Suggestions for Cable or track lighting systems.?

[Patrick Scully]

So someone has asked suggestions as how to upgrade lights in a small narrow kitchen in a new build. The kitchen has a low ceiling - albeit subjectively (the guy is 6'7" and at the moment only blocks the light from the one pendant where ever he is in the room). Obvious choice would have been spots, but the customer is adamant that they do not want to disrupt the upstairs room to install them. Amongst a few other suggestions, were track lighting, and later I thought of Cable track- which they seemed quite happy with. Just wondering whether anyone has experience with either- I like the idea of cable lighting and would be a perfect solution but not entirely sure whether the plasterboard walls would take the tension of the cable systems.

 

[StephenRowley]

Try and find the studs

 

[James]

Led tape? Stick it on the top of the kitchen cupboards as uplighters

 

[Patrick Scully]

Try and find the studs

have found them- they are quite close together , but im reluctant to cut holes blindly- theres water pipes

Try and find the studs

problem is they are quite tight together so getting the cable route would be difficult to do without cutting more access and inspection holes for checking existing pipes/cable routes.
[automerge]1572732666[/automerge]

Led tape? Stick it on the top of the kitchen cupboards as uplighters

good idea- might suggest that supplementary to their existing UC lights

 

[Midwest]

Why not still consider down lights, rewire from below cutting access holes. Then reskim ceiling and decorate.

 

[davesparks]

If you are considering on of those washing lines where two cables are strung between the walls and lights attached to them then my advice is don't.
They will inevitably droop over time and often pull the fixings out of the wall when tensioning them. They are ELV so you have to find somewhere for a transformer to be installed, and replace it when it inevitably fails.
Also the ones I've worked with use a sharp pointed screw to connect each light fitting by piercing the insulation on the cable, I have seen this lead to burnt connections a number of times as they inevitably damage the conductor when you drive a screw into it.