Idea for a light switch

[Gary Puckett]

How are some of you guys setting up a switch for your cabinet lights?

Wanting to put rope light behind the face frames on an entertainment center need some ideas for a switch,really don,t want to put a box with a wall switch in the cabinet.

Thanks Gary

[Neal Meyers Jr]

Having not seen the cabinet, maybe try finding a push button switch from one of the big box stores and hide it behind a floating Rosette on the cabinet. Just a thought.

Much Luck

Neal Jr
Euharlee Woodshop
White Ga.

[DanEpps]

I have used some LV lighting before with a surface-mount touch switch mounted in an unseen location behind the face frame. One I like has three levels of light intensity--one tap, low light, another tap for medium, another tap for bright and one more tap for off.

[Gary Puckett]

Dan,

I think thats the way I'm going to go. They have one at Rockler, just don't know if Rope Light is dimable

Gary

[Gary Puckett]

Neal,

Thanks for the input but there is no rosets on this project


Gary

[DanEpps]

Dan,

I think thats the way I'm going to go. They have one at Rockler, just don't know if Rope Light is dimable

Gary

You can probably pick up a switch at Home Depot or Lowes to save the shipping cost and allow you to test it more quickly. Rope lighting should be dimable as the switch just reduces the power supplied to the lights.

The switch has a transformer that will also have to be hidden but it isn't too large. If the center is not a built-in you could place it on the back or top. If it is built-in you could place it behind a drawer box that has been shortened.

[Gary Puckett]

Dan

I'm lucky have a Rockler about 8-10 miles from me.

Still trying to figure out posting a link.
Wanting to show Neal the project for the lights. It is posted as my first one in customer images.

Gary

[DanEpps]

Cool!!! They do have a little better selection, eh?

For posting the link, do this:

1. Open the thread you want to link to.
2. Click once in the address bar of the browser to select the URL.
3. Press ctrl-C to copy the URL into the paste buffer.
4. Open the thread you want to post the link into and click the reply button.
5. Press ctrl-V to paste the URL copied earlier.
6. Highlight the entire URL you just pasted by positioning the cursor at the beginning and holding the left mouse button while dragging to the end of the URL.
7. With the URL selected, click the URL button above the reply text area.

link3.jpg (48.18 KiB) Viewed 8482 times

8. Edit the URL tags by replacing the first ] with =
9. Place a new ] just before the [ in the closing URL tag.
10. Place the text you want displayed in the link between the newly added ] and the [ in the closing URL tag.
11. Click the Submit button.

[Peter Walsh]

Light switches should always consider the local electrical code. This is an important liability issue for you as the builder of the cabs. You will be named in any recovery suit for a fire in that area, count on it.
I deal with this issue by always designing in a fluted pilaster board between cab sections that is about 3.5" wide. This allows for a regular electrical box, switch and cover. Wouldn't do it any other way. The 3.5" spacing also allows for an electrical box to be cut into the side of the cab next to the pilaster as well, somewhat concealing the switch behind a face frame edge if you don't want it in front. I've done both, and sleep well at nights.
You can see samples of this on my web site link below.

With regard for any low-voltage transformers, I place those behind a removable section of the kick panel plugged into a code compliant outlet for the transformer to plug into. Since all this stuff is made in China, I garantee it will need replacing. Concealed electrical items which are not accessable are a code violation. Costs associated with code compliant electrical components are negligible in the overall project costs.

Best of luck with the project.
regards,

[Gary Puckett]

Thanks Peter for the idea but the job is installed and the lights are in.
Went and used a touch pad for the switch, easy to change if it goes out and very low profile for easy accessiblity.

Gary