Reed switch for LED cabinet lights

[Leicester1234]

Hi I'm new to the forums, I'm a DIY'er looking for reed switches in enclosures like the ones you use for burglar alarms but instead of NO where the door closing (and magnets coming together) close the circuit, I need the circuit to close when the door is open - lights on and the circuit to open when the door is closed.

Anyone know some reasonably priced NC reed switches in enclosures? I can only find ridiculously overpriced ones on amazon for £8 a piece - I need about 10 pairs.

I have considered motion sensors - I find them unreliable, expensive and fineky. Maybe I'm mistaken?

Other mechanical switches wear out, jam up and that's assuming they were installed precisely so not something I'm keen on.

I also considered a standard hand operated switch but I want it to work passively as my wife is very, very forgetful and so they will end up being left on all night. Also I want it to be natural, open the door and the light is there rather than scrambling around for a switch.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Someone-Else]

You did not look very hard, I have just found some on Amazon for £4.35

However I personally would not use them as they are not designed to switch a lot of current. If you pass too much current through them they will "weld" themselves closed. I understand you are going to use LED lights but it still maybe too much current. The easiest way round it would be to wire the reed switch to a relay, and have the relay turn the lights on, but that puts the cost up.

You could opt for microswitches which could then directly operate the LED lights as even the small ones can switch well over an amp.

[Bob225]

it all depends on the type of lighting you have if its 240v or 12v

if you turn the problem on its head - add a timer in circuit the lights then turn off after a set period

[Leicester1234]

You did not look very hard, I have just found some on Amazon for £4.35

I spent HOURS looking, the ones listed as NC have descriptions that describe NO configured ones as they don't understand the stuff they're selling. Can you link me the ones you found please as I may have used the wrong search term (used so many)?

The driver units are 1-3w 300ma and the led strips will be 2.2w - that still a little high? What if I wanted to run 5 doors from obe 20w driver (12w led strip) - how would you go about setting it up so that every door can close the circuit? What micro switches do you mean? My apologies, anything is easy once you know what's available, what's possible and how things are done so it may seem blatantly obvious to you but for me it's all new so...

it all depends on the type of lighting you have if its 240v or 12v

if you turn the problem on its head - add a timer in circuit the lights then turn off after a set period

But how do they turn on?

[Someone-Else]

I typed in what you were looking for. Normally closed reed switches.
Like wise micro switches, it depends what physical size you want, the really small ones are good but I secure them with tiny bolts, you may be better off with the slightly bigger ones that you can use small screws to secure them (Your choice) You may want to opt for the ones with rollers on the end, they shouldn't scratch anything.

How you connect them depends on what you want them to do.

If you want any door to turn all the LEDs on, then connect all the switches and LEDs in parallel.
If you want one door to turn on one led strip then connect each switch in series with each strip, and connect each "door set" in parallel.

If you really do want to do it this way, I would opt for micro switches as there is no rating given for the reed switches.

Have you considered no switches and putting the LEDs on a plug in timer? Much easier and the running cost will be pence.

[Leicester1234]

I typed in what you were looking for. Normally closed reed switches.

Ok so you found the same ones, if you look in the description and the comments/questions they all end up being misleading listings that are actually NO reeds. The only ones I found that weren't in this category were the £8 ones which I'm not paying!

Do forum rules prohibit linking in posts? Would be cool to see the stuff you're suggesting.

Have you considered no switches and putting the LEDs on a plug in timer? Much easier and the running cost will be pence.

I will have under-cabinet LEDs and these in-cabinet LEDs running from one light switch. it's been installed and certified by a qualified electrician during a full house rewire - I wouldn't think a timer would work. We don't want them on all the time the other ambient lights are on and I don't want food and such to be getting warmed up by LEDs being on for let's say 4-5 hours every evening. It's wasteful of energy, over the course of a year potentially 26-35kwh used where <1kwh should be used. Don't like the idea of wasting that much energy.

Thanks for all the help so far.

[Bob225]

how are the lights switched ? with a spur or a light switch ?

a stairwell timer will do the trick but you will need to change the switch to a momentary one if you go with a grid switch you can mix and match

[Leicester1234]

how are the lights switched ? with a spur or a light switch ?

a stairwell timer will do the trick but you will need to change the switch to a momentary one if you go with a grid switch you can mix and match

Hey they're powered from a light switch which is where the under-cupboard LEDs are getting their power too. I'm looking for the switch but hey ho.

[Bob225]

for a timer, you will need a neutral unless you can find a no neutral one, is the PSU for the lights accessible ?

eg.

Zamel ASP-02

LeGrand 0 497 83


Just found this

https://www.cpelectronics.co.uk/energy- ... mers/gitlc around the £40 mark

[Leicester1234]

for a timer, you will need a neutral unless you can find a no neutral one, is the PSU for the lights accessible ?

eg.

Zamel ASP-02

LeGrand 0 497 83


Just found this

Hi thanks but this isn't what I was looking for in terms of function etc. I was looking for something automated that triggers when doors are opened not another manual (more expensive than the lights and psu combined). It's all in the first post.

[Bob225]

I was assuming the lights where turned on at the switch and left on the switch i linked is timed so will turn off after a set period

the only other way is to go with an optical sensor but that may be out of budget (IR door switch)

[Someone-Else]

I would still suggest the microswitch route, the change over reed switches are tiny (The package makes them look bigger)

[Leicester1234]

I would still suggest the microswitch route, the change over reed switches are tiny (The package makes them look bigger)

As I said before, are you able to give some links to the switches you mean?