Phantom Lighting System

Phantom Lighting is a manufacturer of custom under counter light fixtures committed to equipping the architect, home builder, and interior lighting designer with custom-made task lighting fixtures for kitchens that need more than simple functional lighting. The unique aesthetic created by our linear lighting strips contributes an added value to the practical demands of countertop lighting. In addition to a scalability that makes them one of the most concealed under cabinet lighting sources available anywhere, a number of proprietary manufacturer designs also make them the most versatile linear fixtures in a world of highly custom architecture, design, and interior schemes.

One of the most unique products offered by our company is a proprietary LED festoon lamp with lumens per watt ratio previously unattainable by any kitchen under cabinet lighting manufacturer. The genius of its design lies in its physical structure and advanced lighting and heat control features. Combining three LED bulbs into one physical lamp structure, the Phantom LED festoon operates at only 1.7 watts—yet it outputs the same level of light as a 5-watt xenon bulb! The Phantom LED festoon also features a proprietary heat sink that draws the forward throw heat away from the direction that the beam is travelling. With these linear lighting fixtures, an architect can furnish the homeowner with a high-end light source that is virtually heat-free and fully capable of illuminating any surface with an equally decorative and functional

Phantom manufactures under cabinet lighting systems to be far more easy to conceal than those made by other manufacturers. Our linear strips are thinner and more compact. They can be concealed behind the forward lip at the bottom of any sized kitchen cabinet. In the event that the cabinet has no such reveal in the front, a trim carpenter can usually add trim pieces that match the color and texture of the wood and thereby conceal the fixtures. This ability to assume a hidden position in almost any kitchen environment actually inspired our manufacturer brand—Phantom—and also inspired our motto, “see the light, not the fixture.”

Not only does this design produce a better quality of light, but it also produces a more controllable source of under cabinet lighting. As a home lighting manufacturer, each individual trim style is engineered with its own unique angle of light distribution. This allows builders to choose an angle of incidence directly proportional to the surface area of the countertop being illuminated. The forward mounted position of the fixtures, combined with a very precise distribution pattern of luminance, sends the light backward across the surface of the counter into the backsplash. This minimizes the reflective glare that is common when lighting marble and granite countertops, and it creates both an aesthetic and a level of comfort for the eyes that unify the dual purpose of aesthetics and function for which under cabinet lighting is intended.

Other manufacturer features that distinguish Phantom cabinet lighting fixtures include low-voltage power and user-friendly dimmability. As low-voltage devices, these luxury lights create an exceptionally chic compliment to kitchen décor without exorbitant electrical consumption. If the builder opts for incandescent or xenon lamps over LED, the dimmability of our strip lights further allows for reduction of power load and heat by reducing the wattage requirements of the lamp proportional to the level of accent lighting that the homeowner selects. This also has the additional benefit of extending incandescent lamp life and creating even more savings through reduced maintenance and replacement costs.

Our xenon under cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas, which in turn distributes these specialty linear lights through a nationwide network of lighting supply channels, distributorships, and sales representatives in cities such as Rhinelander, WI (RHI), Yakima, WA (YKM), Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), Mason City, IA (MCW), Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Binghamton, NY (BGM), Lawton, OK (LAW), Pasco, WA (PSC), St Cloud, MN (STC), and Hyannis, MA (HYA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to call a contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and Phantom Lighting FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Architects know that every home they design has kitchens, and every kitchen has cabinets. Beneath these cabinets are countertops that serve a dual purpose of decoration and multi-task utility. Shadows in these spots are both unattractive and possibly hazardous. Eliminating these dark areas with kitchen under cabinet lights instantly improves the aesthetic and safety of utility areas, and can play a major contributing role in a home buying decisions.

To ensure that the most important elements of kitchen under cabinet lighting installations are met, architects must move beyond generic puck lights and outdated fluorescent “energy savers” toward a more robust engineering and manufacturing design that captures the intentions of an artist with the precision of a scientist.

Phantom TL series kitchen under cabinet lights is one of the few strip lights that offer LED lamping in color temperatures that are aesthetically complimentary to the granite and marble countertops common in high-end homes. Warmer color tones look best under the 2800K led festoon, and cooler temperatures can be accented using our 2950K. These options offer home buyers a long-term return on investment on the front-end costs of the strips. The energy efficiency of LED, which is up to 60% more than that of any other form of lighting, accrues a savings that offsets initial purchase costs. Also, LED lamp life of 40,000-50,000 bulb hours eliminates the need for frequent maintenance and makes bulb replacements very rare.

LED kitchen under cabinet lights can also play a contributing role in reducing cooling costs. Most people who invest in under cabinet fixtures tend to want to leave them on in the kitchen if and when it is safe to do so. A hot-burning light source is going to trigger the thermostat to activate the HVAC system, driving up power bills in the process. However, LED bulbs emit light electronically rather than chemically through the ignition of gas in a sealed glass container. This makes them a very low-heat source of illumination, perfectly safe to burn throughout the night, and negligible in terms of impact on room temperature.

For applications that require color temperatures ranging from 3000K-5000K, Phantom also offers xenon lamping options that offset the higher power consumption curve with dimmability options and low-voltage transformers engineered to curtail excessive electrical consumption. Our purpose is to provide our commercial design clients with the full range of necessary color temperature compliments to every cabinet build, interior decorating scheme, and general lighting requirements they may encounter in custom home design.

The linear strips that power our kitchen under cabinet light fixtures are sophisticated pieces of engineering in their own right. These linear strips are very small in comparison to most competing models, and they are much easier to conceal beneath the surfaces of a variety of cabinet sizes and custom builds. Two very important features of these lighting strips work to eliminate not only shadows, but also reflective glare. Rather than mounting in the center of the under surface like puck lights, or in the back as many fluorescent fixtures install, Phantom TL series fit under the front of kitchen cabinets. Special glare shields that are built into the lights direct the light backward away from the eyes and across the utility areas under countertops. Dimmer controls allow the homeowner to adjust lighting levels to match those created by general overhead lighting. This adjustability allows the end user to create a contiguous luminous that is both sourceless and seamless from the viewer’s perspective, and creates a very attractive setting for gatherings, parties, and cooking demonstrations.

Phantom Lighting makes it easy for architects to incorporate our kitchen under cabinet lighting fixtures into their custom home designs. Each fixture is custom cut to the dimensions provided to us by the architect. The choice of LED or xenon sourcing is determined (with the help of a Phantom specialist if need be), and a purchase order for custom manufacturing of the fixtures is set in order.

Call a Phantom Agent for more information on all of these options. We invite you to call toll free 800-863-1184 to request literature online or visit our lighting blog to learn more about Phantom custom low voltage lighting products.

Our lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas with professional lighting sales agents located throughout the United States that enable us to service all of Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and the United States including Washington DC, Nashville Tennessee, Las Vegas Nevada. Portland Oregon, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Tucson Arizona, Orange County California, Atlanta Georgia, Austin Texas and Palm Springs California.

Many home builders install rope lights for kitchen under cabinet lighting whenever a cost effective, indirect lighting source is needed in the kitchen. Generally speaking, this light is adequate for complimentary illumination of small, simple kitchens, but it does not provide the type of high-end low voltage lighting or lighting control necessary to light today’s more sophisticated, larger kitchen frequently found in a custom home. Most rope lights do not feature the specification grade required to truly optimize color rendering and light distribution over counter tops. Consequently, they not only burn out more quickly than linear lighting sources, in larger kitchens, they often create striations and accentuate wall variances, reflecting an uneven distribution of light.

Installing linear lighting strips under kitchen cabinets will correct this problem, provided that the fixture used resides under the front end of the cabinet and directs the forward throw light back and away from the eyes. This creates reflection off both the surface of the posterior wall beneath the cabinet and the surface of the counter top itself. When the under cabinet lights or inside cabinet lights installed are also dimmable, and the correct lamps are fitted to the fixture, the reflection diffuses as a “wash” of light that evenly covers visible surfaces without creating “white spots” or glare.

It is very important to consider overall aesthetic when replacing rope lights or fluorescent under cabinet lights and installing task lights in your kitchen. Larger linear light strips may be clearly visible to people seated at a nearby table who are looking into the kitchen from an angle. Install under cabinet lights in these places that will seamlessly blend into the under surface of the cabinet, or even better, completely hide themselves from open view.

Lamping options should be chosen next, and should be oriented toward complimenting the color and texture of the kitchen counter top. Custom kitchens in today’s larger homes frequently have marble or granite countertops, both of which can be enhanced with a near 3-dimensional appearance when illuminated with a linear light source installed underneath kitchen cabinets. The choice of lamps that you fit to these fixtures will depend upon the color of the cabinet itself. Cooler colors like white and off white look much better under an incandescent undercabinet kitchen light installed with a dimmable control. Phantom linear strips are ideal for this form of kitchen under cabinet lighting because feature smaller, concealed transformers that allow for end users to set the light at whatever level necessary.

Likewise, darker counter tops such as deep red granites and dark blue marble/white finishes look superb under a linear light source that produces a slightly warmer colour temperature. If the counter top you are lighting features dark reds or blue, or an almost “purple” look to the coloring, install kitchen fixtures that are fitted with xenon under cabinet lighting. This will generate a luxurious, slightly golden aura of light that gently penetrates the lighter colored areas of granite and marble and enriches the darker swirls of blue and deep red with an ornate touch.

Although both xenon and incandescent light sources consume a great deal of electricity, this can be offset by using Phantom low voltage lighting strips that minimize electrical consumption. Further savings can be generated by investing now in LED under cabinet kitchen lights. As new legislation requires that incandescent technology be replaced no later than 2010, it might be best to invest now instead of later in the world’s newest and most promising source of LED energy saving lighting or environmentally friendly LED custom cabinet lights.

Call a Phantom Agent for more information on all of these options. We invite you to call toll free 800-863-1184 to request literature online or visit our lighting blog to learn more about Phantom custom low voltage lighting products.

Our lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas with professional lighting sales agents located throughout the United States that enable us to service all of Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and the United States including Washington DC, Nashville Tennessee, Las Vegas Nevada. Portland Oregon, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Tucson Arizona, Los Angeles California, Atlanta Georgia, Dallas Texas and Sacramento California.

What is xenon under cabinet lighting?
Xenon under cabinet lights is technically a form of incandescent lighting, although they are classified separately because they utilize a specific type of gas—xenon—to produce a superior level of light.

Xenon under cabinet lights have an uncanny ability to render color with exquisite detail. They bring out the richness and depth of warm colors, and they make for an ideal lamping option for any under cabinet lighting application that requires a blend of task and decorative appeal.

Xenon in cabinet lighting has become very popular due to the increasingly sophisticated detail we find in rooms that feature cabinets. The custom home industry has enlarged traditionally smaller and exclusively functional rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms into spacious, more heavily decorated areas.

Marble and granite counter tops have consequently become very popular, and nothing renders the depths of dark blues and reds underneath a cabinet quite like xenon light.

Are incandescent lights equally effective?
In some settings, they are. The key is the “warmth” of the color scheme.

Incandescents produce a steady distribution of very whit light and work very well when lighting cool color schemes such as white or off white counter tops. They are also very good for small kitchens and bathrooms

Don’t incandescents and xenons use a lot of electricity?
Not if they are configured on a low voltage strip lighting fixture.

Incandescent technology became very cost effective when low voltage transformers replaced the magnetic ballasts of previous fluorescent housings, rendering a 120V lamp a 12V power saving device.

Low voltage lighting systems can also help extend incandescent bulb type up to 7,500 hours, minimizing replacement costs as well as electrical costs.

Is halogen under cabinet lighting better than xenon?
It is not a question of better so much as it is a matter of what is appropriate to the environment. Halogens under cabinet lights, like xenon, are very powerful and produce very good color rendering.

They burn extremely hot, however, and they have a much shorter bulb life—only 2,000 hours maximum.

They work best in small, ornately decorated kitchens and bathrooms because they produce excellent decorative lighting that is also very bright. The lights are never on for very long, but when they are, they make wallpaper and decorations stand out and provide clear visibility for guests.

Do under cabinet lighting manufacturers still make fluorescent fixtures along with xenon, incandescent, and halogen?
Yes. Fluorescents will probably never completely disappear. They still have their place in the industrial world today, but over the years, newer and more efficient technologies have replaced them in more aesthetically conscious environments.

The greatest contribution fluorescents have made to under has been in terms of physical design. The original fluorescent task lights served as the prototype for today’s linear strip lights.

However, physically housing a transformer within the unit itself resulted in a bulkier unit that could only fit under the back of the cabinet and throw the light forward

The Latest and Greatest is found at Phantom
Over the years, low voltage strip lighting manufacturers such as Phantom developed technology that allowed them to remove the low voltage transformer from the unit housing to a concealed, remote location.

Under cabinet xenon, incandescent, and led strip lights can now be installed at the front of the cabinet, throwing the light backward away from the eyes and creating an evenly distributed “wash” of light over counter tops and appliances.

Phantom engineering completely conceals all visible wiring and creates the appearance of sourceless light.

Xenon low voltage under cabinet lighting strips by Phantom are some of the most advanced and streamlined accent lighting tools on today’s market. Custom-manufactured to exact cabinet dimensions, Phantom linear strips remain hidden from normal viewing angles and provide superior light distribution and glare reduction through patented lamping designs and glare shields found nowhere else in the world.

Call an Agent now at 1-800-863-1184 to learn more about Phantom under cabinet lighting with xenon, led, and incandescent in 12V and 24V configurations.

Phantom Agents receive many calls from lighting designers and electrical contractors wanting to know how best to install our linear strips as low voltage under cabinet lights. Designers in North, Central, and South America encounter a wide range of commercial and residential environments that require not only custom fixtures, but a specialized understanding of magnetic transformers, lamping options, and bulb types to remain competitive in budgetary bidding situations.

Low voltage under cabinet lights manufactured by Phantom are ideal for cost-conscious clients because they are innately power saving in nature and aesthetically superior due to their ease of concealment.

The following are some frequently asked questions our Agents normally receive in regards to 12v under cabinet lights.

We have a lot of clients who request low voltage puck lights or fluorescent under cabinet lights specifically. How can we propose Phantom as an alternative?

The key selling point would be the angle of lighting incident and the ease of concealment. Fluorescent lights shine forward and often send light straight into the eyes. Phantom lighting strips direct the light backward.

Our smaller magnetic transformers also make for easy installation and concealment, so they are much less visible than obtrusive puck lighting fixtures.

If concerns over quality are raised, please refer to any number of technical documents that indicate how low voltage LED festoon replacement lamps are equivalent in energy consciousness to fluorescents and just as effective, if not superior, sources of light.

What do you recommend as low voltage under cabinet lights in residential kitchens?
That depends on the warmth of the color scheme. As a general rule, it is best to light cooler colors with cooler colour temperatures, and to light warmer colors with warmer colour temperatures.

Incandescent light works best with cooler colors, whereas xenon works ideally with bright and/or warm colors.

You can really impress your prospective clients with custom marble and granite counter tops with a low voltage under cabinet lighting strip fitted with xenon festoons.

In commercial break room kitchens, you can install low voltage lights to replace the uncomfortable glare of fluorescents and maintain energy savings for your corporate clients. They will appreciate you greatly for making their in-house dining area more attractive to employees who are typically late getting back to work when they leave the building for lunch.

Does Phantom sell puck lights?
No, but we are willing to recommend some online sources. We also readily admit that there are times when puck lights do the job best. This is normally when are no reflective metal surfaces directly under the cabinet. Puck lights also work better under very large cabinets. This prevents the circle of light they create from appearing larger than the cabinet itself.

For smaller cabinets, or for cabinets that have metal appliances directly beneath them, consider low voltage kitchen cabinet lights by Phantom. As we have previously noted, our lamps point back toward the wall and direct the light away from any highly reflective, large appliance positioned directly beneath them.

Are Phantom strip lights dimmable?
Yes. Extremely cost-sensitive clients are often sold on this point alone. They like the fact that Phantom lighting used with Lutron dimmers give them direct control of how brightly the light shines and how much voltage it uses.

Does Phantom provide any special technology that can give our company a competitive edge against other firms?
We have the most sophisticated LED festoon lamps in the world, and we actually hold patents on their design. LED bulbs on any lighting system will require only 20% the electricity required by incandescent and xenon bulbs. When you subsequently install LED festoons on a low voltage, 12v under cabinet light fixture, the power savings are further multiplied to the client’s maximum advantage.

Our lamps output 50 lumens of light per unit—the highest output of any LED festoon on the market. We also can fit low voltage LED under cabinet lights with your client’s choice of five colour temperatures which range from white, functional light to specialty, colored lighting for decorative displays and showcases. This makes them equivalent to xenon in aesthetics at significantly less expense.

Click here to get in touch with a Lighting Agent with any additional questions that have come to mind. We will offer our best insight on a complimentary basis to all inquirers. You can also contact the factory at 800-863-1184.

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.

My contractor suggested that I take a look at your adjustable shelf lighting system for some bookcases he is building for me. Can you please direct me to the right product for a new construction project. Thanks

PHANTOM STRIP LIGHTING SYSTEM can be installed in many different ways. For adjustable shelves, what you are looking for, the strip lighting system can be installed using two distinct wiring methods. The Phantom fixtures are the same, it is just the way the power is distributed to the individual shelves. The wiring method is so unique, that we were awarded a US Patent for the design and it carries an ETL Listing for safety and design. Here are links to both methods:

PHANTOM AE SERIES

adjustable exposed metal shelf support brackets

PHANTOM AC SERIES

adjustable concealed buss bar system for pin style supports

Both of these Phantom low voltage linear strip lighting systems are completely adjustable so that the shelves can we moved with to disconnect any wiring or the use of tools. If you were planning to paint or stain the cabinet I would go with the AE Series just to keep it simple. If you are using an exotic wood or just choose not to see the support brackets, I would go with the AE Series strip lights. Either way, you will love the results.

The AC Series is good for both new construction or remodel work. The AE Series, because of the concealed buss bar, is for new construction projects only. Please discuss both of these methods with your carpenter and he can explain to you the differences.

Please visit our website at http://www.phantomlighting.com/ for more information or cut sheets on all out specialty lighting products. We are an original equipment manufacturer who specializes in lighting for bookcases, breakfronts, cabinets, coves and other linear lighting applications. We also manufacturer the Phantom Contour Projector.

Please give us a call toll free at 800-863-1184 should you need more information or to request a full color binder of our products. Our lighting manufacturing plant is located in Houston, Texas with professional lighting sales agents located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including Washington, Tennessee, Nevada, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Georgia, and California.