Phantom Lighting System

Rope lights are good sources of light for tight spots in ceilings because their plastic manufacture allows them to be bent. They are also are ideal for short-term specialty display lighting and decorative holiday lighting. The endless variety of style and bulb options makes them a favorite for event planners for special occasions throughout the year. Perhaps their most widespread application in residential settings is for decorative outdoor lighting. Rope lights bring aesthetic and supplemental light to any outdoor area such as a gazebo, a back porch, or a patio where home entertainment events are hosted. They also provide a measure of safety lighting when they installed along handrails and steps, and some people even use them to decorate gutters and trellises for an extra touch of sophistication.

A number of advantages accounts for the popularity of these widespread and highly versatile lighting elements.
Rope lights tend to be very cost effective and extremely easy for the end user to install. A broad spectrum of kits is available that offers the novice considerable choices in colors, styles, and measurements. These lights normally include the option to dim the lights, so 120V rope lights can still be rendered cost effective simply by reducing the level of light. Furthermore, almost every lighting manufacturer makes low voltage lighting and high voltage lighting kits to deliver super savings on energy to the home user on a budget.

Rope lights can be equipped with any number of bulb types ranging from traditional incandescent to revolutionary LED lamps. Both offer their own unique benefits. Incandescents produce a very bright light and can clearly be seen when used in conjunction with normal indoor lighting. Event planners hosting company parties normally choose incandescent bulbs because they remain clearly visible when other room lights are on. On the other hand, rope lights used outdoors normally remain on longer and require greater energy efficiency. LED bulbs are generally preferred in this scenario because they only use 20% of the power as incandescents, and they are super cost conscious when installed on a low voltage lighting system.

Drawbacks
Because they are so inexpensive and easy to install, rope lights are often used by builders as adjunct decorations or for cove lighting in spec homes. However, the flexibility they are renowned for has it limitations. If the rope is bent incorrectly, it can fail to work altogether. In tight coves or area where the wall is striated, these lights will accentuate wall variances and reflect an uneven distribution of light. If “hot” burning bulbs like xenon and incandescent are used, the plastic housing will begin to turn brown from exposer to ultrviolet light over a period of time.

When used in this manner, rope lights are short lived and will eventually require replacement. This additional cost cancels out the initial front-end savings they normally deliver.. Rope lights are also wired in series, so if a single light fails, the entire string fails. At this point a splice can be placed in the line to restore functionality, but the uniformity of the light is compromised and quality begins to diminish.

For these settings, you need an alternative light source, like Phantom LED lighting strips that are specifically designed for lighting indoor coves.

Click here to read how Phantom CM series offers either an adjunct lighting source or outright alternative to rope lighting.

See how our accent lighting tools can help you in your contracting business. Call us at 800-863-1184 for a free brochure.

What benefits does Phantom lighting offer to the lighting distributor or lighting designer?
Custom build to specific client need is the number one benefit we can offer to you to pass on to your customers. Our linear lighting strips are fabricated to the exact vertical, horizontal, and radial dimensions of the many cabinets, display cases, bookshelves, and ceiling coves you encounter daily in on site visits to both commercial and residential prospects.

We are a one-source low voltage lighting manufacturer for all forms of storage and display cabinet lighting. Regardless of whether you are subcontracting under a builder and starting from scratch, or retrofitting an existing cabinet with new light fixtures, Phantom has a modeled designed to meet the specific needs of your client base.

How easy is it to conceal these strip lighting fixtures from normal viewing angles?
Very easy—our motto is “See the Light, Not the Fixture.” The transformers we use are smaller than those used in other lighting strips because all Phantom LED strip lights are low voltage devices. Our cabinet lights install in a manner that is very unique to the industry. Because they are custom made to order, you can specify exactly how you want to wire the strips to best conceal the wiring inside the cabinet.

The most popular way of doing this when installing display cabinet lights is to exit the cabinet and splice the wires on the backside of the furniture. For kitchen cabinets built into the wall, there are a number of other concealed wiring strategies can be implemented through the complimentary consultation services provided through our network of lighting agents.

What specific linear strips models do you manufacture?
The vision of our engineering team is to proactively anticipate each and every lighting our distributors and agents will encounter in the field. We carry six variations of custom cabinet lighting fixtures, each of which is then analyzed by your lighting agent to be the best possible fit for your client.

Once that determination is made, the strips are then custom designed and manufactured to precise dimensions, voltage (12 or 24), and festoon lamp types to match the fixture exactly to the needs of your client.

This procedure will add tremendous value to your cabinet lighting installation service proposal, as you can literally analyze each and every cabinet in your client’s home or office and propose a custom lighting installation unique to that specific, individual cabinet.

What can I do for my clients on an extremely tight budget?
You can easily address and accommodate these concerns by recommending they go with LED replacement festoon lamps. Our patented lamp design emits approximately 50 lumens of light per lamp—five times the lumens output of competing LED manufacturers. We offer five colour temperatures now; making LED the near equivalent of xenon in superb lighting quality and the leading contender in energy efficiency, bulb life, and UV/Infrared free lighting.

We also recommend that you install a user-friendly dimmer switch that will allow your clients to turn their display cabinet lighting up or down like a volume control on a stereo. Any clients you have who host events on a regular basis can use these controls to both regulate power consumption and to set lighting levels appropriate to activity, occasion, and mood.

Click here to find an Agent in your area and begin working with Phantom today.

We invite you to contact us at 800-863-1184 X 125 to request a color brochure of our accent lighting fixtures. In addition to low voltage strip lighting we also manufacture fine art lighting equipment.

What is the most difficult aspect of curio cabinet lighting?
When lighting curio cabinets with mirrored back panes the biggest problem is reflective glare.

This is an almost unavoidable disadvantage when lighting a display cabinet in front of a mirror of any type.

For lighting curio cabinets made from solid wood, the problem is shadows and uneven distribution of light.

This is why some of these showcase cabinets have two or more light fixtures to light the objects from multiple angles. The disadvantage here, though, is that too many lights creates “fixture clutter” that diminishes presentation.

What about these lights that come pre-installed in some curio cabinets?
Honestly, they are not a bad way of lighting a curio cabinet, provided that it is a standing wall cabinet of larger than average size, and provided that the shelves are made of glass. Light passes downward through the shelves and reflects off the mirror, wrapping itself around the collection in the process. However, there will still be reflective glare from certain viewing angles such as couches and chairs near the display.

In a wall curio cabinet made from dark, solid wood, glass shelves will allow overhead light to pass all the way to the cabinet floor without the nuisance of reflective glare. However each object casts a shadow that requires either multiple fixtures top-mounted fixture or some sort of alternative, secondary source of lighting for the curio cabinet.

This is where Phantom under cabinet lighting fixtures can prove invaluable tools to truly impeccable presentation.

OK, so how do Phantom linear strip lights overcome these obstacles?
If the cabinet is made of wood, there is a great deal of creative freedom and flexibility you can apply to either supplementing in cabinet lights or using Phantom LED strips as the primary source of curio lighting. Cabinets made of wood will accommodate up to three major Phantom Strip Series, all of which are designed to remain concealed from viewing angles.

Click here to read in detail how these strips can mount to vertical, horizontal, and even curved surfaces.

Furthermore, in spite of the nuisance of reflective glare, Phantom HM series make for some of the best curio cabinet lights you can use for wall-mounted display cases. Whereas mirror panels in larger cabinets may actually show reflections of the linear lighting strips themselves to seated guests, wall mounted cabinets feature more narrow surface depth that actually helps create the optical illusion that the lighting strips are actually built into the top of the cabinet.

What bulb types are the best choices for curio cabinets?
Phantom Lighting manufactures strip lights with incandescent, xenon, or led bulbs, each of which offers unique advantages to the specific type of curio cabinet they light and the nature of the collectibles on display. Wooden curio cabinets with no interior mirrors need the brightest illumination possible, so we generally recommend xenon low voltage bulbs that are renowned for producing the whitest light. You can set the dimmer switch to a higher setting when guest are active throughout the home, then turn the lights down to leave them at lower levels once most people have gone to bed. LED lamps will replace xenon lamps as colors improve.

Click here to read more about cost saving benefits with low voltage xenon and new LED Phantom festoon lamps.

Up until a few years ago, very specific types of kitchen cabinet lights were used for either in cabinet or under cabinet lighting needs. Most people preferred puck lights for under the cabinet applications because they cast bright circles of light onto counter tops and provided great visibility and clarity for work. Back then, of course, most counter tops were made of cheaper materials that absorbed light without reflecting it back into the eyes.

People in the 60’s, 70’s also used a lot of fluorescent under cabinet lights because they helped conserved electricity. Their lower heat output also made them everyone’s favorite under cabinet/ over the stove light for cooking.

This, of course, is all changing now. Increasingly large numbers of people are replacing generic counter top materials with custom, more ornate granite and marble. These surfaces are highly reflective and introduce an entirely new element into the lighting equation. Kitchen cabinet light manufacturers must now shield the eyes from reflective glare in addition to providing the same levels of light as they did before.

While it is a fact that fluorescents are normally housed in frosted fixtures that minimize glare, they do not render color with enough detail to do justice to the subtle shades and variations that custom counter tops feature. Puck lights, that use halogen lighting, render color very well in most cases, but they are simply too intense and will almost always throw reflected light back into the eyes.

In this type of kitchen, it is almost always better to go with custom linear strip lights such as those manufactured by Phantom Lighting. This is due to both their low profile design and the unique qualities of glare free light they produce.

Each Phantom lighting strip is custom pre-fabricated to exact cabinet or shelf dimensions. It will install seamlessly to either a horizontal mount or vertical shelf mount and remain virtually invisible to the casual eye. It also contains patented lamping designs and features special shielding that reduces reflective glare to near-undetectable levels.

Phantom strips can be fitted with a variety of festoon bulb types. Our most popular bulb type for under cabinet kitchen lighting is xenon. Xenon will render colors at a level almost equivalent to that of sunlight. When xenon low voltage lamps are installed in conjunction with a low voltage transformer and dimmable lighting strip, they will bring out the subtlest red of granite and the multi-dimensional hues of marble like no other form of light—at a fraction of the cost of competing in cabinet and under cabinet LED strip light fixtures.

Incandescent festoon lamps produce the “warmest” form of light and make everything within the cubic interior of the cabinet clearly visible. Unlike pucks, they consume virtually no cubic space within cabinets, and leave more room for storing larger cookware items. Phantom strips also make cleaning the shelves much easier they require little external wiring. You can even remove shelves fitted with our lighting strips without risk of shock or fixture damage.

Restaurants should consider retrofitting their existing kitchen cabinet lights strips with one of Phantom’s newest innovations—LED replacement festoon lamps. These lamps produce a lumens output equivalent to that of incandescent and fluorescents, but they use 80% less electricity. Although a restaurant kitchen requires little, if any, aesthetic consideration, employee comfort and cost consciousness are of vital importance. Fluorescent under cabinet lights emit UV radiation that is never good for anyone’s eyes, and incandescent lights left on for long hours will result in expensive light bills. The one-time procurement cost of replacement LED festoons will immediately begin returning investment through lower monthly power bills.

To learn more about Phantom Lighting, contact us at 713-863-1133 or ask one of our United States lighting agents to show you first hand the many benefits of Phantom Strip Lights and the Phantom Contour Projector.

In cabinet lights come in two main varieties: puck and linear strips: Puck lights mount in the center of the cabinet’s upper top space and shine illumination downward in a widening, circular spread.

Linear light strips mount either along the back vertical top or bottom wall space, or as in the case of a Phantom strip, along the top-front horizontal cabinet strut. Linear strip lighting in cabinets will cascade and radiate downward, resulting in a gentler and even wash of light that puck lights generally do.

Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips are ideal for all display cabinets with the exception of those with mirrored back planes. They also provide very good task lighting in kitchen cabinets above eye level where the wiring and fixture of puck lights may appear unsightly to visitors opening cabinet doors.

Knowing these basic facts helps one to determine in advance what will work best for a particular purpose, environment, and task. The following examples constitute general guidelines recommended by our US Lighting Agents as helpful points to consider when choosing between fixture types.

Over the Counter Kitchen Cabinets:
Linear in cabinet strip lights are better here for the reasons already mentioned above. A puck light in a kitchen cabinet will instantly stand out to anyone who opens the cabinet. Also, the wires, the fixture, and the more intense concentration of light will also tend to work against the decorative design elements of today’s larger, more hospitality oriented kitchens.

Under counter cabinets:
On the other hand, the opposite is usually true with larger kitchen cabinets near the floor where pots and pans are stored. Puck lights in these cabinets remain hidden from normal view, and the more intense output they produce makes it easier to find utensils and cookware more quickly.

Fine Antique and Curio Cabinets:
Linear strip lights in cabinets are almost always superior to puck lights when decorative appeal is the foremost consideration. Linear in cabinet custom lighting strips like the ones we manufacture at Phantom are designed to hide themselves along horizontal or vertical shelf edges. This allows the viewer to better see lighted contents without noticing the fixtures.

Retail Display Cabinets:
Sporting good stores often display guns in cabinets with a red back plane and a glass door that keeps weapons safe under lock and key. You also see similar cases also used to display expensive diamonds and gemstones. Cabinet lights in these environments need to be as sophisticated and as low profile as possible to not only showcase the value of expensive merchandise, but to also emphasize higher price points with a truly complimentary, luxury lighting fixture.

Linear strips with LED or low voltage xenon lamps are good choices for doing this much more effectively than puck lights.

Understanding the three basic uses of almost all cabinetry will go a long way toward simplifying the process of choosing the right in cabinet lights. In the most broad and general terms, cabinets are either functional, decorative, or a synthesis of function and display. Lighting in a cabinet should support its general function and compliment its form without visual distraction or physical obstruction. Display lighting in cabinets must also convey an additional decorative element that enhances contents as well as containment. It is necessary to have these basics fixed firmly in mind before trying to make any decisions on what to purchase for your kitchen, bathroom, or antique collectibles, or retail showcase display.

Phantom Lighting in cabinet light strips combine sophisticated decorum with practical energy efficiency and user-friendly installation and adjustment features found nowhere else in the world. Detailed technical documents and informative articles on all six of our strip lighting products can be found throughout our website. You can also call 800-863-1184 for literature or other information about Phantom Lighting.

In spite of the superior decorative appeal and lighting control that newer forms of under cabinet lights offer, fluorescent bulbs to this day remain the very best sources of light in work areas where very bright light is needed for maximum productivity and safety.

They offer a unique combination of high light output levels and relatively low electrical consumption. As such, they are very cost effective for industrial clients operating on a tight budget.

Most factories are very large and are lit by large overhead metal halide or fluorescent lights provided by commercial lighting manufacturers. The height of the ceiling and the cubic square footage of the facility (known as the vertical cube) have a tendency to diminishing even the brightest illumination as it comes down from the ceiling. The higher the ceiling, the dimmer the light tends to be. Also, higher ceilings also allow more opportunity for obstructions to block light altogether in certain parts of the room.

Any piece of equipment, rafter, or storage rack can cast shadows over assembly lines and highly skilled work areas. This creates more than an annoyance—it creates a work hazard and potential liability for the company.

Because these areas often contain storage cabinets above workspace, installing fluorescent under cabinet lights offsets diminished and blocked overhead lighting and allows workers to see clearly without hurting themselves or making mistakes.

Does Phantom Make Fluorescent Strip Lights?
No, but as a conscientious lighting manufacturer with a strong emphasis on consulting, we always seek to educate our clients in what their best options are. Generally, we tend to steer people away from using fluorescent under cabinet display lighting in kitchens within the home. Other types lamps provide a more aesthetically balanced and comfortable level of light that blends better with kitchen, living room, fine art, and bathroom lighting design.

However, homes are not the only places where you find kitchens and kitchenettes. Construction trailers, factories, warehouses, RV’s, camping trailers, and modular buildings often use food preparation areas to provide people in these facilities with the option of dining in and saving money. Many such kitchens, although in small buildings, have a high level of sunlight coming in through large windows that can cast shadows over counter tops. Fluorescent under cabinet lights are ideal for settings such as this because their higher lumens output overcomes shadows very effectively and also blends well with the natural brilliance of sunlight.

Are there any places residential environments where fluorescent under the cabinet lights still offer better lighting?
Yes. In tool sheds and work benches on porches where overhead cabinets contain tools or raw materials, placing a puck light, low voltage festoon light or linear fluorescent strip above the bench is the best way to clearly illuminate the surface of the work area…especially when working with power tools at dusk, in shaded areas, and especially after sunset.

Under cabinet fluorescent fixtures also work very well in laundry rooms and utility rooms where decorum is not an issue, and when activity within the room may occur at any hour of the day or night?

Is there any decorative use for fluorescent under the cabinet lighting?
Jewelry stores often use showcase lighting for diamonds and other gemstones in glass cases lit bit specialty under cabinet fluorescent lighting. This helps merchandise the jewelry more effectively by causing it to sparkle.

Too much sparkle, however, can create glare, which is why many stores are now choosing to use Phantom LED display lighting, which uses even less power than fluorescent lamps and creates a glare free sparkle that also can be “colored” for special effects with different types of LED light bulbs.

Visit our lighting blog to read more about other lamping technologies that offer cabinet lighting levels complimentary to both task and function in areas that do not require fluorescent as an absolute must for clear visibility and safe activity.

Why are over the picture lights a less than ideal source of art lighting?
Picture lights rely on halogen and incandescent lamps that produce infrared light. This results in very high temperatures that will dry out oils and crack canvases over time. Museums that still use incandescent picture frame lighting must install special motion sensors to turn the lights on when visitors enter the room and switch them off again when they leave. This is too much hassle for the private collector, and it is also more expensive.

Can the actual intensity of light cause paintings to degrade?
Yes it can. The term “Lumens per annum” refers to the cumulative intensity of museum art lighting over long periods of exposure that can have deleterious effects on colors and canvases. Setting precise levels of illumination intensity for recessed picture lights helps safeguard the preservation of pictures, paintings, and rare documents framed in museums. This is difficult to do with picture lighting equipment that offers only two or three settings and little, if any, room for custom adjustment to the piece.

What is the best alternative, then, to standard over the picture lighting?
Both private collectors and gallery curators almost unanimously agree that the vest best and safest sources of picture lighting are commercial grade art projectors. Art projector lights offer the advantages of ultraviolet and infrared filtering and do not mount to the frame. This is crucial to museum aesthetic, where classics look much better when there is nothing over the painting to distract the viewer’s eye. However, typical art projectors can be very bulky, hard to adjust, and cause severe damage to ceilings even when installed by professionals. It is also very hard to adjust lighting levels in some projectors, making it difficult to match lighting intensity precisely to color and form. Some projectors also produce a beam that is visible to people standing to the side of the room. This does not look good in a refined setting and therefore offers serious drawbacks that disqualify such a device as an ideal source of picture lighting.

Does the Phantom Contour Projector Truly Resolve All of These Issues?
As artwork lighting experts, Phantom Lighting took projector technology to a whole new level by introducing the Phantom Contour Projector. Our foremost concern in this new design was developing the highest level of protection for priceless works of art. While most art projectors provide some form of UV shielding, we have developed fixtures and precision optical design that negate its power altogether. We have accomplished this without diminishing the ability to fine tune the projector for optimal picture lighting angles and light intensity levels.

The name Phantom Contour itself refers to one of the most unique attributes of our art projectors—the ability to shape illumination to the exact dimensions of a picture. Phantom lenses offer the highest level of photometric performance currently possible as compared to other framing projectors. They can be fine tuned with such precision as to actually hide the beam of light itself regardless of viewing angles. This creates a “lighting from within” effect when the beam strikes the picture and frame. This light is further filtered through special glare shielding that prevents it from “spilling” over the wall around a painting and thus eliminates resulting shadows behind the frame.

To learn more about Phantom Contour Projectors visit our lighting blog or contact a lighting rep in your area.

A large percentage of lighting users must still rely on AC lighting fixtures because of tight budgets. A progressively minded led lighting manufacturer recognizes this reality when proposing any type of upgrade. Certain key design features have to be incorporated into LED bulbs, lamps, and fixtures in order to create the lighting fixture equivalent of “backward compatibility” that will not impede forward motion and industry evolution. It is by striking this delicate balance with innovative, proprietary, and patented engineering that Phantom Lighting has emerged as a leading contender in an industry that is rapidly expanding its service offerings and adding value to multiple global markets.

These lighting strips advance both decorative and task lighting by leaps and bounds without leaving the end user behind.
There are several key points of differentiation that resolve this apparent paradox, and a brief understanding of how led lamps work will clarify them immediately.

LED festoon light bulbs normally function on Direct Current only and require DC power inverters to make them compatible with AC wiring systems.
This, of course, presents a burden for the end use, which must user now must purchase additional equipment and try to figure out just how to install it without creating a visual nuisance. Phantom coordinates the manufacturing of led lights and linear strip lighting that resolve both of these issues by engineering its products with design features found nowhere else in the world. We design our linear strips with low voltage magnetic transformers that are fully compatible with 120VAC current and eliminate the headache of AC to DC conversion. We also manufacture our led lighting strips to work independently without exposed wiring. Our AC Series adjustable shelf lighting concept is one of the most sophisticated forms of commercial cabinet lighting. It also enables us to manufacture led light strips that are easier for us to have custom fabricated and simpler for our clients to adjust.

We also work very hard to accommodate those who do not have the budget to replace entire lighting strips.
We have perfected a special design that enables us to manufacture led lighting lamps capable of completely replacing incandescent, fluorescent, and xenon festoons on previously installed linear lighting systems. This has resulted in a tremendous cost savings for commercial clients who are looking to obtain LEEDS certification by reducing their wattage per square foot. In most instances now, it is only necessary to replace the lamps without throwing out the strip lights. We not only made this solution possible—we actually patented it. The keys to this LED strip lighting design are the quality of the bulbs themselves and the combined output of three identical bulbs placed in close proximity to one another. This results is a combined output of approximately 50 lumens (the same as that of xenon and incandescent lamps) that easily outperforms the lamps of other led lighting manufacturers that can only produce 10 lumens each on the average.

To our knowledge, we are the only manufacturer of led lighting lamps in the world that can effectively replace incandescent, fluorescent, and xenon festoon lamps with equivalent lumen output. We use the world’s top commercial grade led's and have them installed in our unique festoon lamping design.

Click here to read how our lighting agents offer in-depth consulting for our clients at the point of initial purchase—at no additional cost. Customer service agents are standing by at 800-863-1184 X 125 to answer any questions or assist with your LED Phantom lighting installation.

Houses today are much larger and very different than they were in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Homes are now built with a level of customization previously reserved only for the Elite and their mansions. Because of this, the home interior design industries, as well as home lighting manufacturers, have exploded. Eclectic furniture and cabinetry has become a mainstay for making a home interior look equally unique and sophisticated in comparison to its exterior architecture. LED accent shelf lighting strips bring electric, rare, and highly aesthetic displays out of the shadows so everyone can see them. This adds accents task-oriented areas under cabinets with a decorative touch that achieves a more balanced aesthetic with kitchen and bathroom lighting design.

This emerging and very powerful linear LED lighting technology is just as important to corporations and retailers ad as it is to individual homeowners and families.

Living rooms and office spaces that decorate floor space with mini-libraries need led accent lighting because it offers the safest and least expensive source of hardback and rare book illumination. LED light bulbs radiate no ultraviolet or infrared light and will therefore not degrade the binding or lettering along the spine of a book. In office libraries that promote corporate value production with displays of technical and marketing literature, Phantom LED light strips make company branding readily evident to visiting clients. Our CM series strip light designed specifically for cove lighting also works very well in to set the right mood in offices and clinics where visitors wait for a short time in the lobby prior to meetings. LED accent strip lights produce a softer, more pleasant field of light that calms the mind and makes for a better exchange once the meeting is underway.

LED replacement lamps produce a form of illumination that very closely mimics certain qualities of traditional incandescent or xenon light sources. As such, they are ideal replacements for incandescent lamps that are fast becoming obsolete due to environmental concerns and recent legislation in California. Because Phantom LED’s are directional lights, they also focus a softer light more tightly in one direction and minimize excessive, radiant glare. They fulfill the specialty niche requirements of lighting displays, cabinets, and under cabinet lights found in bedrooms, living rooms, dens, kitchens, fine baths, and commercial interiors. People often invest hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the finest cabinetry, display shelving, bookshelves, and eclectic furniture, only to realize that the interior of these fine pieces remains in shadow.

One might think of Phantom LED accent lights as low voltage lighting for fine furniture and cabinets.

Homeowners and businesses are not the only ones to benefit from riding this new wavelength of light. Jewelry stores who once exclusively relied upon fluorescent showcase lighting are now beginning to change their minds as they see what LED energy saving accent lighting can do for gold, silver, and gemstone displays. Fluorescent lights produce a great deal of reflective glare and aside from energy efficiency offer little value as a showcase lighting fixture for fine jewels.

LED’s, on the other hand, use even less electricity than fluorescent, and because of their directional wavelength, they minimize reflection just enough to make a diamond sparkle without blinding the shoppers’ eyes with glare. Diamond cuts look even more sophisticated—almost magical— under a combination of blue and white led accent cabinet lighting, and Phantom linear strips of different color temperatures can be combined in this way to produce a special effect unique to particular metals and gems. Guest areas in homes and meeting rooms in offices also look more sophisticated and feel more comfortable when any display, shelf, or cabinet is accented with LED light bulbs and LED lamps.

The cost of all this is shockingly low at Phantom Lighting. Even at normal voltage levels, LED accent lights never use more than 20% of the power required by other forms of lighting. Click here to read how this works.

Why do so many under cabinet lights produce so much glare?

Lower grade commercial linear strip lights are usually manufactured with insufficient glare shielding. Many use frosted lenses intended to soften the intensity of the light and minimize excessive. While they do a good job in keeping the light below levels that would actually blind a person, they do not provide sufficient shielding to completely eliminate the indirect glare that that can reflect off of granite, marble, or metal surfaces. Phantom strip lighting, on the other hand manufactures under cabinet lights that eliminate both direct and indirect glare altogether. Unlike some puck lights that are partly visible, Phantom strips are so compact they lie completely hidden from view. We do not use frosted lenses on our lamps because they create too much of a “fuzzy” look to the light. Instead, we use glare shields specifically engineered to anticipate the wise variety of counter tops in custom homes and commercial environments. This completely eliminates glare while maintaining optimal clarity. As a commercial under cabinet lighting manufacturer, we take hiding the light source very seriously.

Why do some under cabinet lights actually shine light into your eyes?

Larger fixtures cannot support their own weight in many cases without the “back rest” of the wall, thus creating the forward throw of annoying, excessive light. Phantom is a lighting manufacturer of under cabinet lighting strips to more efficiently mount beneath the front end of the cabinet underbelly. Our engineers can design this feature into our strip lighting due to their extremely compact size. Our lights, by contrast, strategically angle the light from the front of the cabinet onto the workspace. Our unique lamping designs create a more ambient pattern of luminosity that cascades downward in an even layer of light that is clear but not blinding. This creates a preferred status for Phantom as an under cabinet lighting manufacturer in commercial, residential, and even industrial domains. Not only do we provide superior positioning and lighting, but we offer some of the most cost-effective lighting technology available anywhere in the world.

Phantom manufacturers under cabinet lighting fixtures with several lamping options that save clients on power costs.

Our entire linear low voltage strip light series are manufactured as either 24VAC or 12VAC products. In simple terms, this means higher-end lighting lamps such as xenon that normally consume greater amounts of electricity by design now use less power when installed on a Phantom transformer. Larger fixtures cannot support their own weight in many cases without the “back rest” of the wall, thus creating the forward throw of annoying, excessive linear strip. We also offer UC or task lights with incandescent bulbs for more standard kitchen and break room lighting, and we have recently introduced superb LED replacement lamps that can competitively match quality to industry mainstay light sources at only 80% of the power consumption rates of previous technology. This allows you to replace LED puck lights that often create an eyesore without sacrificing on power savings.

Lighting agents are available throughout United States, Canada, Central America and South America to consult personally with individuals and commercial entities on an infinite number of customization that make our team of under cabinet light manufacturers the most personable group of customization and design experts in lighting engineering.

We invite you to learn more about Phantom Lighting and our patented, proprietary cabinet and display lighting we manufacture.

What is Under Cabinet Lighting?

Under cabinet lighting is a form of illumination using fixture installed on the underside of the cabinet. Counter tops and food preparation need an evenly distributed field of light rather than hot spots of light that appear brighter than the rest of the work area. Ideally as well, the fixture(s) used in kitchen under cabinet lighting should minimize their physical presence and conceal physical wiring as much as possible

What are the most cost effective forms of under cabinet lighting?

Until recently, the most energy conscious under cabinet lighting was fluorescent lights. People never really preferred them to incandescents because of the glare and flicker. Today, better circuit designs and superior fixtures have since made it possible to use incandescent and LED bulbs in under cabinet lighting fixtures. Low voltage lighting technology can also make any bulb type less of a power hog.

The ultimate goal in choosing the right fixture has now moved toward producing optimal lighting levels for work areas and creating balance and comfort with surrounding layers of light.

What are the different types of cabinet lights available?

Under cabinet lights are categorized as either puck lights or linear strip light products. Puck lights are circular in shape and mount in the center of the cabinet’s under side.

Linear strips mount underneath either on the front end or the back end of the cabinet. Until recent years, linear strip lights contained fluorescent lamps designed to create an even spread of light and reduce energy costs at the same time. Both types of fixtures present certain drawbacks when it comes to optimal under cabinet lighting.

If a puck light is installed in the center of the cabinet underside, it will create a bright circle of light called a “hot spot” immediately beneath itself. By design, surface mount puck lights require exposed wires that may be appear unsightly to visitors. If sitting at tables, banquets or bar stools, one’s viewing angle changes and provides a clear view of these light sources. The only way to compensate for this is to install several of smaller puck lights in a series or consider using 12 volt home lighting.

Why do this if you can use a strip light?

In fact, with only rare exceptions, LED linear strip lights for under cabinet generally provide the best levels and distribution of light all around. Fluorescent under cabinet lighting will fit the bill in many respects, but they will also create glare and seldom come with dimmable functionality. Another drawback presents at the point of installation. Fluorescent strips are typically mounted near the back wall with the light thrown forward; putting too much illumination into a person’s eyes.

Phantom strips for under cabinet lighting offer a number of advantages over both fluorescent strips and puck lights?

For one, Phantom strips mount near the front of the cabinet and throw the light backward. This keeps the light from directly blinding the eyes works very well on surfaces such as granite and marble counter tops that are highly reflective by nature. Phantom linear Lighting strips hug the underside of the cabinet so closely that they are virtually invisible from every angle. Also, unlike halogen bulbs in puck lights that become easily damaged by the oil from human fingers, Phantom lamps of all varieties (incandescent, xenon, and LED) are designed to be handled and can be interchanged, replaced, and upgraded by the end user without hassle to the person or damage to equipment. Looking for a LED replacement festoon lamp?

Click here to learn more about cove lighting, under cabinet and cabinet lighting. You may also contact the factory for assistance at 800-863-1184 X 125 or one of our helpful lighting sales reps for information.

Most cabinet lights are manufactured for either decorative lighting or functional under cabinet lighting. Individuals seeking a linear strip capable of fulfilling both requirements often have difficulty making a single purchase to accommodate their needs. This lack of dual-functionality in many fixtures led in part in part to the creation of Phantom Lighting, a unique manufacturer of cabinet lighting linear strips that can be used for both functional under cabinet task illumination or decorative accent showcasing.

Phantom linear strip lights can be used as either an under cabinet light or a display cabinet light, thus bundling more options into a single fixture that both saves on multiple purchase costs and conserves energy with superior engineering design

Because power cost is rapidly overtaking equipment costs as the primary factor in determining the value of an investment, energy efficient and newer, “green” technology becomes an matter of increasing consideration in light of alarming data on current global warming trends. In some parts of the world, fossil fuels are used to power electrical generators, so the conversation of electricity in turn can have a direct impact on the attempt to minimize and move away from fossil fuel reliance. Cabinet lighting manufacturers have had to answer to the demands of a global market that takes each of these factors into increasingly greater account as equivalent- if not more important- considerations to front end costs.

Today’s shift in the market is going to be a transitional process, as there is both a strong push in some corners to eliminate fossil fuels altogether and heavy resistance in other sectors that insist the oil, coal, and gas industries be maintained as long as time permits. Low voltage lighting manufacturers in California have been ordered by law to stop producing incandescent lights no later than 2010. This is not only to minimize energy uses, but also to eliminate noxious gases within the lamps themselves that have deleterious effects on the Earth’s ozone layer.

Short of a problematic, radical global change, this decision cannot and will not be accomplished overnight.

Because of this simple fact, Phantom Lighting has strategically positioned its value as a cabinet lighting manufacturer in the midpoint of the spectrum, so to speak. We cannot take an exclusionary approach to those who for economic reasons must rely upon incandescents for the time being. At the same time, we seek to do our part to answer the demands of conservation and emerge ultimately as leaders in the “green” movement that gathers momentum daily.

We therefore provide replacement LED festoon lamp options in 12VAC configurations to accommodate both preference and energy efficiency. We also lead our industry with a number of special patents that make certain elements of our technology simultaneously backward and forward compatible. The key to accomplishing this lies in the unique and highly proprietary process that we use to manufacture cabinet lighting strips themselves. We custom manufacture any cabinet or under cabinet LED lighting fixture to the exact specifications, dimensions, and application of client requirement. Our fixtures do not require traditional brackets to attach to cabinet surface areas. Instead, they utilize existing metal shelf standards to conduct electricity and do not require DC power inverters or the intrusive presence of visible wires.

Click here to read more about how this works from both a design and practical perspective…

Commercial lighting designers, commercial clients, and private end users all look to Phantom as the Western Hemisphere’s premier linear lighting manufacturer. We have built a distribution network of agent representatives on two continents that equally accommodates the lighting design firm, the corporate facilities manager, and the private homeowner. We manufacture linear lighting fixtures in six unique series to fully accommodate new construction build outs, retrofit applications, and festoon LED upgrades in all commercial and private arenas.

What industries and/or individuals benefit from Phantom linear lighting strips?
Retail showcase lighting lets merchandisers take every advantage of specific lighting levels and lighting safety requirements to fully complement the visual aspects of their product offerings. Cove lighting gives homeowners more options in highlighting specialty interior architecture. Industrial clients use fluorescent Phantom strip lights for under cabinet lighting in break rooms, kitchen areas in construction trailers, and management offices. In the world of decorating, Phantom manufacturers linear lighting products that provide collectors and curators with a number of lamping options ideal achieving for varying effects and power-saving features. .

Does Phantom Lighting provide any unique services?
Phantom is one of the only low voltage linear lighting manufacturers that treat every order as a special project. We believe it makes the most sense to take this approach because virtually every display consists of either a unique set of dimensions and/or a custom design that only exact cutting to measurements can accommodate. This not only facilitates greater ease of installation, but it also creates a more evenly distributed field of light than retail grade showcase lights can offer. We are also a very design-conscious manufacturer. Linear lighting lamps can be equipped with fluorescent, xenon, or LED bulbs depending on client preference and need.

What do specific lamps offer to specific applications?
Jewelry can be very safely showcased under inexpensive fluorescent lights. More sophisticated white light produced by incandescent lamps or the near-natural daylight qualities of xenon low voltage lamps works better to show reds and earth tones. Rare books, antiques, sensitive merchandise, and historical documents are best showcased under LED light strips- the world’s most efficient power saver with only trace amounts of forward throw heat and absolutely no ultraviolet radiation.

What voltage options are available for Phantom lighting strips?
Phantom manufactures home linear strip lights with either 12V or 24V festoons. Our patented engineering design uses existing metal shelf standards to conduct electricity. This is both less obtrusive and less hazardous. The adjustable shelf concept is a patented, innovative design that allows the collector complete flexibility to remove or relocate shelves without tools or any need to disconnect wires. The lights are attached to the individual shelves and are powered through hidden connectors utilizing safe, low-voltage current. Phantom is the only linear lighting manufacturer that has this design, and much of our rising popularity and success derive from its efficiency and ease of use.

Are there other costs benefits to using Phantom Strip lights?
Yes, especially when it comes to LEEDS certification. You can use strip LED lamps to reduce your watts per square foot ratio. Many organizations would like to go “green” with LED lamps, but insufficient funding makes across the board strip lighting replacement unfeasible.

This is again another major point of differentiation between Phantom and competing lighting manufacturers. Linear LED lighting strips in existing displays and shelves do not have to be replaced to qualify for LEEDS certification—only the incandescent and xenon lamps themselves. Phantom LED’s can snap easily into most existing fixtures and do not require a DC power inverter to function on an existing AC wiring network. For those organizations that have a budget for a complete retrofit of entirely new LED strip lighting fixtures, we design the AE (Adjustable Exposed) series specifically to meet this need.

How can I contact Phantom?
Phantom manufacturer agents work throughout North, Central, and South America to answer questions and to help clients configure custom orders. If you are a commercial designer specializing in linear lighting, our manufacturer agents will act as distribution interface to custom-design the product to meet your client’s precise specifications. If you are a commercial or residential client in need of technical support, our representative agents will assist you in designing and installing your new display lighting fixtures. Call us today at 1-800-863-1184.

Without exception, the replacement costs of LED bulbs are much less than those of retrofitting entire strip lighting systems. LED festoons are easy to install and snap right into place without the need of a technician. They will upgrade any linear strip light that operates on 12VAC current. In most instances, it makes more sense to keep your existing lighting strips and simply upgrade them with LED lamps. The following FAQ represents a number of key benefits led replacements pass on to display lighting users.

What is the most important benefit Phantom LED replacement bulbs offer upgrade clients?

The primary advantage Phantom holds over competing manufacturers is our technology’s compatibility with AC incandescent and Xenon strip lighting system. We engineer our LED replacement lamps to work on existing AC linear strips with a compact, easily concealed metal transformer. We also engineer these lamps with a higher quality LED bulb replacement than the type normally found in other lamps. Many low-grade diodes made by our competitors produce dimmer levels of light that sacrifice quality to achieve cost savings. On the other hand, Phantom manufactures a much higher-grade lamp with an output range of 42 lumens on the low end to 50 lumens on the high end. This is 5 times higher than any lamp fitted with LED replacement bulbs.

How do lighting levels produced by led replacement bulbs compare with incandescent and Xenon luminescence?

If you use our technology, the light output will be the same. This is due to Phantom’s unique method used to manufacture low voltage LED lamps. Each unit consists of three diodes placed in close proximity to one another that generate a combined, radiant field of high intensity, low-voltage light. These LED’s are engineered to operate at minimal amperage levels and ultimately replace 5-7 watt incandescent and Xenon festoons altogether. In effect, each Phantom LED bulb replacement constitutes a synthesis of high intensity lighting and low-profile equipment. At only 1.7 watts, a Phantom LED lamp generates the same luminosity as a 7-watt festoon while at the same time reducing power consumption by 400%! This makes Phantom bulbs the preferred LED replacement favored by lighting design firms who wish to maximize aesthetics by minimizing fixture visibility using strip lighting products.

In general, what are the main cost benefits of LED replacement upgrades?

LED’s use less power than all other lamps and produce no harmful UV rays. With only trace signatures of heat, they have become a favorite for commercial lighting displays that showcase sensitive items. A Phantom LED replacement bulb will use only 20% of the energy required by an incandescent bulb-- a significant decrease in power costs for homeowners and businesses alike. At 50,000 average hours, LED replacements reduce lamping cycles over incandescent festoon lamps by 500% and xenon festoon lamps by 200%. It is common for our units to perform consistently at optimal levels for up to ten years.

Are there any other benefits I can expect from led bulb replacement?

If you own a business and are seeking to obtain LEEDS certification, you can lower your watts per square foot calculation by upgrading incandescent and Xenon festoon lamps using Phantom LED bulb replacements. These lamps snap easily into place and do not require a technician to install.

Phantom Lighting Systems is a Houston based lighting manufacturer who specializes in LED cabinet lighting and lighting projectors for the illumination of art. Phantom technology is the ghost of the lighting machine for both commercial and residential clients who prefer to see the light, not the fixture, when showcasing their fine art and prized collectibles, products, and rare books. Phantom manufacturer representatives and lighting agents are available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. US customers can call toll free to learn more about Phantom Lighting at 800-863-1184.

Is it true that LED’s cost approximately 5 times as much as other forms of lighting?
The initial, front-end cost of LED lamps is indeed 4-5 times higher than other lamps, and they are worth every penny you spend. When you consider the extremely low power requirements of led lamps (only 20% of other lamps) and their extremely long lamp life (50,000 hours), the accrued back-end savings quickly returns the initial investment. Phantom LED cabinet lights can last up to ten years, so you will not need to worry about replacing them any time soon. They are also the safest form of lighting you can use. They produce none of the UV radiation emitted by fluorescent lamps and only trace amounts of heat. This makes them ideal for illuminating any number of sensitive materials and/or items.

I have heard that LED lights are not as bright as other bulbs. Is this true?
It is not true with our LED cabinet lighting strips. While it is true that many generic LED lamps produce only 5-10 lumens each, Phantom lamps produce up to 50 lumens of safe, brilliant light. Phantom LED lighting strips also provide a full spectrum of color temperatures in order to accommodate both functional and aesthetic lighting demands. Warm white (our incandescent equivalent) begins at 2950K and ranges upward to a more bluish, daylight white at 6500K. The mainstay colors that defined the earliest LED’s---green, red, and blue---are also available in similar temperature colors.

What can Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips be used for?
Phantom Lighting technology is designed to add value to both residential and commercial displays across the board. Works of art, exquisitely tailored clothing accessories, and even rare documents in museum displays can all be brilliantly showcased using Phantom LED linear lighting strips. You can decorate virtually any cabinet, cove, or bookcase with our lighting strips. The added benefit of adjustability offers you the freedom to periodically change displays without altering the intensity of the light or damaging electrical components.

Do Phantom Lighting Strips make dependable, retrofitted upgrades for fluorescent, incandescent, and Xenon strip lights?
Yes, and Phantom even offers an entire series of LED cabinet lights specifically engineered for retrofitting. The AE (Adjustable Exposed) series is manufactured to custom fit exposed metal tracks and to use them as power conductors in a complete circuit. This provides the seamless equivalent of a tailor-made product in spite of its function as a retrofit component!

With the growing push for LEEDS certification, and California’s recent ban on incandescent lamps, now is the time to start thinking seriously about retrofitting antiquated lamping technology. Call us for more information, or click here for details on two important considerations you need to take into account when retrofitting any display lighting product.

Do you offer anything for new construction builds?
Yes. Our AC series is the preferred strip light for new cabinet build outs. “AC” stands for “Adjustable Concealed” and combines a low profile, near-invisible source of light that enables the new homeowner or commercial tenant to see the light, not the fixture. Because the AC series employs custom buss bars that conduct power to each adjustable shelf, the fixture itself is completely concealed from the eye of the average viewer. It has become a fast favorite among custom homeowners who prefer pins and drilled holes to exposed metal supports. The AC series can also be special-ordered with either solid metal trims for horizontal applications that require additional decorative highlighting, or it can be custom cut with a variety of specialty trims for custom under cabinet lighting or applications above eye level.

To learn more about Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips, click here to read the full article on the LED Lighting Section of our main website. Likewise, you also contact a Phantom Lighting Sales Representative or contact the Phantom Customer Service Department toll free at 800-863-1184 X 125.