Under cabinet LEDs running too hot?

5 years ago

I recently had a new kitchen installed. The cabinets have 2.6W Sycamore LEDs recessed into the undersides to cast light over the worktop. However, I soon noticed that the insides of the cabinets were getting pretty hot when the lights were on. So I measured with a kitchen thermometer, with the tip of the probe in the air just above where the LEDs are situated. With the door closed and the lights off, the ambient temperature inside the cabinets is about 22°C. But with the lights on, it goes up to 31.6°C. That's hot enough that spices will go stale really quickly and wine will basically cook in the bottle.

Can anyone tell me if I'm right to think that's abnormal? The kitchen company contacted Sycamore on my behalf, and Sycamore seemed totally uninterested in the problem. I suggested to the kitchen company that we replace the Sycamore lights with (as I imagine it) more efficient lights from a better brand, but if they claim that if the replacements lights are the same wattage, they will run just as hot. Are they right?

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Comments (4)

Jonathan
5 years ago
2.4w lights won’t give off any discernible heat. Is it possible they are not LEDs? Or is the heat source something else? Or is it the transformer?
Ned Beauman
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the reply. No, they're definitely LEDs. There are three cabinets, each with one LED mounted underneath, and all three of those LEDs get similarly hot, so I'm pretty sure the lights themselves must the source rather than the transformer or anything else.
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Jonathan
5 years ago
https://www.earthled.com/blogs/led-lighting-faq-frequently-asked-questions/how-much-heat-is-generated-by-led-light-bulbs
Chris Goodchild
5 years ago
LEDs do produce heat, how much depends on the type of LED, whether it is a self regulated or running from a separate power supply that regulates the voltage, also how it is fitted the enclosure can make a big difference to how it dissipates any heat generated. Have a read at Earth Led about heat output, they explain it well.

Under cabinet LEDs running too hot?

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Jonathan

Ned Beauman
Original Author

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Chris Goodchild

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Under cabinet LEDs running too hot?

Comments (4)

Jonathan

Ned BeaumanOriginal Author

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Jonathan

Chris Goodchild

COMPANY

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CONNECT WITH US

Ned Beauman
Original Author