pimp my wardrobe

*o* · Post by ***o*** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:07 am

basically i want to add neons to my wardrobe how can i make it so when i slide the door opens it turns on?

sorry about sounding so insistent/n00by ect. but please help...im really tired lol.

edit: i forgot to mention neons are 12v low amp.

Wayne Venomous · Post by **Wayne Venomous** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:17 am

I've done that to my fridge.

I've added under shelf neons, go colder stripes, lockable alloy shelves etc. The door is remotely operated and I've added fibre glass skirts to the edges of the door. Plus it's been fitted with a full ICE system...

And when you open the door the stereo automatically plays "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner.

Seriously though, if you want the lights to go on when you open the door, just use something like a magnetic reed switch or even one of those car door switches that turns the light on when you open the door? I'd personally add a smoke machine so it looks like a scene from Close Encounters whenever you open the door!

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:23 pm

Try looking for hall effect sensors (I think thats what they are called) then use a relay to supply/shut off power to a cold cathode when a magnet goes away/near.

*o* · Post by ***o*** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:40 pm

could i use a button thats usually closed so when i open it the circuit will be closed...

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:09 pm

Yeah, that would work.

You would just have to position the button so it dosnt fall off.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:20 pm

there's a really easy simple way to do this that i just thought up in 2 seconds
<a href="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a293/ ... closet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a293/ ... closet.jpg" width="200"></a>
it's not quite the most sophistamocated way (or is it?) but it's cheap, easy, and works!

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:49 pm

Just get a dryer/fridge button. Y'no, the kind that turns the fridge light on/off when it's closed? I'm sure somewhere has them.

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:BKQ ... =clnk&cd=1

Or make something like this (which is basically the above diagram but modified a bit):

Where the GOLD is a metal contact and the spring (yes it's a spring) exerts a force upwards. (The spring is held on by a screw)

This drawing assumes the door is closing from the top. It basically IS a fridge thing.

The upside of this vs. a fridge one is that this can be extremely small and hidden in the very corner or something.

Post by **Skyone** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:57 pm

If it's a walk-in closet, inside the litte part of the door where the door's stopper goes in (the dongle), stick a switch in there that looks like the door in a fridge the turns the fridge light on and off (spst?).

For a sliding door, put a small spst tacticle switch where the door closes.

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:08 pm

heh, I once tied the string for the light in my closet to the door so it would turn on when I opened it... I still had to turn it off, though.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:13 pm

I think Daguuy's idea seems to be the best in terms of it actualy working well. The only consevable problem I can think of is it sparking when it jumps on and off and catching your pants on fire.

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:28 pm

Thats why you'de use a hall effect sensor and a magnet. No actual sparking, for moving parts for that matter. (well, no moving parts in the mechinism)

Post by **marshallh** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:40 pm

Or use a infrared led/reciever and a couple of transistors to run a relay. That's what I used for my spinning clock project.

Just don't put 12v into the leds, that makes them sizzle (That's from experience...)

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:43 pm

The bad thing about leds is that you would always have to have them on for the system to work, rather a button, which requires no power to operate.

Super Mulletman · Post by **Super Mulletman** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:23 pm

Wayne Venomous wrote:I've done that to my fridge.

I've added under shelf neons, go colder stripes, lockable alloy shelves etc. The door is remotely operated and I've added fibre glass skirts to the edges of the door. Plus it's been fitted with a full ICE system...

And when you open the door the stereo automatically plays "Cold As Ice" by Foreigner.

You, sir, are brilliant. As soon as I get my own fridge, I'm totally gonna do that. But instead, I'll probably have it play "Ice, Ice Baby."

Post by **Skyone** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:29 pm

My friend put a sensor under a mat in front of his pantry, and when someone steps on the sensor that is over 'X' (usually set to 200lbs) pounds, it screams out "GET OUT OF HERE FATASS!"