Reddit mentions of Magnetic Switch, Standard Packaging

Just got a new safe for xmas, hated the lighting in it so got started on a DIY lighting project. Spent 20 minutes and $24, its pressure sensitive and lights up all compartments.

• LED Strip - $7.99
  
• Switch - $5.90
  
• Power Source - $9.59
  
  Edit: The Safe is a Mesa
  
  

I assume you could use a reed switch setup (a magnet on the gate, the switch on the fence)... the same thing you see on doors and windows in security systems. The pushbutton in your wireless remote would be replaced with wires running to the reed switch. I'm making a lot of assumptions about how that remote works, but just an idea.

I'd go with a magnetic reed switch and some LED strips:

• https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08/ref=sr_1_2
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSF65MC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  I did something similar with my liquor cabinet but with a leftover LED strip from an aquarium.
  
  Out of curiosity: where in Texas are you? I'm in Austin.

I have lights in mine and used a magnetic switch to have them turn on automatically when the door is opened.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009SUF08/

Consider doing some homework first, e.g. take a look at Home Security Projects for Raspberry Pi. That will give you some basic ideas and some direction that you may want to explore. Remember, the Raspberry Pi is more of a general purpose single board computer and needs sensors and coding to get it where you want it. I would strongly suggest you look at some websites dealing with Python coding on the RPi. Don't be afraid to explore. What you are looking at doing has been done by many people over the years, just in different ways. An example sensor (for the door kicking) would be to mount a magnetic reed switch and sense the opening or closing of the door using the GPIO pins on the RPi. Good Luck!

A magnetic switch, like the kind security systems use to see if a window is open.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009SUF08/ref=sxts_kp_bs_lp_1

One side mounts on the door, the other side mounts on the door frame and has wires running to it. When a magnet gets close to the wired one it opens/closes a contact (depends on how you wire it). So wire it to be open when there's a magnet and the circuit will close (thus the light turns on) when the door is opened and the other part moves away. The circuit opens again when the door is closed and the other part gets close. Works for both sliding and regular doors.

No, just a few simple parts.

Tape

Power Supply

Connectors (Technically optional, you can solder the cut ends of the tape. But this is much easier.

Magnetic Switch

Dimmer (Optional)

You'll also need basic wire nuts and spare wire.

I had 3/4" thick shelves with 1 1/4" MDF trim fronstpieces. Then I cut a small 45-degree piece to fit hidden behind the front trim. The tape then goes on that 45-degree piece so it's pointing down and back. I hope that makes sense.

Mount a magnetic switch on the outside of the door. Something like this

You need one that is "Normally closed" or "N.C."
This one has both "Normally closed" and "Normally open" and will work
https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08/
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I really like this line -- Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
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There is also this type that uses a button that is pressed when the door is closed.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YDT2MC/ref=psdc_13397451_t1_B00M0YP1PS
From the picture, you can see "COM", "NC", and "NO"
COM and NC are electrically connected when the button is NOT pushed, but
COM and NO are electrically connected when the button is pushed (<-not important to your design)
.
Btw, something to consider before you go too far. Plan ahead and verify things will work.
There is an old saying "measure twice, cut once". In woordworking I learned a term "dry-fit",
which means to fit all the pieces together without glue or nails to make sure things will fit properly.

Two of these (one for each door) could be your sensors. I recommend you connect them to a little 2-chip electronic circuit that you've built, which

• detects when one or both doors are open
  
  
• watches to see that a door has been open for 30 consecutive seconds
  
  
• then beeps a beeper
  
  Glue the sensors to the fridge using removable glue, such as silicone caulk. Now you can resell the fridge in pristine original condition if you so desire

Ah, you'd think the switch would be waterproof given it's designed location, but unless it specifies it I wouldn't put it in a wet location. You could bypass using the one supplied and put in a mag like this one https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1484926127&sr=8-7&keywords=pin+switch

I went through the following tutorial recently and got my after market pedal working on RB4.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Custom-Rock-Band-Pedal-just-like-the-Destroye/

I bought the following magnetic switch and it works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009SUF08/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Depending on how you run the wire, you can use normally closed or normally open. There were instructions for each setup on various sites, so I went with one that can do either to make sure I was set.

All you have to do is buy a mono plug cable (as opposed to stereo), strip it, hook it up to the magnetic switch, glue one side of the switch to the pedal, the other side to a point on the pedal where the sides are close to touching when the pedal is pressed, and you're good to go.

^ This - just setup an aeotec zwave dry contact sensor ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0155HSUUY ) connected to a magnetic reed switch ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009SUF08 ). Had to drill a small hole for wiring in the bottom of my metal mailbox and mounted the sensor outside the box (for reception) - put the sensor directly underneath the box and it seems to be well hidden and protected from the elements with excellent long distance range.

The setup has been a game changer for me - i get an immediate smartthings alert the second the box is opened. I startled my neighbor the other day when he put mis-delivered mail in my box and i was outside 10 seconds later to greet him.

Overall I spent about $126 because I used a lot of material that I already had (baseboard, paint, romex).


Materials Used:

Leftover 7/16" OSB sheathing cut to size

(2) Closetmaid Cubeicals

Existing baseboard

1" x 12" pine board

Shelf hardware

Paint

Painter's Putty

Caulk

Primed Quarter Round

LED light strip

12v Power Supply

(2) LED PCB connectors

Magnetic Door Switch

(2) Old Work Boxes

Romex Cable

Outlet

Outlet Cover

Part sourcing for anyone interested.

Switch
Lights
Case

I bought a laser crosshair that runs off of a 5V wall-wart. It's mounted on the garage ceiling and lined up to a point on my dashboard. I combined that with a simple magnetic switch wired from the garage door so it only comes on when the door is open.

The laser lines are long enough so I can use it to guide me in.

This has allowed me to place my car within 1/4" of where I need it to be so I can open the doors and trunk without banging into something (There is literally 1/2" clearance for a couple of the doors).

Hope this helps.

you can get a basic magnetic switch if you want the lights to always be on when the door opens. check this out.
https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520624376&sr=8-4&keywords=magnetic+door+switch&dpID=41DVM6RPZAL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Wire this into the power lead from the power supply, or even after the controller, on the 12v lead to the LED strip, that way controller is always powered and keeps it's settings 100%, and you rely on the door switch to complete or disconnect the circuit.

So would something like this work? https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=nc+door+switch&qid=1573847969&sr=8-6

I'm just confused because the circuit is complete when it isn't pressed in because the power contact is grounded, but when the switch is pressed in, the ground is lost and then open circuit, right?

I used this one in my closet, behind a bifold door.

So far so good, been working reliably.

Ok, didn't know they used reed switches in those things. I thought they used hall effect sensors. You can get cheap reed switches, but would need to do some soldering or use a breadboard. Conversely, using a window alarm such as this will cost a bit more but give a more professional look.

Ah completely different topic than I was expecting. The 12 solution I showed for the $18 battery seems like it would a perfect rechargeable replacement with significantly longer battery life.

Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-8601-Magnetic-Switch/dp/B0009SUF08

May be an alternative solution with a magnetic switch. You could put one end of the magnet on the trunk. As this magnetic package isn't the best, you can probably take any strong magnet and paint it black and adhere that in some fashion you see appropriate to the back of your trunk, and the light will turn on upon opening of the trunk.

I'm surprised they didn't put a light in that compartment for when you open the trunk, my civic hatchback has one back there which I've considered replacing with high end LEDs.