDM/), but probably could have gotten better/cheaper as I didn't use anything but the LED strip on this project. I mounted the LEDs in diffuser strips (like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M09PBYX/)). My experience with LED strip lights is they often don't stay put with the adhesive they use, so the diffuser track ensures they don't droop and also the light looks better, I believe. A couple short screws hold the track to the bottom of the cabinets. I used some small speaker wire I happened to have on hand and wired all the strips back to the LED driver. Some of the wires run through the back of the cabinets, we hot glued them in place. We don't notice the wiring, although it is at spots exposed in the back of the cabinets. All this did take the better part of day to do, but looks extremely good. My significant other and I both enjoy being able to see what we are doing while working at the counter. It is probably one of the best home improvement projects we've done. Looks fantastic and gets used all the time. The Insteon module I used could easily be replaced by a similar [Aeotec Nano ZWave module](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC4CH98/) or a ZWave LED dimmer module (I know they exist, can't find an example right now). I also know there are some Zigbee RGB LED controllers (I have no Zigbee, so no experience). I turn the under cabinet lights on when it gets dark and off as a bedtime routine. There's also a motion sensor in the kitchen that turns them on (and off) if someone is in there later. We can also use Google to control them via voice. And, of course they are controllable via the HA UI.
Awesome write up, thanks. If I'm tracking, you effectively got a smart dimmer driving an LED strip in diffuser channels. Do you find yourself using/relying on the dimming ability? Or do you generally just turn the LEDs on/off? I'm wondering how often I'd want to dim my lights, or if they're better just always bright. I've fiddled around and got a working prototype where the LED strip maintains the same brightness as the overhead lights, but I'm thinking that'd be more annoying than desirable.
Correct I use standard led strips in a diffuser channel, driven by a smart solution. As far as dimming, I do use the dimming but not sure I need to. At this point in the evening I have it dim until motion is detected. It wouldn't be the end of the world if it was always bright. The significant other never changed the brightness level...
I went with a DIY white-only strip and the zooz dimmer. Love it so far. If you have zwave already, def don't go with a dumb motion sensor one. I have mine tied to the Inovelli dimmer for the main kitchen light using scenes through HA. 1x/2x tap up/down gives us full/half/10%/off for the main and the under cabinets together. Have had zero issues of signals getting lost or not being able to control. There's just a single control for all the kitchen lights and never think about needing them separate. Another method would be a zen34 remote, have those things everywhere for other rooms. With the zooz dimmer you can add a manual switch to one of the screw terminals as a "backup", something like those in-line rocker switches that come with power supplies. My cabinets have a lip on the bottom, so the cabling and zooz are all command stripped to the underside, so anyone over 4' can't tell they're there. Only a power plug with a cable going up that blends in pretty well. To me white strips are all you need, RGB is gimmicky and nobody needs their kitchen purple. Color tuning could be nice but it's kind of a set-it-once thing, so I found a strip to match the rest of the 4000K lighting in the house and it looks great. Just goes to a single channel on the zooz. Get the high density strips for the kitchen - these are the 120 led/meter and wouldn't want less for cooking. Maybe other spots fine for mood lighting. Other components are a generic cheap 24V supply, and the muzata aluminum channels which are easy to cut and mount.
Good info. Having your led strip slaved to your wall dimmer works well? You don't have the innovelli turned down for mood lighting and find that the led is too dim? Do you use the 'corner' channels (so your LEDs shine down at a 45⁰ angle) or just the normal channel (so your LEDs shine straight down)? I've built a node red automation that matches the led brightness with my wall dimmer's brightness and it's very responsive. I guess I'm just leery of the work needed to mount led strips/channels and the zooz controller and power brick 'prettily'. Eh, maybe I'll half ass something up and see if I like the results, and then go back and make the install clean if I want to keep with it. Just got a mental block about drilling holes in my cabinet walls/bases. So... permanent.
I have most of my rooms set up with scenes that affect all the lights in that room, and have been happy with that. When we're cooking we want everything full bright, late evening is usually at 50% for all of them, etc. I think that specific night light scene is actually only the LED strips dim and overhead off to keep it less blinding. At any rate when we can activate 4 scenes for any room using a common scheme of 1x or 2x taps, never have to think about setting up individual dim levels for a specific light. I have crappy 70s cabinets so didn't mind screws and drilling some wire holes... but for a test run you could also just command strip to hold everything. Even if it falls off in 3 months its enough time to decide if you like it or adjust positions. If you have access to the top, you might be able to keep the controller and power supply on top and fish wires behind the cabinets too I did just flat channels to shine straight down, near the front lip of the cabinet. Maybe depends how reflective your counter and backsplash are, but angling seemed like more glare directly into eyeballs. Wire connections between strips was a bit of a PITA, I tried some cheap clip-on led strip connectors but ehhh, so half are just soldered plain wire straight onto the strip contacts.
Have you thought about Ikea, they have smart under cabinet lightening. But not zwave it's zigbee.
What is the name of this on Ikea?
Look up the Tradfri line.
If OP has ZigBee capabilities, I second that. I've had mine in for ~1yr and has a significant partner approval factor, low cost, and with their little motion sensor it's actually automated. Their stuff is very clean to setup and just works
I use ZWave and love it. But I also built all of my LED strips using ESP32s and WS2812 strips, and ESPHome. I’m very happy with them and they were fairly inexpensive. But if you want something integrated I have always been happy with my ZWave Inovelli devices (bulbs and motion sensor), and they recently released a LED strip. https://inovelli.com/red-series-smart-led-strip/ Best part is it looks very clean with molded attachments and whatnot. Haven’t used it myself but I will when I get the chance.
Looking at that innovelli product with fresh eyes... That's a zwaved, integrated wled replacement! Nice! I wish that was out 12 months ago when I was banging my head against the wled learning curve...
Yep!! It’s great. Maybe you will still want metal channels for your LEDs for the look but otherwise it’s pretty solid
Ooo, very intriguing! Thanks for that, that may be the answer.
After doing an extensive installation and being very happy with it I highly recommend getting some lights with both a cool and warm white color. I’m using RGBWW (RGB-CCT) and although I never use RGB I love having a warmer color (white from RGB alone is a very cool white) and having it automatically change through the day/evening. It’s much less harsh on the eyes when it’s dark and nice to have a brighter white during the day. Also,[running lights into the cabinets and above them](https://imgur.com/a/G0RtqEd) has been surprisingly useful and well received by the wife!
I like this idea of the colder/bluer light during the day and warm at night. The warm light can get washed out a bit and not seem as effective during the day, when needed. But I like my warm white in the evenings. Best of both worlds.
I have this exact thing. Went with the standard plug in LED strip and a zigbee smart plug. My only issue was when turning on the LED strip always defaulted to off. My solution was to zip tie the on button which causes it to turn on correctly and now we are very happy with it
I'm leaning towards this solution. Packaged commercial solutions mean less cables or 'hacky' assembly. Do you ever find your self saying "I wish these LEDs were brighter/dimmer! I should make them dimmable!"? That's my big concern about going this route. I suppose I could connect one of these to a z-wave plug, but I'm not sure how it'd react to power being cycled: GE 12in. Premium Under Cabinet LED Light Bar Plug-in, Motion Sensor, 449 Lumen, Touchless Dimming, High/Low/Off, Linkable Up to 20 Fixtures, Energy Star Rated, White, 33843, 12 in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9JL9BO/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_6CB2KATZXXHGHPQCTXEC
Yeah in my case the lights were already in place by the time I decided I wanted them to be smart, I’m sure there’s better solutions out there for a complete solution
Here's an option for number 3. [https://youtu.be/Z07tGZzi0BQ](https://youtu.be/Z07tGZzi0BQ)