DIY LED mirror?

[Ian H]

I found a mirror at IKEA that's the perfect size for an opening I have and only £20.

I thought of mounting in on s frame and putting a 3mtr strip of white LED's around it.

This is all an afterthought and before the room outside the toilet was plastered I drilled a hole and put a cable from the switch to behind the mirror like this:

Some of he LED kits look to come with a laptop charger sized power supply with 3pin plug, is there something else more suitable?

Or is this a waste of time due to the power for the lights being in the ceiling and not at the switch?

 

[Ian H]

This is the sort of thing I was thinking about:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272479053034

 

[omega015]

Can you get a cable between the switch and mirror (where the drill bit is) ok? or is there one in place that cannot be removed? Can you get a cable between the switch and the ceiling/loft space? If you can do that then have a transformer/controller in the ceiling/loft space and then run the power cable down to the mirror from there.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Christmas tree lights?

 

[Ian H]

I've put a wire where the drill bit was, I doubt it could be removed.

I think I would be able to get another down to the switch if I lifted the floor above it.

I was hoping with the wire from the switch to the mirror that it could come on with the ceiling light, as long as the LED's are not too bright.


This all started when my missus said 'Infinity Mirror' and 'Only £250' ha ha!!!

We don't have much luck with Christmas lights on the tree, never mind in the bathroom

 

[Gerrydelasel]

We don't have much luck with Christmas lights on the tree, never mind in the bathroom

Eh? I mean LEDs not you're granny's old bulbs!

 

[omega015]

Are you able to knock out/chase into that breeze block behind the mirror? If so you could possibly create a gap for the transformer/controller to go into. The concern then could be heat dissipation and moisture (unless its a sealed unit).

 

[Ian H]

I could open up a block, there is only a small wash basin and toilet in there, no shower or bath.

I'll have a look at the led Christmas ones and see if any will suit.

Thanks for the help so far

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Some of he LED kits look to come with a laptop charger sized power supply with 3pin plug, is there something else more suitable?

I can't work out what you find unsuitable about an external power supply...

 

[mattylad]

Perhaps that it needs to be plugged into a socket, sticks out and is hardwired into the wall.

I'd look for a PSU that provides more than the required current so that it does not run so hot, mount it inside however make sure that the mirror can be removed to access it if it ever fails.
Or get one that will fit in a deep double socket back box and have that outside with a blanking plate over it.

Try the LED strips around the mirror before you go too far as you may find them too bright, perhaps diffuse them with some plastic strip in front.

 

[Ian H]

I can't work out what you find unsuitable about an external power supply...

As Mattylad says really, they are bulky. The one I linked had a plug and a very small 'box', they seem to be 240v specific too.

I was hoping to put a 20mm ish thick gloss white frame behind the mirror and attach the LED's to that.

 

[garyo]

I'm not sure exactly what effect you're after but I used some 240v LED battens from screwfix for a similar project a couple of years ago. They were around 20mm deep at the shallow dimension and just needed wiring it. It depends if 20mm is too much stand-off for your mirror glass?

 

[Ian H]

20mm would be bang on, cheers, I'll have a look at screw fix. The mirror is 960x600mm.

 

[garyo]

It was this kind of thing. I glue gunned a couple of them to the back of a mirror so that they faced sideways and then cabled them to an FCU elsewhere in the room. Technically you wouldn't be able to use these specific ones in some parts of a bathroom because they're only IP20:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/robus-led-cabinet-strip-lights-white/22115

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As Mattylad says really, they are bulky. The one I linked had a plug and a very small 'box',

Cut the cables, extend them, and put the supply in the ceiling void.

Or buy one like this, and provide your own cables, and put it in the ceiling void.

they seem to be 240v specific too.

A power supply which won't work on our voltage won't be of any use to you.