Install lighting in wardrobe

[Thomaswharper]

Hi, grateful for any help or advice.

I currently have a light installed in my bedroom wardrobe, connected to a single light switch.

I would like to rewire it so that I have a 'push' light switch (sorry - not sure what they are called but just like a light on a refrigerator) so that every time I open the sliding door the light comes on. I would like this on both sides of the wardrobe so that when either door is opened then the light would come on, but at the same time maintaining control of the light from the 'master' single light switch so I could turn both switches at the doors off.

Any help or advice on how to wire this is appreciated, and also the best place to obtain these switches.

 

[regsmyth]

I think you need to establish whether you have a permanent live feed at the existing switch or at the light fitting. That's the easy bit.
I fear this could get quite involved...
I'm sure you can get "pressure switches" of one description or another, that you could fit into your sliding door, but what happens when, with one door open, and the light on, you open the other door. Do the lights go off?
Crikey, I'd stick with the existing set up and learn more about electronics before revisiting this.
Well you did ask for ANY help. Not sure if this could be described as helping though.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As long as you can find a suitable door-operated switch for sliding doors it's no problem.

I've got hinged doors on my wardrobe, 3 pairs, and inside 6 switches and 6 slim T4 fluorescent luminaires.

Power comes off a socket circuit via a switched FCU, and then for each pair of lights I have the following switches in parallel, so that any of them will operate the lights - the two door switches and 1 gang of a 3-gang plateswitch on the wall inside the wardrobe at one end. It just needs any of the 3 switches to close to turn on a pair of lights, but all 3 must be open for the lights to go off.

i.e. now for each pair of doors if I open either one, both lights come on, or I can have both on with the doors closed. I did this because they are louvre doors, and I thought it might be nice to have light filtering through, but I don't use that feature very often.

I think you need to establish whether you have a permanent live feed at the existing switch or at the light fitting. That's the easy bit.

It's even easier than that - Thomas wants to retain the switch as a way to defeat the operation of the lights, so all he needs to do is to find the switched live from the existing switch.

I fear this could get quite involved...

Not at all.

Switched live from existing switch (normally always on) to 2 door switches in parallel and then to the light.

what happens when, with one door open, and the light on, you open the other door. Do the lights go off?

No - they stay on - the door switches are 1-way jobbies, wired in parallel, not a 2-way switching circuit.

Crikey, I'd stick with the existing set up and learn more about electronics before revisiting this.

No electronics needed.

 

[Thomaswharper]

Thanks for that guys.

Ban,

Trying to put in into my laymans terms. All I need to do is run the switches in parallel from the live in my 'master' switch to the pressure switches on either side of the door and then to the light from there?

Any idea where to get the sort of switches I need?

Thanks for all help, greatly appreciated.

 

[breezer]

the swiitches will be your problem, becuse the doors a re sliding.

normally you would use a switch with a wheel, pressing in the wheel operates the switch. you can get moicro switches woth lever /wheel, but they need fixing and are not ideal.

the problem with the wheel is it may / will mark the doors over time

 

[Thomaswharper]

Thanks for that.

Yeh - thought that would be a problem - been looking but can't see them anywhere. Trying to find a 'plunger' sort of switch so that when the door is closed, the plunger is in and the circuit broken and when the door is then opened, the plunger comes up, connecting the circuit.

Thanks for help - guess I'll keep looking lol