# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  Downlights- how far from overheads

## JB1

Hi, 
My electrician has cut out the downlight holes in the middle of my drop down ceiling, say 500mm from the plaster wall. 
As a result, the downlights are ~150mm from the overhead cabinets. 
They will shine directly over the kitchen bench, I'm not sure if this is good or bad from a shadow point of view when cooking.  
I will also have LED stip lighting under the overhead cabinets. 
Are the lights too close the cabinets?  
And should I move the downlights (and get the plasterers to come back), if so, what is the ideal distance from the cabinets?

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## SilentButDeadly

Your sparky is quite cluey.  Leave them where they are.  Use some tight angle globes (12 degree?) in them and they'll be perfect as work lights for the bench.

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## JB1

That's great to know  :Biggrin:   
It was actually my cabinet maker that mentioned it's too close... that got me doubting the position!  
My electrician has been very good and patient so far. My electrical plan for my owner built house is a copy of my house plans with me hand drawing the locations of the lights/switches in red and GPOs in blue lol. I've gone overboard with the number of downlights in the house, but he loves it as he is getting paid per light.  
I'm using 60deg 1400 lumen LED downlights. They only come in 60deg beam angle.  
And yes, I too was skeptical about the 1400 lumen LED downlight, but purchased 3 different LEDs to trial, claiming 900, 1040 & 1400 lumens respectively and the 1400lm was by far the brightest. It was even brighter than the 50w 12V halogen downlight I tested at the same time.  I was skeptical as the 1st generation LEDs were terrible, actually there is still a lot of rubbish LED out there. The only bad thing about using LEDs today is I know next year, there will be brighter LED downlights for half the price.

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## SilentButDeadly

I wouldn't be sceptical.  I have seen a 2400 lumen bike light...uses 3 of the latest generation Cree LEDs. Check out MyTinySun 
The cost is spectacular (about $450 for the light and battery) but the LED units themselves (no casing) can be had for well under $50 locally.  Same company supplies a 40mm round PCB with eight of the same LED units on it...reckon they make great dive lights...or street lights! 
I suspect that 60 degrees might be a bit wide but only time will tell.

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