Light for a gun safe

Try this:

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

I read in sci.electronics.design that John Smith wrote (in ) about 'Light for a gun safe', on Mon, 11 Apr 2005:

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.

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

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

How would I hook up the transistor to that chip? Can you recommend any part numbers with data sheets I can look at?

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

Next to the Beer ;-)

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

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?

John Fields wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

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.

Chris W wrote in news:CNz6e.282$yO2.204@lakeread07:

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.

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:48:21 -0500, Chris W wrote in Msg.

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.

How about one of these?

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."