Switches for draw/cupboard lights?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Switches for draw/cupboard lights?

floydie

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#153687 5-Oct-2014 00:06

looking at putting LED strip lighting into my new kitchen but want a cost effective way to switch the draw/cupboard lights on...
options so far include:
Have ALL the cupboard lighting switch on via a PIR so if anyone is in the kitchen, they are on.
Have reed switches on all doors/drawers to swtich the leds on...thought about alarm reeds but i think they are the wrong way around? Need them to close contacts when the magnet moves away.)

any thoughts?

Stu

Hammered
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#1147448 5-Oct-2014 00:52

Forget the reed switches and look at micro switches perhaps? No need for a magnet to be mounted on the door/draw that way.

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Handle9

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#1147494 5-Oct-2014 08:25

BigHammer: Forget the reed switches and look at micro switches perhaps? No need for a magnet to be mounted on the door/draw that way.

Something like this is what normally gets used. they work ok but can be a bit position dependent. They only switch at one position, usually when the door is 100% open. If it's not all the way open then the lights not on. It's better than putting all the circuits on a PIR though. The light leakage would be a bit freaky, like the boogie monster is in the cupboard.

http://www.bunnings.co.nz/hpm-cupboard-door-switch_p00301061

Handle9

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#1147495 5-Oct-2014 08:30

Also I'm pretty sure that alarm reeds are 24V so if they are switching LED drivers then you'd need interposing relays.

floydie

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#1147647 5-Oct-2014 16:48

the leds are 12v and will prob only be under 500mA load. im going to have 20 or so doors so the bunning switch at $24 each is a NO FREAKIN way option. the switches need to come in at well under$100 for the lot.
i had microswitches in an old setup and wifey complained about the 'click click"

Handle9

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#1147658 5-Oct-2014 16:57

If you have a budget of $5 a switch I would suggest that you reconsider lights in the cupboard.

I'm not entirely convinced that switching the DC side is going to any good for driver life either. Just my opinion but you are going to end up with a bit of a half ars3d solution with that sort of budget.

Niel

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#1147816 5-Oct-2014 19:07

No problem switching 12V regarding driver life, it will be just a constant voltage supply. The issue is only with constant current drivers (or AC drivers, but LEDs don't run well on AC...), however they still have a maximum voltage foldback so should not be an issue either.

You will struggle to find it below $5 each retail. Might have to go with eBay (get from UK location, takes 1 week max).

For a wide range of reed switch options, try http://nz.element14.com/ but be aware you need to add GST and the magnet is not always included (check).

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SepticSceptic

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#1150088 8-Oct-2014 16:15

Jaycar have a combined normally open / normally closed reed switch/magnet pair - $7.90 pair
jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=LA5070

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t92300

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#1150114 8-Oct-2014 16:44

Are some of these what you are after? http://jaycar.co.nz/productResults.asp?MID=1&SSUBID=703&SUBCATID=978&keyform=CAT2#1