Light in gun safe

[Im283]

I would like to put some kind of light in my safe. My safe is about 60 inches high and 26 inches wide, 22 inches deep or there-abouts. There is a small hole in the rear for electric for a de-humidifier rod, i just use a desicant can.

Has anyone put a light in theirs? What did you use and how did you do it?

I am thinking some kind of relatively soft light, maybe the tiny white Christmas tree lights????

Thanks

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Two of these type things: http://www.lightworld.com/ritelite/details.asp?id=99941972

That price is high, they are 2 for $15 at Costco.

 

[allank]

Or buy a rope light (eg for under cabinets) from your local hardware store and run up the side, across the top and down the other side. Plug it into a small power strip with a switch and route the power cable via a small hole at the back of the safe. This works brilliantly You get light on every shelf. Just ensure you have sufficient closure space against the sides for the door.

[This was not my original idea – I read it somewhere else on THR last year when]

 

[ZeSpectre]

I stuck a set of these inside mine. Works pretty well.

 

[ftierson]

I just wire in a standard outlet with about a six foot cord to plug into a wall outlet in the house and then plug in a nightlight using a 7 watt bulb into the outlet in the safe interior...

I place the outlet on the under side of the shelf at the top of the safe near the front so that it lights up the interior of the safe.

Since I live in a dry climate, I use it mostly for light (but it does help for dryness too, of course)...

Forrest

 

[Lucas_Y]

You could run a string of 1.5 or 3 watt LEDs around the perimeter of the door frame, pointed towards the back of the safe. Simple on/off switch mounted on the interior. This setup would be unnoticeable until turned on if done properly. Or take the easy way around and use clear rope light setup in the same fashion. You could even run the rope light around the top of the safe if desired.

 

[Im283]

I like the rope light idea, it seems similar to my idea of using Christmas tree lights. I even think we have a length of rope light around here from another project. the light would be sufficient to see and would not be overly bright.

Now as for the hole in the back wall of the safe, it already exists but I am unsure how to access it. Do I drill through the drywall material inside the safe or does that back panel remove for access to the hole?

 

[RubenZ]

http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/stick_n_click.html?gid=



I agree, just use those. No need to wire anything etc.

 

[Mal H]

I use the Stick n Clicks also (previously Tap Lights). It would have been very simple to run an AC cord in there and use whatever light I wished. Then I was thinking when would be the most obvious time I will definitely need light inside the safe - when the electricity is off. Of course, keeping a flashlight handy around the safe is another solution to that particular problem, so it's not a show stopper.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Get one of those stick-on battery-powered "closet lights" and refresh the battery every so often (depending on how much you turn it on).

 

[Popov]

Another "Stick-n-Click" user here. I have some kind of multi-LED light of the same design. I stuck 2 in my safe and it's plenty bright enough to see what I'm doing. Also, with the LED the batteries last nearly forever (with normal use), so that's not a huge concern.

Popov

 

[Steel Talon]

FWIW ..

I've found with most "stick on" adhesives is that eventually the sticky strength will waine and the light will fall from place. At least in my part of AZ it does..

What I found at the "Family Dollar" store were small coleman style 4AA battery lanterns with a solid click stop on/off knob They have a plastic lid cover that I removed from the top. They are very bright.

In my safe I have a "mirrored" cover in the back of the safe, which gives excellent reflective light Vey Bright. I use three of them ( top, mid and bottom ) works well


Peace
Steel Talon

 

[dawgtraxx]

stick n click here also

 

[Aries-]

i wouldent want to drill holes in my safe. it kinda removes the fire resistant part of the safe having holes in it. and something flamable running like a wick into the inside of the safe.

id go with some of the little stick on lights. put one on each shelf or so. you just press them in the center and they have 4 or 5 high powered LED's that create an enormus ammount of light.

 

[wrc]

Magnets

I put a small 9" fluorescent plastic light fixture in my safe. I don't have holes to run cords through (nor do I want to drill), so I plug it in when I have it open and need more light.

I used small neodymium magnets glued to the light's case to mount it in the safe. It's easy to position wherever I need the light.

 

[ChopperKen]

I used two 12" fluorescent lights from wallmart (the kind that plug into eachother),One over the pistol shelf and the other under it for the long guns. Ran a power wire in the hole to a fridge switch mounted on the hinge side of the door opening and hooked the power wire from the lights to it.
It comes on when I open the safe and a friend said it goes out when shut(he trusted me not to lock him in).
Ken

 

[MudPuppy]

Peel and stick for me too--don't want to be fumbling for a specific AK when the electricity is out.

 

[ke6guj]

i wouldent want to drill holes in my safe. it kinda removes the fire resistant part of the safe having holes in it. and something flamable running like a wick into the inside of the safe.

Umm, many safes already have a hole drilled in them for you to run lights or a dehumidifier.

 

[Aries-]

ke6guj: and are they still rated as fire proof/resistant ?

ive personaly never seen a safe with holes drilled in it for power cords and ive looked at quite a few.

 

[ke6guj]

I meant safe as in Residential Security Container, such as Liberty, Browning, Fort Knox, etc. All of those are offered as fire rated. The "real" safes may not be set up that way.

My Liberty Lincoln safe has a hole at the bottom (hole was there at delivery) for a power cord for a dehumidifer. It is a small hole, just larger than the cord. The plug won't fit through so the dehumidifiers have it so that the plug is installed after the cord is run through the hole.

I see that Fort Knox, Browning, and others sell light kits and dehumidifiers. I'd ASSume that they have that hole pre-drilled.

 

[Sheldon J]

+1 on the rope light, you can find them on sale for few bucks, at least I did. Just tuck them in the recess around the door frame or buy self adhesive cable ties from Radio Shack, now if you want to get fancy install a micro switch so the light turns on just like the fridge when you open the door.

 

[lee n. field]

There is a small hole in the rear for electric for a de-humidifier rod, i just use a desicant can.

Two birds, one light. A small incandescent light will serve as well as an electric dessicant rod.