Light a Storage Room With LED Rope Light

I have storage closets in my basement that have a single light bulb and a pull string switch - good light right by it, but bad when you get into the corners, or under the stairs. Now that LED lights are coming down in price I decided to figure out a way to light the space - as easily as I could.

First thing to do is go to the hardware store and get what I needed:

1 LED rope light - 18ft for this space - $30

1 Lamp holder to outlet adapter - $1.88

1 pack 7/8" Cable Staple - $2.25

1 hammer - this I had already

and a step stool or ladder to reach up high

Step 1: Plug It In, Plug It In

Begin by removing the old light bulb (be careful if it was on before it may be HOT - use gloves or a towel or just turn it off and wait for it to cool down some)

Screw in the Lamp holder to outlet adapter

Plug in the rope light and uncoil it

Turn on the socket (the LED will NOT get hot so it's easy to work with and gives you light while working)

nail up the cord near the outlet to relieve the strain

Step 2: The Big Bang

Most of my area was open so I fed the light over the air duct and nailed up the staples

Since this is in a storage area I am not concerned with appearance - Just light and being out of the way.

Take care not to hammer on the rope itself - or your thumb - breaking either would be no fun.

I found that they didn't stay in the Sheetrock very well - the nails are only about 1/2" long, so I went into the joist overhead.

I now have light where it was to dark to see before. If you need more light you can add to the end of these - up to 288 feet the box says.

Only took about 45 minutes to complete - and replaced a 60 watt bulb with 12 watt rope.

Comments

[simasiku]

Great inscrutable!
Kindly add a link to where the supplies were bought from...

[mhill]

Home Depot

[gling01]

Brilliant!!! (pun fully intentional). I can see where this could be very handy in many places. My brain went straight to lighting up the stair case or deck by mounting it under the handrail or under the top of the railing around a deck. The shed in the backyard, inside kitchen cupboards, under overhead kitchen cupborads... list is growing. Thanks!

[Misplaced hippie]

INSIDE kitchen cabinets! What a great idea! Thanks!

[mhill]

That would be great - especially for the lower ones and back in the corners.

[mhill]

I actually have it under my cabinets too. That was the first thing I did with the rope light, just didn't think to document it. It does make the counter so much brighter.

[rschantz83]

Great Idea. I'm thinking of adding a Y adapter to keep the light bulb for area coverage and then extend the rope along the area that is still not lit well.

[Thejesterqueen]

Thank you so much for this! I didn't know about the outlet adapter, that is the only part I need to light up the dark parts of my basement finally after 16 years! lol

[wold630]

Great first instructable! So glad you finally posted one. Can't wait to see more projects from you!