Question About Installing LED Light Strips In My Aluminum 28" Countertop Displays

[lghtngyello03]

Alright guys, I just got my two 28" countertop display cases. I am wanting to install some LED Strips on the front angled aluminum beside the front door (as to not be seen, but provide lots of light.)

My question is what do you guys suggest to use to do so? I have looked on Ebay for maybe 2 minutes this morning before I came to work, and there are a crap ton of LED Strips out there. What is the best to use that will provide the most light, and how would you guys wire these up? Do they have to see a power source from the wall outlet, or could they be ran off of batteries of some sort?


Oh and on a side note, I can't wait until I've been a member long enough to start looking on the Sunglass Exchange! lol

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance guys!


Here are how my cases are stacked, so maybe this will help with my question. (I want to install on the two angled pieces in the front, at the hinge and lock areas, so the LED lights will be facing everything on display.) I am willing to put them in the back as well, but it must look clean.

 

[davem]

Check IKEA and search their led selection, many options.

 

[hearno]

Yeah, I have the ikea dioder in my double wide. I like it a lot and it will provide more than enough light for your case. Search and you will find a few threads about them.

 

[lghtngyello03]

Check IKEA and search their led selection, many options.

Thanks man, this forum is the first one I have ever been on that people were so willing to help I am on a couple of car forums (evo forums) that people are just plain douchebags.

Yeah, I have the ikea dioder in my double wide. I like it a lot and it will provide more than enough light for your case. Search and you will find a few threads about them.

Is there any way you can post up a pic of it man? I will do some searching in just a few.

 

[hearno]

Is there any way you can post up a pic of it man? I will do some searching in just a few.

The thread has pictures in it but I just snapped a few more. I didn't capture all the color changes, just snapped a few as the lights cycled. You get the idea.

 

[lghtngyello03]

Dude that looks sick. And what a badass collection too!

How exactly does this stuff work, I saw on the website it says its 39"? Did you just buy one kit for yours and kind of make it into a square on the roof of the case?

 

[lghtngyello03]

I see now how it works, I searched and found Davem's thread.

there are 4 light strips that all easily connect, super long cord, the quality seems good enough, there are 8 double sided sticky pads ( so 2 for each strip ) that hold it really well. If I had my time back I would have tried setting up the lights from top to bottom inside the corners posts on the front, maybe the first 2 shelves? but then the bottom would be darker, I don't know. The lights are bright enough to light the whole display with some loss near the bottom. Light seems to be between a white and yellow but closer to yellow/warm. More pairs you have on the top shelves may block the lighting down below. It was worth it to me for when I am moving a few pairs around or cleaning, but other than that I really don't turn it on. I'd say worth it!! My wife says it's pretty, not what I was going for.

I'd say if you get it, take the time and place them in different areas and see what you like best, then stick em, I am going to do this again next weekend and see if it looks better.

One last question though, did you have to drill a hole for the power cord anywhere, and would it be possible to just buy the one kit, and be able to run this from my top case to my bottom?

 

[davem]

On a single or double you can run the wiring down from the top (loosen the plastic top piece) but on a countertop you will probably have to drill a hole somewhere, preferably out of sight. There are some IKEA kits that you can buy extra pieces/strips that connect to the main powered one but again will have to drill a hole out of one case and into the other. Explore all your options before you start drilling holes.
Here is my old single with the Dioder kit installed ( all 4 pcs in a square on top ) I am still looking into some new led's for my double.

 

[hearno]

Dude that looks sick. And what a badass collection too!

How exactly does this stuff work, I saw on the website it says its 39"? Did you just buy one kit for yours and kind of make it into a square on the roof of the case?

Thanks. If you look closely at the greenish light picture, you can see two of the strips attached to the top of the roof. I ran the cords thru the plastic cutout for the OEM lights. If you look to the right of those led strips, you can see the cords that run to the other two strips that are attached to the bottom of the first shelf.

 

[JayMann]

I put mine going all the way down the side so it all gets lit up!

Sorry about the sideways pic but you get what I'm talking about lol