Asking the collective for interior LED light on timer

[Deschodt]

Weird use case... There's a blind spot inside my house at the bottom of a staircase. That location is not easily wired to the other lights that light up the top of the stairs. I need to add a light source down there (kids won't go by themselves otherwise, that dark) that is battery powered, on when it's dark or on a timer...
Right now we rely on an Echo dot for Alexa to turn on a nearby light but it's hit and miss...

Most LEDs are motion sensitive (won't help, need light before we get in range to convinve the kiddos it's all good down there). There are a couple remote operated (hmm, second choice, losing the remote). Ideally I need one that can be programmed on a timer (ON from 6PM to 10PM regardless of motion) or worst case just when it's dark (which is most of the time). Anyone heard of such an animal ?

It's a clear miss from the remodel, trust me I would wire but it's on a different floor altogether than the starits switch, and would have to cut a lot of drywall to get there... and an LED would be cheaper than opening a window down there for light...

[porsche4life]

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Remote-Control-17529/dp/B00HCMPVGM

If you had power you could use a Hue bulb and switch

[Eric Coffey]

There are both battery and hardwired lights (bulbs) out there that have battery-powered remote transmitter switches, as well as battery-powered remote motion sensors. Maybe check out the Phillips "Hue" stuff.
The switches typically look just like standard wall-plate switches, and can be stuck anywhere with double-sided tape (usually included) if you don't want to permanently affix them.

Or, maybe a couple of these would suffice:
https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Stick-Anywhere-Rechargeable-Energy-saving-Environment-friendly/dp/B01LEEE7AY

Or these:
https://www.amazon.com/Silipower-Rechargeable-Cordless-Nursery-Required/dp/B01F6M3OAY


EDIT: Looks like Sid was quicker on the draw there...

[rusnak]

I would think you could connect the circuits so that all the lights turn on with either switch. Then just switch them to LED if you want.

[jyl]

I'd give the kids each a hella bright flashlight and a whiffle bat, and let them have some adventures.

[jyl]

When I was a little kid, my grandparents house had a really big basement, nearly 2000 sq ft. You went down a short flight of stairs from the hall, turned left at the landing, and down some more stairs into the basement.

The basement was pitch dark, no windows, and the only lights were bare bulbs screwed into ceiling sockets with pull chains hanging down, bulbs and chains invisible in the darkness.

The basement was musty, filled with boxes and shelves and piles of things, a maze of terrifying shapes and monsters in the blackness. Did I mention I had a really good imagination, and was reading Tales From The Crypt and other nightmare inducing comics? But it was also full of really cool stuff, boxes of toys and books, bits of machines and vacuum tubes, tricycles and hard hats and other irresistible treasure.

So I had to tip toe forward into the darkness, hands stretched high, dead reckoning for the pull chain, searching back and forth blindly until I grabbed and pulled. Then it was almost worse, because the light bulbs were very dim, I was in a small pool of yellow light surrounded by big dark shapes and blackness, at the mercy of any monster awoken by the pathetic little bulb and the "click" of the switch. After gathering my courage, I had to grope in the direction on the next light, moving into darkness, feeling high above me for the next pull chain. And so on, until I got to a fluorescent tube fixture that actually produced real light.

I'd nervously raid the dusty boxes and shelves, watching the dark corners where the monsters waited, then all the lights had to be turned off, which meant the same terror in reverse order until I could run up the stairs and slam the basement door behind me.

For some reason, I never had a flashlight. Maybe my grandparents didn't believe in them. But sometimes I had my 22 rifle. I knew enough about gun safety to leave the safety on, but it was for sure loaded. Later I would target practice down there until a round ricocheted back and blew a crater in the concrete block wall behind my head. Apparently it's not really a good idea for a 7 year old to have unsupervised access to a rifle.

Eventually I conquered the fear, and could walk calmly through the darkness, casually turning lights on and off. Sort of a mind over, um, mind thing. It's possible that I was twenty-five by then. Or maybe not. I prefer not to remember exactly.

I won't say that basement made me the fearless, stalwart man I am today, because I'm not, but it was a good lesson in facing your fears. And in gun safety.

[jpk]

Don't worry so much about a switch or timer - wire in an LED undercabinet strip to be on constantly and build it into a cove or something to hide it and bounce the light off the ceiling. Something that consumes 6-7 watts will only cost you around 3 cents a day to operate.

[VincentVega]

I put a battery powered light w/ a motion sensor in a dark area, works great. Not bright but enough light to see and it doesnt look bad. 2-3 AAA's last several months.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by jyl

I was in a small pool of yellow light surrounded by big dark shapes and blackness, at the mercy of any monster awoken by the pathetic little bulb and the "click" of the switch. After gathering my courage, I had to grope in the direction on the next light, moving into darkness, feeling high above me for the next pull chain. And so on, until I got to a fluorescent tube fixture that actually produced real light.

I'd nervously raid the dusty boxes and shelves, watching the dark corners where the monsters waited,

You have a future waiting for you as a writer - of horror novels!

My grandparent's attic in Staten Island was the same deal....except you start off by opening a door and slowly climbing a narrow wooden stair case....with every step.....associated creaking. Who knows what lies ahead.....

Looks like Sid and Eric gave some great suggestions on the OP's inquiry....nicely done!

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Remote-Control-17529/dp/B00HCMPVGM

If you had power you could use a Hue bulb and switch

That is very good except it only has the one wall switch... I suppose I could make it work though, closest I've seen so far... There's no power source in that area so I would leave something permanently ON but I fear it'd be a battery killer when its needed only a couple hours a day... Might try it anyway, $20 something, maybe if I buy 2, the 2 remotes work together ? ;-)

[1990C4S]

I would use a couple of these:

LED Infrared Detection Light - Lee Valley Tools

Have them set up so they come on as you go down the steps.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I would use a couple of these:

LED Infrared Detection Light - Lee Valley Tools

Have them set up so they come on as you go down the steps.

Yeah the whole detection approach would not work well, hard to explain (should take a pic) but the shape of the staircase/ceiling is like this : \_ with the light under the bottom part... which would make detection of someone coming down very difficult until they are 2/3 of the way down the steps... Again it's for the young ones to be able to get down there without bugging us all the time... I could wait till they grow out of it, it's really for the 5y old... I'll try the switch approach and if that does not work I'll wire something permanently... The correct solution is it wire into the same circuit as the top of the stairs, but that would require a trip to a nasty attic, identifying the right one light without breaking thru the ceiling, drilling the ceiling into a closet, extending that wire down and drilling the closet floor (which is the ceiling for the floor below) hopefully in the right spot, cutting and installing a new light... You can see how battery power sounds attractive ! ;-)

The house if built on the side of a hill, there is a big deck upstairs that works as a sunshade a little too well, so between that and the lack of a window in that area it's awfully dark downstairs, there is a 10-15F difference in temps in summer!!! crazy ! That is my main beef with that house, it's tora Bora downstairs with the lights off ;-)

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Baz

You have a future waiting for you as a writer - of horror novels!

My grandparent's attic in Staten Island was the same deal....except you start off by opening a door and slowly climbing a narrow wooden stair case....with every step.....associated creaking. Who knows what lies ahead.....

Looks like Sid and Eric gave some great suggestions on the OP's inquiry....nicely done!

That reminds me so much of my grandparent's house. The attic was 3 levels above ground, up a narrow handmade staircase. The whole house has over a dozen gables. We found artifacts stuffed in the roof.

[1990C4S]

Miners caps...or in your case Minor's caps

[Shifter]

How about something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Beams-MBN352-Networked-Technology-200-Lumens/dp/B00OYHSP9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1484170542&sr=1-1&keywords=mr+beams+network

[flipper35]

You can get a remote motion sensor and use the base station to work as your on/off switch for your battery powered light.

https://www.amazon.com/SkylinkHome-ID-318-Resistant-Transmitter-Automation/dp/B0051BU562/ref=pd_lpo_60_tr_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PPPFQEPWJ737MZHQVEMW

[jyl]

How about a headlamp and a Nerf rifle for each kid?

I'm actually serious.

[rusnak]

one of these, with a pulley and rope at the top of the stairs.