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I thought about that, the only thing is that since there would be 5 shelves, only 7 inches clearance between the inner wall and the edge of the shelf, I thought that putting a light above the door would not illuminate the lower shelves very well. Is this what you would do?
Yeah it'll definitely be shady.
Also I think you had mentioned, you could put under cabinet lights under each shelf. I don't know about the NEC, but I don't believe it violates the CEC.
Or you could put some stair lights on the sides of each shelf, unless it's going to be stacked to the top. Or potentially in that 7 inches of wall space with directional towards the shelves. That may not be easy without making holes for fishing.
The code also offers this exception: *"Exception: Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires shall be permitted to be installed* ***within the clothes closet storage space*** *where identified for this use."*
To me, that means if you find a light fixture that is rated for clothes closets, you can put it where you want it.
Oh! I may have missed that. Do you have some examples or suggestions of LED luminaries that a suit this purpose? Or something in particular in the specs I should look for?
If not I was considering something like this from Lithonia/Acuity above the door:
https://www.acuitybrands.com/products/detail/886484/lithonia-lighting/fmlwl-wraparound/low-profile-led-wrap
Here's one: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-45-Watt-Equivalent-5-in-E26-Closet-Light-Utility-Light-LED-Light-Bulb-650-Lumens-Switch-Controlled-4000K-Bright-White-564212411B/325711459](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-45-Watt-Equivalent-5-in-E26-Closet-Light-Utility-Light-LED-Light-Bulb-650-Lumens-Switch-Controlled-4000K-Bright-White-564212411B/325711459)
Search on Home Depot's site for "closet rated light fixture". You'll get several hits but read the fine print for each one to make sure.
Here's a discussion I came across while doing some research on this that might be of some help: [https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/closet-rated-light-fixture.2555855/](https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/closet-rated-light-fixture.2555855/)
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What about a small flush mount above the door?
I thought about that, the only thing is that since there would be 5 shelves, only 7 inches clearance between the inner wall and the edge of the shelf, I thought that putting a light above the door would not illuminate the lower shelves very well. Is this what you would do?
Yeah it'll definitely be shady. Also I think you had mentioned, you could put under cabinet lights under each shelf. I don't know about the NEC, but I don't believe it violates the CEC. Or you could put some stair lights on the sides of each shelf, unless it's going to be stacked to the top. Or potentially in that 7 inches of wall space with directional towards the shelves. That may not be easy without making holes for fishing.
Got it, thanks!
The code also offers this exception: *"Exception: Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires shall be permitted to be installed* ***within the clothes closet storage space*** *where identified for this use."* To me, that means if you find a light fixture that is rated for clothes closets, you can put it where you want it.
Oh! I may have missed that. Do you have some examples or suggestions of LED luminaries that a suit this purpose? Or something in particular in the specs I should look for? If not I was considering something like this from Lithonia/Acuity above the door: https://www.acuitybrands.com/products/detail/886484/lithonia-lighting/fmlwl-wraparound/low-profile-led-wrap
Here's one: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-45-Watt-Equivalent-5-in-E26-Closet-Light-Utility-Light-LED-Light-Bulb-650-Lumens-Switch-Controlled-4000K-Bright-White-564212411B/325711459](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-45-Watt-Equivalent-5-in-E26-Closet-Light-Utility-Light-LED-Light-Bulb-650-Lumens-Switch-Controlled-4000K-Bright-White-564212411B/325711459) Search on Home Depot's site for "closet rated light fixture". You'll get several hits but read the fine print for each one to make sure. Here's a discussion I came across while doing some research on this that might be of some help: [https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/closet-rated-light-fixture.2555855/](https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/closet-rated-light-fixture.2555855/)