When you build a display case with lighting, plan the lighting equipment before cutting the panels. A service bay, cable route and accessible connections can be designed into the structure. Those decisions are harder to add after a sealed cover has been assembled.
This guide discusses a documented low-voltage DC lighting system. It is not a tested electrical or enclosure plan and does not cover DIY mains wiring. If you already own the case, use the separate lighting retrofit guide.
Define the lighting effect and viewing position
Decide whether the light should illuminate the model’s front, outline its sides or light the background. Draw the normal viewing direction. A channel placed for convenient construction may be visible as a bright line in the main viewing panel.
Make a separate lighting mock-up with the proposed equipment and a clear sample before fixing the channel position. Unroll LED tape before powering it and follow its manual. Check glare, shadows and visible LED dots from the actual viewing height. A visual mock-up does not measure temperature, colour accuracy or long-term effects.
Allocate a service bay
Draw a part of the structure where the light or channel can be reached without removing the model. Decide which cover, trim or access panel is removable. Keep connectors and any required ventilation accessible in accordance with the lighting manual.
A service bay has dimensions of its own. Include the actual channel, diffuser, connectors and cable bends on the drawing. Do not use a guessed LED-strip width as the entire equipment envelope.
Plan the complete wiring route
Show the route from the lighting equipment to its supply and control. Identify every opening crossed by a cable. The design should let access parts move without trapping wiring or pulling a connection.
Choose a documented compatible system rather than assembling parts because their connectors look similar. Record the rated voltage, supply, control method and actual strip length. Follow the selected system’s rules for cutting, maximum run and connection polarity.
Use the manufacturer’s channel and installation requirements
The Armacost channel instructions provide an example of a separate mounting system. Check the exact channel and strip combination. A diffuser changes appearance; it does not by itself establish the thermal conditions of your enclosed case.
The RibbonFlex Pro manual provides product-specific electrical and installation guidance. Disconnect power before cutting or changing connections. Do not treat a material’s maximum service temperature as a safe target for lighting or a collectible.
Coordinate lighting and panel fabrication
Give the fabricator the full service-bay drawing, panel joints, access route and any proposed cable openings. Confirm surface compatibility before applying adhesive or following a light’s mounting-surface cleaning advice on acrylic.
Review the enclosure independently of the electrical system. Its base, panel spans and joints still need to suit the display. The acrylic fabrication guide addresses those separate decisions.
Inspect the empty assembly before adding the display
- Check the light and channel against their exact installation instructions.
- Check that connections, controls and the service opening remain accessible.
- Check that no cable is pinched when the enclosure opens or closes.
- Check the appearance from normal viewing positions.
- Resolve electrical, thermal or mounting questions with the equipment maker before use.
Keep the component list and manuals with the finished case. If you replace the light later, recheck the equipment envelope and installation limits instead of assuming the original bay suits every replacement.
Sources and editorial method
Sources reviewed 15 October 2026. This article uses published documentation and original explanatory diagrams. It does not report a hands-on product test.
