Lighting for gun safes

Madisonian

Madisonian

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I just bought a gun safe but passed on the lighting upgrade because I thought it was just way too much money - reminded me of the old car dealer floor mat thing.

That said, I liked the fluorescent setup in the Fort Knox safe on display - five slim fluorescent fixtures, two left, two right, one above - wired daisy chain, i.e., "linked" fashion. There was a door switch, like a refrigerator light switch.

The plastic frames of the light fixtures was black, with clear plastic covers for the bulbs. I'm guessing the tubes were 18 to 24 inches.

Any ideas on where to get these? Any other ideas on a "deluxe" safe lighting setup?

Thanks,

M
 
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For about $100 I bought an LED kit from these folks:

18W LED Flexible Cable Strip Lighting Kit with Dimmer - Kits - LED Flexible Cable Strip Lighting - LED Lighting e-conolight

Home Cheapo has a smaller kit with the same basic technology, but fewer feet of cable. I paid extra for the dimmer but in hindsight probably didn't need it. Figured out where I wanted to run the lights, ordered a few extra connectors. Worked well.. you can't see the lights unless you stick your head in the safe, but everything inside is lit up pretty well. Very easy to install.

I ran two strips up each side (one facing rearward, one facing across) and one strip across the top, all chained together. No door switch (though that's possible). Small pushbutton under one shelf if I need the light.

Here's a few crappy pictures to give you an idea. One with the lights off showing how the corners/connections are made. One of the dimmer/pushbutton switch, and one to show overall light level on full blast.

sf1.jpg sf2.jpg sf3.jpg
 
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Liberty makes a motion LED safe light. Cabelas sells them for about $40. You might be able to find them cheaper elsewhere. I have been thinking about adding some light to mine for a while, but haven't figured out just which way I want to go. I do like the strip of LEDs that was posted above.
 
I did get a look at the LED lights and the Knox kit in large safes at Eastern Security and there is no comparison with the amount of light given off by the fluorescent system (Knox). Damn expensive however.

Ironically I saw the LED kit at Cabela's in ME back last Fall (hanging on a card, so I wanted to see them in a real safe) and the kit was ~$150, certainly not cheap.

Other than jury-rigging wiring, it certainly is a lot cheaper to DIY, but probably a PITA to find all the parts and keep it small and out of the way (shielded bulbs too to try to prevent breakage when a errant barrel might hit it).
 
I have the portable version on top of my safe, whip it on my head to look inside, I'm such a caveman.

Z
image01.jpg
 
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I did the LED lights as well and put a switch in the clicks on and off when the door opens--geek level 10!. Like others I put the lights up high so you don't see them and they have a nice diffused light.

There's an old thread somewhere on NES with more photos (not of mine).
 
I bought some stick on led lights from Lowe's. They work great. They run on AA batteries and obviously only go on when I need them.
 
ntomsw said:
I bought some stick on led lights from Lowe's. They work great. They run on AA batteries and obviously only go on when I need them.
Click to expand...

I found that stick on lights wouldn't stay stuck. After trying that for a while, I got a rope light from Home Depot and put it along the rim that the door closes into. Works great, very cheap, and is well lit. Outside of the safe, I ran a single switch to operate the light outlet, while the Golden Rod works off the other "always on" outlet.
 
SeanT said:
I found that stick on lights wouldn't stay stuck. After trying that for a while, I got a rope light from Home Depot and put it along the rim that the door closes into. Works great, very cheap, and is well lit. Outside of the safe, I ran a single switch to operate the light outlet, while the Golden Rod works off the other "always on" outlet.
Click to expand...

You and me both. If on the walls, they fell off ripping the wallboard liner in the safe. I put some in a couple of closets too and they fell off there too.
 
I ran a length of rope light around the inside perimeter of the door frame, lights up the inside really well.

You can buy the basic kit at Home Depot or Lowes for around $15
 
If I pick the right rope light and leave it on all the time, why also a goldenrod? Current draw from a small goldenrod is 12 watts, about the same as 22 feet of white LED rope light, or 1 foot of incandescent rope light if you want a concentrated heat source for better circulation.
 
get some short self taping screws and just screw the clips into the carpet liner. if you don't have the right clips get cable holders in the plastic "q" shape--they're really cheap.

I got my stuff at You-do-it but the roller door switch was well worth the effort. get switch, a little project box, the right connectors and presto.

like

McMaster-Carr
 
LenS said:
I did get a look at the LED lights and the Knox kit in large safes at Eastern Security and there is no comparison with the amount of light given off by the fluorescent system (Knox). Damn expensive however.
Click to expand...

Yes! That's why I started this thread. I just bought a large safe from them, a Summit Denali DS-40, and the light option that was supposedly included was a single, 18" LED strip. I was shown the five-tube fluorescent setup in the Fort Knox, and then a five-strip LED setup in another safe, and decided I had to have a fluorescent setup.

I was told a fluorescent setup as in the Fort Know would be $350, installed. I examined it and couldn't see who made the fixtures. I just found what I think is essentially the same thing, the Lights of America 23" linkable fluorescent light. They were only $10 each! I plan on using self-stik Velcro, the hook side, to adhere then to the safe's carpet lining. The base of the fixture is 7/8", and you can get 6' rolls of 3/4' Velcro. I figure that if the entire length of the fixture is lined with Velcro is should hold.

I plan on making a door-actuated switch. I'll wait until after the safe is delivered, but I'm thinking a momentary contact SPST metal pushbutton rated for 125v and 6A. The five tubes will draw about 0.5A. The most expeditious installation would be to just drill the door jamb for the switch and fabricate a metal box for the back side. I might also look into a magnetic reed switch, and stick a strong magnet to the door.

So, thanks for all the replies so far. Interesting topic.
 
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$350 for lights alone! WTF!

LED rope lights are the way to go, not just because they're cheap but because they're diffused light--not glaring florescent. Consider that when it's zero dark thirty and you need to open your safe you don't want a search light blinding you! One rope of LED is all I need day or night (you need LESS at night).

switch, box, connectors, bend lever to fit, done.
 
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Having just bought the Knox lighting kit, here's what the contents are.

Ningbo Yongguang Lighting Appliance Co. Ltd.

Model YGLLA100 16W, 120V/60Hz, 180mA (each tube). Uses T4 6400K bulbs.

Also contains a switch and outlet installed in a box to attach to the safe.

T4 Strip Cabinet Light,View Cabinet lamp,YG Product Details from Ningbo Yongguang Lighting Appliance Co., Ltd. on Alibaba.com

Roger suggested installation with Scotch Extreme Mounting Tape (holds up to 20#), available at Home Depot. <---- See ETA BELOW!

I think you'd need a very large group buy to get them from the mfr and import them to the US! Google doesn't find them nor does Amazon (but there may be 2 similar models here).

ETA: The tape will NOT work on the velour surface used in some safes. It will fall off, as I found out ~3 days after installation. I had to go back and drill/screw in the clips.
 
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Thanks for the info on the Knox kit. I'm pretty happy with the Lights of America fixtures, and I think they are essentially the same thing. All that remains is to develop a switch solution, which shouldn't be tough.

About the bright white light when in a nightime emergency comment, this is not my "go to" vault for that circumstance, but if it were I'd look into red gel filters for the fluorescent tubes to preserve night vision.
 
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Wired mine up with rope lights and a proximity sensor. Has 120v inside for my dehumidifier. Ill get better pics after work.

Sent from my mom's basement. Using Samsung GSIII
 

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ntomsw said:
I bought some stick on led lights from Lowe's. They work great. They run on AA batteries and obviously only go on when I need them.
Click to expand...

I put two inside my safe so far (one LED in each). Takes 3 AAA batteries and you push it to turn on/off. Gives me enough light to do what I need. I might get another package and install another one, or two. I put them on the inside of the top of the safe. If they bases don't stick, after a while (which I suspect won't be the case), then I'll just use some hot glue on them and call it a day. I like the fact that they run on batteries, so no cords run out the safe. Means I have no worries with having power (or no power) where the safe is.
 
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Golddiggie said:
I put two inside my safe so far (one LED in each). Takes 3 AAA batteries and you push it to turn on/off. Gives me enough light to do what I need. I might get another package and install another one, or two. I put them on the inside of the top of the safe. If they bases don't stick, after a while (which I suspect won't be the case), then I'll just use some hot glue on them and call it a day. I like the fact that they run on batteries, so no cords run out the safe. Means I have no worries with having power (or no power) where the safe is.
Click to expand...
You might want to consider bringing power into your safe, to at least run a dehumidifier, which is actually a very low power heating element that drives moisture off. Many high-end safes come with a power port, with an IEC C14 male connector on the outside, same as found on computers or monitors, and a NEMA 5-15 receptacle inside, which is the standard grounding (3 prong) receptacle for 120V AC in the US and Canada. If you're handy you can retrofit this setup, else just drill a hole and fit with a grommet for a cord.
 

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