Lighting the abyss… automatically!

[Snackchaser]

The closet ceiling light works well for the top shelfs, but hanging clothes can block the light from reaching the floor where we keep shoes and other things.  It’s fairly simple to install more lighting at the base of the closet, and not much more work to install a cabinet door switch that turns them on automatically.

To light the bottom of the closet, I used two overlapping 13” long LED bar lights that were mounted out-of-sight below the door.  Since the inside front wall of the closet is 3/4” thick melamine hardboard, 1/2” sheet metal screws can be used for mounting the lights, switch bracket and wire clamps.  The melamine must be predrilled for the screws.

I used a piece of aluminum angle to make a bracket for the cabinet light switch and mounted it  at the top right corner of the cabinet door.  A wooden block could also be used.   The wires were sheathed in 1/4” split braided sheathing, and clamped along the edge of the door frame.

To make room for wire splices in the overhead light, I cut out ring of wood to make a raised mounting base with a void in the center.  This was overkill because there is a hole and void in the ceiling above the light that splices can be tucked into.  The main closet light switch must be on for the cabinet light switch to work.  We just leave it on all the time now, and I disconnected the (top) wire on the switch to disable the neon blue switch indicator.

No fiberglass was harmed during this modification, and all the parts are available at Amazon:    

• 12V LED Light Bar Waterproof, LMGYES (4 pack)
• Cabinet Door Switch
• 1/4 inch Split Cable Sleeve
• Nylon Plastic R-Type Cable Clamps.

Hope you find this useful,

Cheers! Geoff

[mossemi]

@Snackchaser

Thank you for the nice write up and excellent installation!

Mossey

[Cameron]

Hmm, I like it. I might have to put this on my to-do list. I'm currently using rechargeable puck lights but having one hardwired would be great.