# closet sensor



## craigdj87 (Oct 11, 2016)

Hello,

I have a contractor that wants the closet light to come on when the door opens and there is a change in light level because the door just opened. He does not want a jamb switch. He says he has used this type of sensor in the past. It is not a motion sensor. There is no room for a motion sensor. Very small closet. Anybody have any ideas on the type of sensor this it?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Tell him to show you what the heck he wants... I don't know of any such thing but a ceiling occupancy sensor works well.


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## bostonPedro (Nov 14, 2017)

Possibly a magnetic door switch like this one from GE 
https://www.amazon.com/GE-12752-Wireless-Door-Entry-Grounded/dp/B014W6Q5CE 


2 parts align on the door like in a security system and when the door is opened it turns on a plug via a RF signal. I suppose it could be used inside a closet if you used a plug in type light although its marketed as an entry light sensor with security in mind
Check if its legal though because to be honest I really dont know if plug lights are legal in a closet 
Edit......
Also Home Depot sells them so it just may be this unit just used in a different manner than its marketed towards. I could actually see someone ie homeowner wondering around in HD looking for a sensor to control a closet light and saying let me try this in a closet  
A reviewer on Amazon uses it to turn on a pantry light but then complains because its programmed to stay on for a period of time and doesn't shut off immediately when the door is closed.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

craigdj87 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have a contractor that wants the closet light to come on when the door opens and there is a change in light level because the door just opened.


That would be a photocell - like usually used in a dawn-dusk. I am sure you could make it kind of work for a closet but it wouldn't be on my top 10 ways to do this. Maybe not on the top 50.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

What do you mean when you say that there is no room for a motion sensor?

They make wall or ceiling mountable sensors. Or you can just get a light with built in sensor made for this exact purpose: 









https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...cy-Sensor-Lampholder-White-9864-LED/206739623


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> That would be a photocell - like usually used in a dawn-dusk. I am sure you could make it kind of work for a closet


How do you do that?


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> How do you do that?


You could go billy-bob and use a regular line voltage dawn-dusk, mount it so it is not illuminated by the lights in the closet with the door closed. 

You could probably find an alternating relay, aka a flip-flop relay, that would switch on and off on a pulse from a photocell. 

You could put the photocell on a programmable controller as an analog input and make it do whatever you want. 

All making a mountain out of a molehill, 99% sure the contractor is confused about what he wants and what he used last time and what will fit in the closet.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> You could go billy-bob and use a regular line voltage dawn-dusk, mount it so it is not illuminated by the lights in the closet with the door closed.


 That would turn it on when the door is closed and off when the door opens.

The other stuff is poopoo.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> That would turn it on when the door is closed and off when the door opens.
> 
> The other stuff is poopoo.


You'd just add a relay to reverse it. 

They are ALL poopoo. 

The thing to do is straighten out the contractor, you go down a bad road when you let the amateur be the expert.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> You'd just add a relay to reverse it.


 Sure. But then it becomes poopoo as well.

Unless you put the photocell in the bedroom and mount it so that when the door opens it opens right up against the eye and covers it, turning the light on.

:glasses:


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> Sure. But then it becomes poopoo as well.
> 
> Unless you put the photocell in the bedroom and mount it so that when the door opens it opens right up against the eye and covers it, turning the light on.
> 
> :glasses:


That's pretty good, some kind of follower mechanism, maybe spring loaded but maybe hydraulic, so the photoeye meets the shutter within a couple inches and rides back as the door is opened fully. I like it. 

Maybe you could build some kind of generator into a third hinge on the closet door with a real high gearing so that the energy created opening the door energizes the light. That would be really green, energy savings would pay for the whole job.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I’ll have to try out one of those levitons Hack linked to at HD.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

If a customer wants a magic gizmo, he can supply it. We have all been there, wasting our time looking for something that somebody's brother in law's neihbour found at the dollar store ten years ago.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> You could go billy-bob and use a regular line voltage dawn-dusk, mount it so it is not illuminated by the lights in the closet with the door closed.
> 
> You could probably find an alternating relay, aka a flip-flop relay, that would switch on and off on a pulse from a photocell.
> 
> ...


Far too much work for a closet light.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

That costs two dollars, lasts forever, made well, doesn't need any modification to work, blah, blah, blah....


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

nrp3 said:


> I’ll have to try out one of those levitons Hack linked to at HD.


Leviton also makes it with that small little compact fluorescent bulb. I have installed a lot of those in the past, you can get them with a pull chain too.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

With the GU-10 base if I remember. Like those where ceiling clearance is low and you might hit your head on the bulbs.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HackWork said:


> Leviton also makes it with that small little compact fluorescent bulb. I have installed a lot of those in the past, you can get them with a pull chain too.


I think they discontinued that in favor of the LED version.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MTW said:


> I think they discontinued that in favor of the LED version.


AFAIK they only make the LED with a motion detector. :vs_mad:


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

We use them all the time and haven't had a failure yet. 
On the other hand there is always room for a motion detector. Plus most have an ambient light sensor I think.


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

normally closed microswitch and led lamp
simple its just a closet


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

I have used these recently and clients seem to like them; easy to install too.

http://rabdesign.ca/product/space-lite/

Cheers
John


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## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)

A photocell is not instantaneous. A cieling or wall mount occupancy sensor is what is needed here.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

You could also use a fixed beam sensor setup, but the beam generator side and the receiver both need a power source and a relay or some sort of electronics to translate the opening of a NC contact in the beam sensor receiver upon beam break into a light turning on. Check at ADI for the package.


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