Safe lights?

CHRIS_WNC

CHRIS_WNC

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I did a search and found one thread about safe lighting.
What are you guys using to light up inside your gun safes?
Is there a "standard" setup that most people use?
I've got a Cannon with the pre-drilled hole but don't have power pulled inside. A battery setup would be awesome so I don't have to move as much stuff, me being lazy and all.

CHRIS
 
I’ve got led lights in mine (Canon). They are plug in so I ran the wire before I put anything in it. Has 4 strips. One on the top and bottom and down each side. They stick on with two sided tape and really light up the inside.
 
CHRIS_WNC said:
I did a search and found one thread about safe lighting.
What are you guys using to light up inside your gun safes?
Is there a "standard" setup that most people use?
I've got a Cannon with the pre-drilled hole but don't have power pulled inside. A battery setup would be awesome so I don't have to move as much stuff, me being lazy and all.

CHRIS
Click to expand...

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/accent-lights-multi-color/prod19542442.ip?xid=plp_product_1_5


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I bought the cheap rolls of LED lights that you can cut to size. The back peels off to expose an adhesive that works well on hard surface but pulls away from cloth.

I found that the width of the strip perfectly accommodates a T20 staple, so I went ahead and stapled them in place.

I lit my entire safe for something like $25
 
BigWaylon said:
Any reason you couldn't use magnetic tape to mount these instead of the included tape? (Not sure how you mounted yours)

Any chance you know if you could add a second set (or at least a couple more) and use a single remote?
Click to expand...
yeah one remote will control them all. and you can mount them however you want I just used the included tape.
 
Those LED light strips look like a winner. The Twangnbang video had links for a battery setup as well as plugged in. Perfect! I can go battery until we move and wire it up for direct power when we get settled back in.

CHRIS
 
For an easy/short-term fix (that might be enough to just keep, or repurpose), what about these?

Dual Cob LED Night Light With Switch - ULTRA BRIGHT - New LED Technology - Super Bright LED Lights - Project Light - Night Light - 400 Lumens (White 4 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073327N5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_K-7jBbSH69HA8

Those have four light strips, but there are other options with just two...which would also be plenty. I've seen these at Walmart, and probably available at most big box stores.

•Battery powered, so no wires to run.
•Magnetic and stick-in mounting options included.
•Integrated switch, so no remote to keep up with.
•Downside would be you'd have to turn each one on individually, but that may also be a benefit for battery life if you only need a certain area lit up.

IMG_8806.jpg IMG_8807.jpg
 
I used those for awhile in my safe, and they worked well. I moved them to closets and other places that didn't have adequate light. Definitely a good temporary solution.
BigWaylon said:
For an easy/short-term fix (that might be enough to just keep, or repurpose), what about these?

Dual Cob LED Night Light With Switch - ULTRA BRIGHT - New LED Technology - Super Bright LED Lights - Project Light - Night Light - 400 Lumens (White 4 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073327N5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_K-7jBbSH69HA8

Those have four light strips, but there are other options with just two...which would also be plenty. I've seen these at Walmart, and probably available at most big box stores.

•Battery powered, so no wires to run.
•Magnetic and stick-in mounting options included.
•Integrated switch, so no remote to keep up with.
•Downside would be you'd have to turn each one on individually, but that may also be a benefit for battery life if you only need a certain area lit up.

View attachment 61179 View attachment 61180
Click to expand...

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 
SDIVER2006 said:
This is what i went with for now

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200701733_200701733
Click to expand...
Similar to what I linked above, except those don't say they're magnetic. If they don't actually have magnets, I'd probably use magnetic tape instead of the hook & loop it comes with.

Let us know how it goes. I think I'm leaving toward those as well. Or maybe those in the top where the shelves are, and the motion sensor bars posted earlier for the bottom section.
 
CHRIS_WNC said:
Those LED light strips look like a winner. The Twangnbang video had links for a battery setup as well as plugged in. Perfect! I can go battery until we move and wire it up for direct power when we get settled back in.

CHRIS
Click to expand...

That's what I had planned too until I ordered the wrong battery pack. I found that the AC plug cord was thin enough that I just ran it through the safe's door. Door closes just fine and the power cord hasn't been destroyed in a couple thousand opening/closings.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
I've had a nekked 40 watt bulb hanging in my safes for over 20 years..[No Jeppo, not the same bulb]. Never had any problem.
Click to expand...
Come on...

You're taking all the fun out of reading your posts! :D
 
Really stupid question. . .

Would you not be worried about something melting or smoldering with running electrical devices in the safe? I am a firefighter, I know fire needs oxygen so if something did spark off, it would not last long. But there might be enough to get some heat going or damage something close to the sources.
 
@lowcountry
It looks like the strip-o-LEDs is a low voltage solution, which will keep the AC power on the outside of the box. Only low voltage/amperage DC power is coming off of the wall wart to get inside the box.

I hadn't thought about fires inside. :eek: Wonder if the 75 minute rating works when the heat is on that side? :D

CHRIS
 
Maybe I'm cheap, but I grabbed some of these lights and put one up in my safe a few years ago. I stuck it to the underside of the shelf. It still works fine and does the job.
$3 a light a Harbor Freight.
https://www.harborfreight.com/household/lighting/3-pc-wireless-led-puck-lights-62901.html
62901_zzz_500.jpg
 
I wimped out on the string of lights. Saw a couple of motion activated battery powered LED pods at Lowes and got them. Think they were $12 a piece.


CHRIS
 
I found a OptiLED kit at Lowes that had a 25' section of LED strip lights and a Dimmer switch
s-l640.jpg
They have been going strong for the last 5-7 years. I keep them on low so I can see in the safe during low light and a couple of taps lights up the whole safe.

They are made by CabLED and think are rebranded quite often.
I actually used them for my under cabinet lighting in the kitchen as well.

http://www.cabledlighting.com/index.asp
 
Uggh.

Grabbed some of the switch LED items I posted above...without checking inside the safe first. Keep in mind this is a fairly new (to me) safe. I may have opened it a dozen times total so far. Turns out the whole interior is lined with something...maybe wood? The bottom/shelves/rifle braces are all fabric, but I thought the sides were metal. So, the magnets that come on the lights are useless.

Not sure if some of the stick-on rare earth magnets would attract through the sides or not. Also, the lip around the door isn't wide enough for the lights to be mounted. I thought I could mount them there so they'd basically be unseen.

Now I'm working through a couple plans to see what my best options may be...which might not include these lights. :D
 
BigWaylon said:
....Now I'm working through a couple plans to see what my best options may be...which might not include these lights. :D
Click to expand...
Can you cut narrow strips of CS and attached them somehow so the magnets would work?
 
It's probably fireboard/sheetrock lining it. Mine has it too. I thought "loop" velcro would stick to the thin felt on there but it doesn't. double stick tape isn't holding the weight of the lights either.
You could push in a bunch of thumbtacks and use the magnets to stick to them, maybe.

CHRIS
 
ronn47 said:
Can you cut narrow strips of CS and attached them somehow so the magnets would work?
Click to expand...
Drawing a blank...CS?


I'm thinking either earth magnets that might be strong enough to go through the lining material...or cut an angled strip of wood to mount (unseen) in the front two corners so I can mount the lights where I wanted them, but even better because they could point towards the center of the safe.
 
BigWaylon said:
Uggh.

Grabbed some of the switch LED items I posted above...without checking inside the safe first. Keep in mind this is a fairly new (to me) safe. I may have opened it a dozen times total so far. Turns out the whole interior is lined with something...maybe wood? The bottom/shelves/rifle braces are all fabric, but I thought the sides were metal. So, the magnets that come on the lights are useless.

Not sure if some of the stick-on rare earth magnets would attract through the sides or not. Also, the lip around the door isn't wide enough for the lights to be mounted. I thought I could mount them there so they'd basically be unseen.

Now I'm working through a couple plans to see what my best options may be...which might not include these lights. :D
Click to expand...

Hot glue gun???
 
Every time I see this topic I flash back to darkroom work.

I can’t imagine that any magnet of reasonable size will work on 12-14 gauge steel through a couple inches of drywall. If it was me I’d get a curved needle like used for sewing leather or stitching up cuts and try stitching the lights to the cloth liner every few inches.
 
Jerzsubbie said:
I did the TwangnBang lights for under $25. You can find kits of these items for even less on eBay.

Click to expand...

I did something similar to his recently-ish, but it was more than $25. I would have lit that center section though, like I did on my previous and much larger safe.
https://www.carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/before-and-after-safe-lighting.6691/

Got the lights and PSU off of superbrightleds.com and the switch from McMaster-Carr. The white wood/plastic board was from Lowe's. Still not sure what the heck it was made of, lol.
Drilled and tapped the inside of the safe door frame to mount the switch. Set-up is as solid as it can get. :cool:
 
Went back to find this thread again.

I currently have four of the HF LED switch lights I posted about earlier. Placed an order on Amazon today to do a variation of the setup in the TwangNBang video.

I'm using a rechargeable battery pack instead of a plug, and going with an IR sensor instead of a motion detector. Even though the items were prime, it's showing "by next Friday" for delivery. But it's also showing the same date if I chose No Rush Delivery and get the $5 credit. Guess they're giving themselves a cushion for weather issues.

I'll be able to get comparison pics of the cob switch lights currently in there vs the LED strips, assuming my iPhone camera pics it up well enough. The current lights work really well. I just don't like having to flip four switches. New setup should turn on when door opens, and off when it closes.
 
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Covfefe said:
Maybe I'm cheap, but I grabbed some of these lights and put one up in my safe a few years ago. I stuck it to the underside of the shelf. It still works fine and does the job.
$3 a light a Harbor Freight.
https://www.harborfreight.com/household/lighting/3-pc-wireless-led-puck-lights-62901.html
62901_zzz_500.jpg
Click to expand...
I’m a little late but I had these before I did the TwangNBang lights but I always forgot they were there because they were under the shelves haha. As for light output, they worked OK but not nearly as well as my current setup though.
 
Why in the world did I wait to do this?

Here's what I ordered:

IMG_2187.JPG

IMG_2189.JPG

•6000mAh 12V battery, which came with y-splitter (so you can operate and charge at the same time) and charging adapter
•IR sensor (opted for this over motion detector)
•LED strip lights, 5m, cool white

And they're pupper approved!!

IMG_2190.JPG

This is the Drake safe I bought used, a year ago yesterday. It was ~20 years old. I redid the outside, but haven't done anything to the inside as far as cleaning. Moved the shelves down a little but that's it. Haven't even moved everything into it or figured out what to do about pistol or mag storage. Anyway...the install was <15 minutes. It was real quick for me compared to the TwangNBang version because my walls aren't lined with carpet or fabric. I was able to simply peel the backing off the light strip and stick it right to the wall.

Safe with overhead fluorescent on:

IMG_2191.JPG

Safe with overhead and current lighting solution, which is four of the dual cob light switches ($2.99/ea), each with 4AA batteries:

IMG_2192.JPG

Current lighting only:

IMG_2193.JPG

Three on one side:

IMG_2194.JPG

One on the other. Kinda need one lower as well, but it's annoying enough to flip all four on and off each time. Granted, I probably could only use one depending on what I'm after.

IMG_2195.JPG

New LED strip lighting, and no overhead:

IMG_2196.JPG

Here's the battery pack and the IR sensor:

IMG_2197.JPG

ETA: in case it isn't clear, the sensor is attached to the bottom of the shelf. It's ~1" wide and 1/4" thick and has two screws and two dots/holes on the face
 
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