Light for a gun safe

C

Chris W

Guest
I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf

I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.

Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
 
"Chris W" <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote in message
news:OZp6e.268$yO2.130@lakeread07...
I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf

I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.

Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
Click to expand...
Try this:
http://www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm


With your chosen device, what were you going to do with SHDN (the PWM
input)?
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that John Smith
<bill.gates@microsoft.com> wrote (in
<d3dfbd$7jp$1@newstree.wise.edt.ericsson.se>) about 'Light for a gun
safe', on Mon, 11 Apr 2005:
"Chris W" <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote in message
news:OZp6e.268$yO2.130@lakeread07...
I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf

I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.

Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com

Try this:
http://www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm


With your chosen device, what were you going to do with SHDN (the PWM
input)?


He says he wants to use it for dimming, using a photocell and a
Click to expand...
resistor. But the impedances are wrong for a CdS cell. He will need to
add at least a transistor (a FET would be indicated, because of the high
impedance of the CdS cell at low light levels) and associated resistors
to do that.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.
Click to expand...
---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?

--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer
 
"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:0l3l51lqpor20i649cmbh73vmn1ck25q9g@4ax.com...
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.

---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?
Click to expand...
Next to the Beer ;-)
 
John Fields wrote:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:



I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.



---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?



The gun safe is also a fire safe and I keep many things other than guns
Click to expand...
in there.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
 
John Woodgate wrote:

I read in sci.electronics.design that John Smith
bill.gates@microsoft.com> wrote (in
d3dfbd$7jp$1@newstree.wise.edt.ericsson.se>) about 'Light for a gun
safe', on Mon, 11 Apr 2005:


"Chris W" <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote in message
news:OZp6e.268$yO2.130@lakeread07...

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I
also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf

I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get
the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a
hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.

Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com


Try this:
http://www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm


With your chosen device, what were you going to do with SHDN (the PWM
input)?


He says he wants to use it for dimming, using a photocell and a
resistor. But the impedances are wrong for a CdS cell. He will need to
add at least a transistor (a FET would be indicated, because of the
high impedance of the CdS cell at low light levels) and associated
resistors to do that.
Click to expand...
How would I hook up the transistor to that chip? Can you recommend any
part numbers with data sheets I can look at?

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:14:12 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

John Fields wrote:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:



I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.



---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?



The gun safe is also a fire safe and I keep many things other than guns
in there.
Click to expand...
---
Well, in that case I suggest that you use a 7555 with one section
running as a fixed astable and the second section running like a
one-shot triggered off of the first one. Use an LDR as the second
one's timing resistor in order to vary its output pulse width, and get
your dimming function by driving your LED's in parallel through a
2N4403 driven by the Q output of the one-shot

Use a form "B" reed switch and a magnet to connect power to the
beastie and it only runs (draws _no_ quiescent current) when the door
is open.

Want a schematic?


--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer
 
Chris W wrote:
I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf
I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.
Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a cool, but over-the-top application.
I used to do a lot of this kind of stuff before I got old.
Now, I'd just put a flashlight inside on the shelf and use
the time I saved not building the light to go shooting ;-)
mike

--
Return address is VALID but some sites block emails
with links. Delete this sig when replying.
..
Wanted, PCMCIA SCSI Card for HP m820 CDRW.
FS 500MHz Tek DSOscilloscope TDS540 Make Offer
Wanted, 12.1" LCD for Gateway Solo 5300. Samsung LT121SU-121
Wanted 12" LCD for Compaq Armada 7770MT.
Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below.
MAKE THE OBVIOUS CHANGES TO THE LINK
ht<removethis>tp://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/
 
John Fields wrote:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:14:12 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:



John Fields wrote:



On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:





I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.




---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?





The gun safe is also a fire safe and I keep many things other than guns
in there.



---
Well, in that case I suggest that you use a 7555 with one section
running as a fixed astable and the second section running like a
one-shot triggered off of the first one. Use an LDR as the second
one's timing resistor in order to vary its output pulse width, and get
your dimming function by driving your LED's in parallel through a
2N4403 driven by the Q output of the one-shot

Use a form "B" reed switch and a magnet to connect power to the
beastie and it only runs (draws _no_ quiescent current) when the door
is open.

Want a schematic?



Sure but I wold also like to know why you are suggesting this over the
Click to expand...
chip I found.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
 
mike (spamme0@netscape.net) writes:
Chris W wrote:
I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries, I
want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data sheets
and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf
I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does someone
have a better suggestion? I am just getting into electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just look
through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.
Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more efficient
all the time, can some one give me a good source for some of the newest
most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this project, but I have
another project that will need a lot (around 100) and I don't want to
spend more than I have to. Also, both run on batteries, so the more
lumens per watt the better. Specifically I am looking for 5mm white,
red and green with a viewing angle of 45 to 60 degrees with maybe some
of the whites having a viewing angle of 30 degrees.


Sounds like a cool, but over-the-top application.
I used to do a lot of this kind of stuff before I got old.
Now, I'd just put a flashlight inside on the shelf and use
the time I saved not building the light to go shooting ;-)
mike
Click to expand...
I figured I was missing something, that there was some reason why
there had to be a fixed lamp inside, and that it had to come on as
the door opens.

Yes, I'd just put a good flashlight inside, maybe even putting a bit
of rope on it (or chain if you want to get fancy) to attach it to
the inside so it will be harder for the flashlight to go missing.

Michael
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 15:15:15 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

John Fields wrote:

---
Well, in that case I suggest that you use a 7555 with one section
running as a fixed astable and the second section running like a
one-shot triggered off of the first one. Use an LDR as the second
one's timing resistor in order to vary its output pulse width, and get
your dimming function by driving your LED's in parallel through a
2N4403 driven by the Q output of the one-shot

Use a form "B" reed switch and a magnet to connect power to the
beastie and it only runs (draws _no_ quiescent current) when the door
is open.

Want a schematic?



Sure but I wold also like to know why you are suggesting this over the
chip I found.
Click to expand...
---
Your way might be the way to go, but it seems like too much of a
hassle for me.

Inductor, special caps, Schottky, 1.2MHz, ground plane, PCB layout...

Plus you've gotta order all the stuff, probably from different places,
so in the end you'll have spent so much on it you'd _have_ to keep it
locked up in a safe!

--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer
 
John Fields <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in
news:0l3l51lqpor20i649cmbh73vmn1ck25q9g@4ax.com:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to deal
with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to 4 AA
alkalines.

---
Why not just keep your guns in a locking refrigerator?
Click to expand...
They make small battery-powered fluorescent lamps that use either 4 or 8 AA
alkalines,and are meant for installation in closets where there are no
power outlets.(they also have an external DC power jack for use with a
wallwart)
They're about $10 USD apiece.You can find them at Wal-Mart,Home Depot,or
Lowes.
It would be simple to install a normally open microswitch in parallel with
the existing switch so the open door turns on the lamp.

Alkalines will last 2-3 years in standby.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
 
Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote in news:CNz6e.282$yO2.204@lakeread07:

John Woodgate wrote:

I read in sci.electronics.design that John Smith
bill.gates@microsoft.com> wrote (in
d3dfbd$7jp$1@newstree.wise.edt.ericsson.se>) about 'Light for a gun
safe', on Mon, 11 Apr 2005:


"Chris W" <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote in message
news:OZp6e.268$yO2.130@lakeread07...

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open
the door. Since running power into the safe is more than I want to
deal with, it will have to be battery powered, I was thinking 2 to
4 AA alkalines. Four LEDs should give me the amount of light I
want. I also
want an automatic dimming, where the darker it is in the room the
dimmer the LEDs will be. Since this is going to run on batteries,
I want it to be as efficient as it can be. I went looking at data
sheets and found this,

http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/documents/32.pdf

I was thinking of putting a photo cell in parallel with a pot to
get the
value for Rset right Does this sound like a good plan or does
someone have a better suggestion? I am just getting into
electronics as a hobby
so I'm not too familiar with what all is out there, I mostly just
look through the Mouser and Digikey catalogs.

Also it is my understanding that they are making LED's more
efficient all the time, can some one give me a good source for some
of the newest most efficient LED's? I only need 4 for this
project, but I have another project that will need a lot (around
100) and I don't want to spend more than I have to. Also, both run
on batteries, so the more lumens per watt the better. Specifically
I am looking for 5mm white, red and green with a viewing angle of
45 to 60 degrees with maybe some of the whites having a viewing
angle of 30 degrees.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com


Try this:
http://www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm


With your chosen device, what were you going to do with SHDN (the
PWM input)?


He says he wants to use it for dimming, using a photocell and a
resistor. But the impedances are wrong for a CdS cell. He will need
to add at least a transistor (a FET would be indicated, because of
the high impedance of the CdS cell at low light levels) and
associated resistors to do that.

How would I hook up the transistor to that chip? Can you recommend
any part numbers with data sheets I can look at?
Click to expand...
You could try Linear Technology's LT1932;6 parts and it will run up to 10
white LEDs from a variety of battery voltages.It's a SMD circuit,can be
made very small,about the size of two pennies stacked together.(excluding
the LEDs.) I made one to run 4 LEDS for a 2 AA flashlight.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:48:21 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:


I just did some checking and it looks like digikey has the parts I need
and I was going to just use a Digikey PN 33206CA-ND to connect the
SOT-23-6 package to a generic prototype board. I'm guessing from what
you are saying it won't work very well that way, am I missing something?
Click to expand...
---
Not at all. Sounds like you've got it all under control. Go for it!

Matter of fact, that way is way more efficient than mine, so you ought
to get longer battery life.


--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:48:21 -0500,
Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote
in Msg. <%NF6e.288$yO2.27@lakeread07>

I just did some checking and it looks like digikey has the parts I need
and I was going to just use a Digikey PN 33206CA-ND to connect the
SOT-23-6 package to a generic prototype board. I'm guessing from what
you are saying it won't work very well that way, am I missing something?
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm off-topic because this is an *electronics* newsgroup, but what's
wrong with a normally-closed microswitch mounted such that it is depressed
when the door is closed? You can glue the switch to one of those crazy
magnets out of a harddrive and stick that into the safe behind the door --
a non-invasive and adjustable solution.

--Daniel
 
Daniel Haude wrote:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:48:21 -0500,
Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote
in Msg. <%NF6e.288$yO2.27@lakeread07



I just did some checking and it looks like digikey has the parts I need
and I was going to just use a Digikey PN 33206CA-ND to connect the
SOT-23-6 package to a generic prototype board. I'm guessing from what
you are saying it won't work very well that way, am I missing something?



Maybe I'm off-topic because this is an *electronics* newsgroup, but what's
wrong with a normally-closed microswitch mounted such that it is depressed
when the door is closed? You can glue the switch to one of those crazy
magnets out of a harddrive and stick that into the safe behind the door --
a non-invasive and adjustable solution.

--Daniel


I guess I wasn't clear. I want the dimming feature because when it is
Click to expand...
dark and your eyes are adjusted to the dark you don't need as bright of
a light to see with, and don't want a blinding light when you open the
door. I am still planing on using a door switch of some kind to turn
the thing completely off when the door is shut.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com
 
On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 11:43:57 -0500, Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote:

Daniel Haude wrote:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:48:21 -0500,
Chris W <1qazse4@cox.net> wrote
in Msg. <%NF6e.288$yO2.27@lakeread07



I just did some checking and it looks like digikey has the parts I need
and I was going to just use a Digikey PN 33206CA-ND to connect the
SOT-23-6 package to a generic prototype board. I'm guessing from what
you are saying it won't work very well that way, am I missing something?



Maybe I'm off-topic because this is an *electronics* newsgroup, but what's
wrong with a normally-closed microswitch mounted such that it is depressed
when the door is closed? You can glue the switch to one of those crazy
magnets out of a harddrive and stick that into the safe behind the door --
a non-invasive and adjustable solution.

--Daniel


I guess I wasn't clear. I want the dimming feature because when it is
dark and your eyes are adjusted to the dark you don't need as bright of
a light to see with, and don't want a blinding light when you open the
door. I am still planing on using a door switch of some kind to turn
the thing completely off when the door is shut.
Click to expand...
---
Make sure the LEDs don't shine on the dimming sensor!

--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:48:42 -0500, Chris W wrote:

I want to put a light in my gun safe that will come one when I open the
door. --
Click to expand...
How about one of these?
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/shfibrtapli.html

Cheers!
Rich
------
There was a young gaucho named Bruno
Who said, "There is one thing I do know,
Women are fine
And children devine,
But the llama is numero uno."
 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:21:23 +0000, Michael Black wrote:

Yes, I'd just put a good flashlight inside, maybe even putting a bit of
rope on it (or chain if you want to get fancy) to attach it to the
inside so it will be harder for the flashlight to go missing.
Click to expand...
"Go Missing?" How many people have access to this "safe?" If people are
breaking into OPs safe and stealing stuff, an automagical lamp isn't
going to have much effect.
--
Cheers!
Rich
------
'Tis a custom in Castellamare
To fuck in the back of a lorry.
The chassis and springs
Are like woodwinds and strings
In the midst of a musical soiree.
 
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