Author Topic: auto LED lights  (Read 2614 times)

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bob golding

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auto LED lights
« on: January 05, 2005, 12:26:19 AM »
hi all, after watching a tv ad showing  street lights switching on as you passed them  then off as you drove away i thought  it might be nice to use the same idea for path lighting. i was thinking of some sort of low power transmitter that would switch a string of say 10 LEDs on as you walked passed it just to show you where the path was. i know a torch is the easy answer but i am always forgetting to  take mine with me when i just nip up to the shops. anyone  think of a  cheap  easy way to do this.?


bob golding

« Last Edit: January 05, 2005, 12:26:19 AM by (unknown) »
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Flying Z

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2005, 05:43:34 PM »
Neat Idea!! I am not into electronics, but i would think there should be a way to use a motion detector (series of) such that secutity lights for your house use. Good luck in your search, Randy
« Last Edit: January 04, 2005, 05:43:34 PM by Flying Z »

ghurd

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2005, 11:00:33 PM »
I re-fit a ton of 'automatic' lights with LEDs.

Lowe's had them for $14, but no more, discontinued last spring.

Automatic, on for 30 seconds after the last motion, daylight disabled sensor, 4 'AA' batteries.


I would say for "indoor use only".

Genuine Plastic, so don't settle for imatations!


But I may have a couple with a stripped screw or something that I couldn't sell in good conscience, if you have any interest. The sensors, controls, etc., may be a good start if they can't be used like they are.


G-

« Last Edit: January 04, 2005, 11:00:33 PM by ghurd »
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ghurd

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2005, 01:37:17 AM »
Tried to E you. Didn't go.

G-
« Last Edit: January 05, 2005, 01:37:17 AM by ghurd »
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bob golding

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2005, 12:00:36 PM »
thx ghurd,

that sounds like the way to go. as i am in the UK it  is a bit impractical to send me the broken ones. i will check the local cheapo supermarket think they are about 10 dollars

 bob
« Last Edit: January 05, 2005, 12:00:36 PM by bob golding »
if i cant fix it i can fix it so it cant be fixed.

betwixt

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2005, 04:23:44 PM »
Thankfully I live about 2 miles from the nearest street lights and at night time it gets really dark here. The idea of automatic path lights is appealing.


I have an idea, what do you think of it:

All the lights can be solar powered or run from low voltage battery or mains adapter. Each unit utilises an LED as the light source and also has an infra-red LED and an infra-red sensor in it. The infra-red LEDs are aimed at the next unit along the path, crossing over the path in zig-zag or straight across directions. The IR LEDs flash at about 2Hz rate (twice a second) keeping the current drain very low. The sensor on the next unit downline picks up the flash and uses it to reset an electronic timer. If the timer goes beyond half a second (it was not reset) it switches the lighting LED on for say 30 seconds then switches it off again and goes back to monitoring the flashes.


The idea is that as soon as one of the IR beams is broken, the next light along the path, the one receiving the beam, turns on for a while. There's a need for a flash generator at the end of the path to trigger the first unit of course and the beam must be broken for long enough by someone passing through it.


In my mind I see a cheap microcontroller chip doing all the flash generating and timing functions. Without properly pricing it, I'm guessing the cost of all the parts excluding the PV (if solar powered) to be around 5 UK pounds ($10 US).


I'll add it to my project list.


Brian.

« Last Edit: January 10, 2005, 04:23:44 PM by betwixt »

bob golding

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2005, 01:52:53 PM »
hi brian, sounds like a great idea. i can see great potential in it. just what i was trying to think out . thx


bob golding

« Last Edit: January 11, 2005, 01:52:53 PM by bob golding »
if i cant fix it i can fix it so it cant be fixed.

fungus

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Re: auto LED lights
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2006, 12:43:05 PM »


Hey was that the honda advert? I saw that. A simple sensor would be to get a small laser pointing at a light sensor, running through an inverter gate to the lights. It would probably take a lot of power though.

« Last Edit: March 23, 2006, 12:43:05 PM by fungus »