Magnetic switch controlled closet light

thingiverse

Why settle for buying when you can craft and build from scratch? I had to add a light to a closet without any power source other than the outlet inside, and wanted it to turn on automatically when the door was opened instead of requiring a switch on the wall. I picked up a battery-powered light with proximity sensor, but decided this would be an excellent project to hone my design and soldering skills. So, with just a few dollars worth of parts (12-volt LED strips, 5.5 mm plugs and jacks, 12-volt power supply, and magnetic switch), some quick measurements, and several hours of printing time, I now have a fully-functional closet light that will last longer than incandescent bulbs, costs pennies to operate, and is easy to scale up or down as needed. I used white PLA for the enclosure and have two covers - one made of white PLA and the other of transparent PETG - depending on how bright I want it to be (or, better still, how bright my wife wants it to be!). I also employed a honeycomb infill pattern for the top since I wanted the design to show through. The enclosure and top were printed with 0.2 mm layer height, with five bottom layers, five top layers, and five walls, providing plenty of structural support without using a high infill percentage. Since the LED strips come in various configurations, it’s easy to take my design and extend or shrink it as needed. Multicolored LED strips can be used, and the infrared from the remote easily passes through the top using white PLA or transparent PETG, but you can always drill a hole in the enclosure for the sensor if needed. The wiring is very straightforward, so I don’t think I need to include a diagram, but will be happy to add one if requested. 3D printing proves its worth on this project! 11-23-2019: Added larger version (150 x 150 mm, original is 100 x 150 mm), along with two covers - one solid and the other featuring a honeycomb design to allow more light through and give it an artistic touch.