PROJECT #7 Pantry Light and Outlet
BEFORE
The pantry in the new house is narrow, deep and dark. We've had to keep a flashlight handy to look for things in the back.
It's obvious we needed a light. |
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During
The idea for the light came from a post on a DIY site where the guy used LED lights. Rather than wire the lights directly into the house electrical, as he had, I opted for putting an outlet in the pantry so that, should the need arise, the light can more easily replaced. Here is the wall behind the pantry, where we will tap into the outlet in the bedroom. We cut a hole to run the wire to a new outlet box in the pantry. The wire is run and connected. And, of course, the wall is repaired with drywall, sanded and repainted. For ease of installation, I opted for a ready made LED light set. I also wanted the door to control the light, so I added in a reed switch. In my research, I discovered that the reed switch is only rated to 500 mA and the system runs at 1500mA or 1.5Amps. This necessitated the inclusion of a 12 volt relay to keep the switch from burning out. The black box is included to hold the relay and all wiring to prevent any issues with stocking or late night raids in the pantry. Once the wiring is completed, the relay is installed in the project box on the wall beneath the new outlet. |
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After
Here is the completed project, nice and bright in the pantry. (The wire you see is for the reed switch and is about to be attached to the wall with tape to keep it also from being being caught on anything during late night snack raids. To prevent issues with the plug, I added in a 'child proof' cover. Project completed on 4/27/2022 |