OK, this is overkill, but wanted to do this for some time

[Michael Burnside]

It’s a whole new rabbit hole of home automation. The basis is a server running on a Raspberry Pi. My home is automated in so many places using home assistant automations.

That said, have a look at what Shelley offers as you can have a cover switch drive a light.

https://www.shelly.com/en-us/product.../shelly-uni-us

[mike stenson]

I'd go with a contact switch. Mostly because it's not going to panic, or otherwise have a logic failure.

Even if the home automation stuff is cool (and I'm eventually going to get motors to drive my awning clerestory windows to automate their opening /closing based on conditions)

[Alan Lightstone]

It’s a whole new rabbit hole of home automation. The basis is a server running on a Raspberry Pi. My home is automated in so many places using home assistant automations.

That said, have a look at what Shelley offers as you can have a cover switch drive a light.

https://www.shelly.com/en-us/product.../shelly-uni-us

Trying to understand this. Would you need two devices - one to "see" that the shelf is down and send a wireless signal to the other that then turns on a light?

Would be kinda messy/ugly to run wire between the two, maybe...

[Bill Dufour]

I would mount a magnetic switch to the wall and a magnet to the moving stuff. See what burglar alarms use. Or use a lever action proximty switch if you do not want to deal with a contactor etc.
BilL D.

https://www.amazon.com/Baomain-switc...xoClzoQAvD_BwE

[mike stenson]

I'd go with a normally open magnetic contact switch. 12v ones should be under $15. Mounted in the closed position, as soon as it moves the light would go on.

[Bill Dufour]

Wiring to the platform is easy enough for moderate use. Attach an extension cord as close to the ceiling as possible. Lower platform to full down. Attach electrical box on the other end of then extension cord. Arrange it so the cord loops down as low as possible and is only an inch or so off the floor. Hanging unobstruted in a giant U shape.
Of course I mean use an extension cord wire and proper strain reliefs hard wired at each end not just some twist locks. You should use proper
festoon cable, but where will you get that?
That is how the used to do it for elevators.
Bill D

[Alan Lightstone]

I would mount a magnetic switch to the wall and a magnet to the moving stuff. See what burglar alarms use. Or use a lever action proximty switch if you do not want to deal with a contactor etc.
BilL D.

https://www.amazon.com/Baomain-switc...xoClzoQAvD_BwE

I love the concept of using these as limit switches to prevent the hoist from raising the shelf too high, or going too low. But once it cuts the power off, I don't know how you'd get the power back on again to the hoist.

Have to think about how to use this to trigger a light. The down position could vary by about 2-3 feet from the top of the double door to a little over the door knobs where I don't want it to hit.

[Michael Burnside]

Trying to understand this. Would you need two devices - one to "see" that the shelf is down and send a wireless signal to the other that then turns on a light?

Would be kinda messy/ugly to run wire between the two, maybe...

A lot of people are mentioning a switch to control the light directly. I didn't recommend that, though it is ultra simplistic using an optocoupler, NO switch, magnetic sensor, etc. The problem with all these is that they assume a direct connection between said light and said switch+sensor. If you have that as an option, go for it, it's simple. I thought you mentioned that you only had USB powered lights, no wires, etc. so I assumed maybe you could install a battery pack or something along side and power sensor and have it wirelessly talk to the light.

I was assuming that the light you want to control was not directly accessible and is perhaps the actual man-door light, usually required by code. Since you hadn't heard of Home Assistant (this would be cake with an Arduino and some HA code), I linked you Shelly's product line because they're the best IMHO.

I would get any limit switch off the shelf, 5-10 bucks for a pack of them.

Wire it to this device, which would be powered either with a USB power pack or next to the wall and wired to the limit switch wherever you choose to place it. What's fun is you could have two limit switches, one to trigger for the light and another to kill power to the motor if it gets too low (sorry, I digress, but it's totally possible with this device)

https://www.shelly.com/en-us/product...-om8u2dlkrxnh4

Then install one of these at the door light switch. This will allow your light to work perfectly as it did before via switch but also be controlled by a smart device (i.e. the device above).

https://www.shelly.com/en-us/product...elly-plus-1-ul

Then within the Shelly app, setup a trigger that when the limit switch is pressed, it turns on the light. When the limit switch is open, the light turns off.

Again, if everything is hard wired, then go the simple route but I though that might have been obvious, so I suggested a wireless option that should cost you less than 50 bucks. Bar none this would be the cleanest solution. I'm a novice woodworker, but I do this stuff for a living

[Alan Lightstone]

Interesting.

But let me clarify. What I want is a light outside the door entering the shop. If the shelf is down and the door would hit in when opening, the light would shine (red warning light indicating do not enter, or don't open door much if you do.)

This is not to control the two LED strip lights that I have shown. They work quite well, actually, with motion detectors built in. Not exactly as bright as the sun, but they do help.

This is a picture from outside the door, opening it:
Workshop Door.jpg
In this case the shelf is higher than the door, so feel free to enter (assuming you know the door code, leave a DNA sample, retina scan, and 23andme check of your family.)

[Dan Barber]

A simple limit switch wired in series with the light would do that trick.

[Michael Burnside]

Interesting.

But let me clarify. What I want is a light outside the door entering the shop. If the shelf is down and the door would hit in when opening, the light would shine (red warning light indicating do not enter, or don't open door much if you do.)

This is not to control the two LED strip lights that I have shown. They work quite well, actually, with motion detectors built in. Not exactly as bright as the sun, but they do help.

This is a picture from outside the door, opening it:
Workshop Door.jpg
In this case the shelf is higher than the door, so feel free to enter (assuming you know the door code, leave a DNA sample, retina scan, and 23andme check of your family.)

Yea, I understood it wasn't for the LED light strip. If you want to keep it simple and you don't have a light there yet.

- Limit switch - https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-KW12-...zcF9hdGY&psc=1
- LED 12V bulb - https://www.amazon.com/Warning-Light...65&sr=8-7&th=1
- Power supply - https://www.amazon.com/inShareplus-M...15&sr=8-8&th=1

Wire limit switch in series to the bulb and you're done. If you don't like the LED bulb linked, just pick one that you like.

[Alan Lightstone]

Yea, I understood it wasn't for the LED light strip. If you want to keep it simple and you don't have a light there yet.

- Limit switch - https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-KW12-...zcF9hdGY&psc=1
- LED 12V bulb - https://www.amazon.com/Warning-Light...65&sr=8-7&th=1
- Power supply - https://www.amazon.com/inShareplus-M...15&sr=8-8&th=1

Wire limit switch in series to the bulb and you're done. If you don't like the LED bulb linked, just pick one that you like.

Thank you, Michael. Very interesting.

An issue, though. The shelf doesn't stop at the same location in the down position (or up position for that matter). So I could see me manually lowering the shelf with the overhead hoist control and breaking off the limit switch as it goes lower than the switch mounted location.

Now if I could have switches limiting the upward and downward motion of the hoist, that would be great (and a great safety improvement). I can't think of a low-tech way of doing that. Having limit switches on the upwards and downwards limit would stop the hoist, but how would I then get it restarted. Its power would be shut off.

I'm sure there is an easy hi-tech way of doing this. Just need suggestions for that too. Once those limits are wired in, using the limit switch to turn on the lights sounds like a great solution.

[George Yetka]

Automating the lighting is a fun project but is it necessary. I think just having it come on with shop lights would be sufficient. To that end I would of maybe added a small cable chain or an expanding cord. and wire it into the lighting circuit.

[Alan Lightstone]

Automating the lighting is a fun project but is it necessary. I think just having it come on with shop lights would be sufficient. To that end I would of maybe added a small cable chain or an expanding cord. and wire it into the lighting circuit.

The problem is that the ceiling is 15-1/2 feet off the floor to get to the lights. Not going up a ladder to do that, and very costly to have my electrician do it. The motion sensing, battery lights actually work quite well under the shelf.

But I think the safety issue is really preventing the hoist from raising, or lowering the shelf too far. I'd love some way to install limit switches that would stop the hoist at the limits, but still have it powered so I can reverse direction and use it after the switch activates. Really want a way to do this.

The addition of a door light outside the entry door to warn people to not open the door widely when the shelf is down is just a nicety. At worst the door would hit the shelf and put a dent/scratch in the door. Not much of a safety hazard, just a nicety.

[Michael Burnside]

Obviously having a hoist with a limit switch built in is ideal. Maybe you can see if this feature exists on the one you installed? If not, the original set of items I provided would accomplish the task with the addition of a switch override (push and hold to keep on) that could provide power and override the sensor's condition, providing power until the hoist is away from the switch. Then you could let go of the push-to-hold button. Apologies that I don't have any off-the-shelf ideas that work in isolation that you just buy a kit on Amazon. I have solved a few examples like this, but not in isolation. Using Home Assistant, a limit sensor and Wi-Fi enabled switch to the hoist power would be a trivial automation task, but it's not a trivial solution for the uninitiated. I'd probably even install a Lockley automated door lock that would lock the door so it can only be opened from the inside and forgo the light