I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

party_pants said:

I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

Jaycar has all stuff that you can use for that. Microswitch, LED, Wallwart power supply, wire.

What type of door?

sibeen said:

What type of door?

garage door.

sibeen said:

What type of door?

sibeen said:

What type of door?

I’ll take some photos…

back wall as seen from back yard

Go to the Jaycar catalogue,

https://www.jaycar.com.au/search?text=magnetic+window+sensor&CSRFToken=d8b430c6-a830-4648-8944-bd92c9f6932a

and perhaps one of the reed switch/magnet gizmos would do as the trigger for your indicator.

With a simple and inexpensive magnet/reed switch, a length of wire, a suitably bright LED lamp, and a power source (a plug-in AC to DC pack, or even a 9v battery), you should be able to put something workable together in an hour or so.

Maybe just a well angled mirror

https://www.jaycar.com.au/n-o-n-c-reed-switch-magnet/p/LA5070

That one. Contacts are open when the switch is together. Door opens – contacts close – turn on LED.

sibeen said:

https://www.jaycar.com.au/n-o-n-c-reed-switch-magnet/p/LA5070

That one. Contacts are open when the switch is together. Door opens – contacts close – turn on LED.

Yeah, that’s the one i had in mind, too.

Sounds easy enough.

party_pants said:

Sounds easy enough.

Even if it doesn’t suit (and i think it will), it’s a bit of tinkering fun, and the parts could be useful for something else.

Talk to the people at Jaycar. They’re usually pretty switched on, and willing to help with advice.

captain_spalding said:

Talk to the people at Jaycar. They’re usually pretty switched on, and willing to help with advice.

Just looked at their store locations, There’s one in the next suburb.

The other thing I need to do is build a strong cupboard around a section of shelf, so I can lock tools away from the casual wander in and have a look thief.

party_pants said:

The other thing I need to do is build a strong cupboard around a section of shelf, so I can lock tools away from the casual wander in and have a look thief.

(sigh)

Got any pictures of that?

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

Talk to the people at Jaycar. They’re usually pretty switched on, and willing to help with advice.

Just looked at their store locations, There’s one in the next suburb.

The other thing I need to do is build a strong cupboard around a section of shelf, so I can lock tools away from the casual wander in and have a look thief.

you can get toolboxes (just a large steel box that locks) from bunnings, bolt it from the inside to the frame of your workbench

Stumpy_seahorse said:

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

Talk to the people at Jaycar. They’re usually pretty switched on, and willing to help with advice.

Just looked at their store locations, There’s one in the next suburb.

The other thing I need to do is build a strong cupboard around a section of shelf, so I can lock tools away from the casual wander in and have a look thief.

you can get toolboxes (just a large steel box that locks) from bunnings, bolt it from the inside to the frame of your workbench

yep, that’s what i’d do.

I have old four-drawer filing cabinets for some tools. Pick them up on the side of the road on council clean-up days. I had one. I now have four.

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

The other thing I need to do is build a strong cupboard around a section of shelf, so I can lock tools away from the casual wander in and have a look thief.

(sigh)

Got any pictures of that?

That will be easy. I have some old pieces of table top that should fit nicely. Solid timber. Won’t be Fort Know by any stretch but will not be taken apart without some effort if all the fixings are on the inside. The bay under the vice. The bench on the right will slide out to give access. The bench on the left is bolted to the wall.

Very few things are Fort Know.

sibeen said:

Very few things are Fort Know.

Knox

You could look for used-office-furniture place and see if you can get a steel cabinet for a reasonable price e,g,

Or a filing cabinet, as MV suggested.

Or my suggestion from the other night: a non-functional fridge, to which you fit hasp and staple and padlock.

captain_spalding said:

You could look for used-office-furniture place and see if you can get a steel cabinet for a reasonable price e,g,

Or a filing cabinet, as MV suggested.

Or my suggestion from the other night: a non-functional fridge, to which you fit hasp and staple and padlock.

Haven’t really got the room. I knida laid out the space when I set it up. That bay under the bench is about the only space I have, and I don’t want to give up any bench space to fit in a cabinet.

party_pants said:

I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

Go low tech. Use a mirror.

Tamb said:

party_pants said:

I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

Go low tech. Use a mirror.

The whole point is that alarm systems use the kinds of microswitches you desire and they are as cheap as a bag of chips each. Take bugger all clueessness to fit.

Tamb said:

party_pants said:

I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

Go low tech. Use a mirror.

ahem…

From: Arts
ID: 1182235
Subject: re: Garage Door Sensor

Maybe just a well angled mirror

Arts said:

Tamb said:

party_pants said:

I can only see the back wall of the garage from the living room, can’t tell if the door is open or closed.

All I want to do is mount an LED light on the back wall of the garage where I can easily see it, which comes on when the door is open, and stays off when the door is closed. Thinking some kind of magnetic switch on the door, or an IR beam type sensor,

I’ve had a quick Google but most such kits are for alarm systems, which are way beyond what I want. Just want a low voltage LED light on a long wire, which I can interrupt with a switch.

Any ideas on a simple solution using ready available parts?

Go low tech. Use a mirror.

ahem…

From: Arts
ID: 1182235
Subject: re: Garage Door Sensor

Maybe just a well angled mirror

Sorry. Didn’t see Arts post.

It would take more than one mirror to see it, regardless of how well angled, because it faces away.

Anyway, Jaycar has been visited and a bag of goodies purchased. My brother is coming to supervise on the weekend.

party_pants said:

It would take more than one mirror to see it, regardless of how well angled, because it faces away.

Anyway, Jaycar has been visited and a bag of goodies purchased. My brother is coming to supervise on the weekend.

:)

Problem partially solvered.

:)

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

party_pants said:

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

Interposing relay :)

Nice solution.

party_pants said:

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

What did that cost you?

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

We have achieved a functioning system.

Bit more complicated than I was thinking, Brother hooked up the magnetic switch to a relay to turn the lights on and off. We included one strip of LEDs inside the garage just above the door which will be handy for getting out of the car on a dark night, and one strip outside visible from inside the house.

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

That figure took my breath away, but then i thought, ‘oh, 5 metres, yeah’.

A while back, i did something similar at work. There was a door that was opened frequently, smetimes almost hitting people coming in from the out-swing side.

We were promised a window installation in the door (which eventually happened) but for the meantime, i made up a gizmo with some bright LEDs, a 9v battery (keep the WH&S people calm), and a passive infrared sensor.

It gave warning to people ‘inside’ as to whether there was anyone on the ‘outside’ before they pushed the door open.

The PIR cost $1.75 delivered from Hong Kong. I couldn’t buy the parts for that little.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

Yeah, come to think of it, you could charge your car battery with that. Sure you don’t mean 500ma?

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-5m-flexible-adhesive-led-strip-light-warm-white/p/ZD0577

Voltage: 12VDC • Colour: Warm white • Current per section: 45mA • Current per metre: 900mA • Lumens per metre: 950 Lumens per metre

must be using the full 5m.

Bogsnorkler said:

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

https://www.jaycar.com.au/low-cost-5m-flexible-adhesive-led-strip-light-warm-white/p/ZD0577

Voltage: 12VDC • Colour: Warm white • Current per section: 45mA • Current per metre: 900mA • Lumens per metre: 950 Lumens per metre

must be using the full 5m.

Yeah, fair ‘nuff.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

What did that cost you?

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

The strip lights say they use 900 mA per metre, so 5m strip would draw about 4.5A. We were not sure how much to use. The are bright af, 970 lumens per m. Only ended up using about 2m of it, so yeah, we could have gone for a smaller power supply.

I have a bout 3m of it left, which I am thinking about mounting in the back yard.

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

A little over $120, for 5m of LED strip lights, a 5A 12V DC power supply and the magnetic reed switch. Hook-up wire, relay, brackets and fixings etc were all stuff either of us already had lying around.

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

The strip lights say they use 900 mA per metre, so 5m strip would draw about 4.5A. We were not sure how much to use. The are bright af, 970 lumens per m. Only ended up using about 2m of it, so yeah, we could have gone for a smaller power supply.

I have a bout 3m of it left, which I am thinking about mounting in the back yard.

I wasn’t thinking about what you used, but I do know that 5 amps of LEDs is fucking shedloads.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

5A? Are you trying to light up the whole neighbourhood?

The strip lights say they use 900 mA per metre, so 5m strip would draw about 4.5A. We were not sure how much to use. The are bright af, 970 lumens per m. Only ended up using about 2m of it, so yeah, we could have gone for a smaller power supply.

I have a bout 3m of it left, which I am thinking about mounting in the back yard.

I wasn’t thinking about what you used, but I do know that 5 amps of LEDs is fucking shedloads.

Yeah, it was a bit of overkill going for the LED strip :)

Arts said:

Maybe just a well angled mirror

genius simple arts, all sorts of possibilities, like on the lower part of the door, so reflects the light back from the room it’s viewed from

problem with electrifying the indicator is if the thing malfunctions or battery goes flat you may be mislead into thinking it is shut when in fact it’s open

some string or suitable wire with a wheel and an indicator on the wall might be better

hang whatever on it

transition said:

problem with electrifying the indicator is if the thing malfunctions or battery goes flat you may be mislead into thinking it is shut when in fact it’s open

some string or suitable wire with a wheel and an indicator on the wall might be better

hang whatever on it

This is true, and was mentioned in the planning.

party_pants said:

transition said:

problem with electrifying the indicator is if the thing malfunctions or battery goes flat you may be mislead into thinking it is shut when in fact it’s open

some string or suitable wire with a wheel and an indicator on the wall might be better

hang whatever on it

This is true, and was mentioned in the planning.

Oh, let’s stop pussy footing around:

The Big Don’t-Argue.

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

transition said:

problem with electrifying the indicator is if the thing malfunctions or battery goes flat you may be mislead into thinking it is shut when in fact it’s open

some string or suitable wire with a wheel and an indicator on the wall might be better

hang whatever on it

This is true, and was mentioned in the planning.

Oh, let’s stop pussy footing around:

The Big Don’t-Argue.

Sat behind one of those (well behind) at a demonstration at Canungra in 1979. I decided then and there to try to avoid standing in front of one.

sibeen said:

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

This is true, and was mentioned in the planning.

Oh, let’s stop pussy footing around:

The Big Don’t-Argue.

Sat behind one of those (well behind) at a demonstration at Canungra in 1979. I decided then and there to try to avoid standing in front of one.

For the uninitiated – what is one of those?

Inside lights strip above the door. Not really in the original plan but added as an afterthought, might be handy for getting home at night.

1m strip light outside, also comes one when roller door opens.

claymore anti-personnel

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

captain_spalding said:

Oh, let’s stop pussy footing around:

The Big Don’t-Argue.

Sat behind one of those (well behind) at a demonstration at Canungra in 1979. I decided then and there to try to avoid standing in front of one.

For the uninitiated – what is one of those?

Claymore anti-personnel mine. Loaded with high explosive and lots (200 from memory) of ball bearings.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

Sat behind one of those (well behind) at a demonstration at Canungra in 1979. I decided then and there to try to avoid standing in front of one.

For the uninitiated – what is one of those?

Claymore anti-personnel mine. Loaded with high explosive and lots (200 from memory) of ball bearings.

Ah – it goes off when the enemy open your roller door to steal your tools. I like the concept.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

Sat behind one of those (well behind) at a demonstration at Canungra in 1979. I decided then and there to try to avoid standing in front of one.

For the uninitiated – what is one of those?

Claymore anti-personnel mine. Loaded with high explosive and lots (200 from memory) of ball bearings.

it’s worse than that…700 balls ave.

Bogsnorkler said:

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

For the uninitiated – what is one of those?

Claymore anti-personnel mine. Loaded with high explosive and lots (200 from memory) of ball bearings.

it’s worse than that…700 balls ave.

SHUT THE FUCK UP. IT WAS 1979 THAT I HAD THE LECTURE. I MAY HAVE MISS-REMEMBERED SOME OF THE DETAILS.

YOU BASTARD.

sibeen said:

SHUT THE FUCK UP. IT WAS 1979 THAT I HAD THE LECTURE. I MAY HAVE MISS-REMEMBERED SOME OF THE DETAILS.

YOU BASTARD.

That escalated quickly.

Rule 303 said:

sibeen said:

SHUT THE FUCK UP. IT WAS 1979 THAT I HAD THE LECTURE. I MAY HAVE MISS-REMEMBERED SOME OF THE DETAILS.

YOU BASTARD.

That escalated quickly.

:)

Repurposed an old table top into a cupboard. Haven’t got any shelves up in it yet, and I’m going to replace the latch with something stronger, but have it ya bastards.

you are quite clever

Arts said:

you are quite clever

Thanks.

sibeen said:

Arts said:

you are quite clever

Thanks.

Bastard! I got thieved again, by sibeen this time.

shakes fist

Looks good

Well, I certainly cannot be blamed for Arts’ miscommunication. I obviously thought she was talking to me and responded accordingly.

Stuff this gettin’ outa the car to push the garage door up and down.

I’ve been to Bunnings. :)

TWO replacement roll-a-door motors. Existing ones got blown up by lightning.

Woodie said:

Stuff this gettin’ outa the car to push the garage door up and down.

I’ve been to Bunnings. :)

TWO replacement roll-a-door motors. Existing ones got blown up by lightning.

did you get a lightning rod to protect these new motors?

Stumpy_seahorse said:

Woodie said:

Stuff this gettin’ outa the car to push the garage door up and down.

I’ve been to Bunnings. :)

TWO replacement roll-a-door motors. Existing ones got blown up by lightning.

did you get a lightning rod to protect these new motors?

I’ve had braces put on my teeth, if that’ll help. :)