Arguably the most popular modular bookcase system in the world, if volume sales are used as an indicator, the 'Billy' range is useful and compact, available with glass shelves, and make ideal display cabinets.

Lighting them is problematic as the small round lights sold by Ikea under the 'Ledberg' name

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/lighting/integrated-lighting/ledberg-led-spotlight-white-art-40351736/

give an indifferent result….but…Hooray! Ikea now sell an LED striplight in three sections….

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/lighting/integrated-lighting/ledberg-led-lighting-strip-white-art-50302712/

which is 30-3/4" long…

Boo!  The Billy bookcases have an internal width of 30"…

The choice of using only two sections of the light strip didn't appeal to me, a 33% reduction in light for the same price? So, after careful examination in the Bristol branch, much unpacking and fiddling about in the showroom, I discovered a way to shorten a strip of 3 by 3/4".

First, examine the connector that comes from the transformer lead, and unclip the 'keeper', fold back the cable to allow the end 1/2" to be cut off with a fine razor saw. []




Turn your attention to the end of one light strip and cut off where shown, be sure to keep the return path for the current, and miss the LED on the opposite side.





This will save over 1" of length…





Now drill a 3mm hole in the top of the bookcase hard over on one side and after cutting the cable, thread it through the hole, fitting the strip inside with the clips and screws provided, then rejoin the cable with small connector strip.

I have installed my strips close up against the front undersurface so the the LEDs are sheilded from direct view by the top door rail when closed.



The light is pretty close to a warm daylight, and shows up models very well, without any rainbow effects at the glass shelf edges.



I hope this helps someone, and perhaps persaude you not to buy the small round lights.

Poop-poop!

Doug

Big help Doug.

I just put up one of these & have bought the exact same led strips.
I will follow your diagrams.
Thank you for putting them up.


Tony.

Glad it helps, Tony, don't forget to post a piccy when done!
Doug 

Hi Doug.
I thought we had got the same led's as you but when I checked I found we had got these instead.
 
http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/lighting/integrated-lighting/omlopp-led-worktop-lighting-white-art-10245224/

 I haven't tried them out yet as we have been getting lots of work done to the house.
Now the whole place needs to be redecorated  :roll:

Tony.
 

What jolly fun, think of the brownie points!

Doug

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

What jolly fun, think of the brownie points!

Doug

At my age brownie points aren't important any more  

Well I eventually got around to fitting the led lights to the cabinet.They give good light.
A friend gave me a lot of acrylic display stands which came from a shoe store.
They will be great for displaying models.
Just need to clean out the display cabinet & put some models in there.
Here are some photos of the lights in operation.

Very nice, Tony.

D

I put  some locos in there for display.

I'm very satisfied the way its turned out.

And so you should be, Tony.

Thanks Max.
It looks very well.

Luffley!

D