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Street-light sensors

J

jtaylor

Jan 1, 1970
0
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...
 
P

Paul Hovnanian P.E.

Jan 1, 1970
0
jtaylor said:
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...

It might work. It depends on which way the sensor is facing. If you
don't want to get caught, consider using an IR source.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:p[email protected]
note to spammers: a Washington State resident
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R

Richard Henry

Jan 1, 1970
0
jtaylor said:
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...

Is there a little access cover near the bottom of the pole? I'll bet the
wires providing electricity for the light are right behind it.
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...

In Phoenix, if you complain about street lights illuminating your
yard, they come out and install a shroud so that it only lights the
street.

...Jim Thompson
 
I

Ian Stirling

Jan 1, 1970
0
Paul Hovnanian P.E. said:
It might work. It depends on which way the sensor is facing. If you
don't want to get caught, consider using an IR source.

Is it actually illegal anywhere to do this?
The above scheme has been reported on some amateur telescope makers
lists.
 
D

Dave VanHorn

Jan 1, 1970
0
It does work.. Great fun on halloween night, when the kids are checking
their loot.
Of course one needs to play responsibly, and not cause problems.
In my case, it was the only streetlight in a very small town, and traffic
was not an issue.
 
M

MikeM

Jan 1, 1970
0
jtaylor said:
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...
How about a 30.06?
 
S

Sir Charles W. Shults III

Jan 1, 1970
0
jtaylor said:
Is there any chance I could aim a diode laser at the sensor on top of the
local streetlight and trigger the sensor into thinking it was daytime?

Would sure beat shinnying up the pole and duct-taping a maglight to it...

Yes. The problem is that the sensors are far more sensitive to green
light than to red light. At least the ones in my area are. I use a green
laser pointer and it knocks them out immediately. A red pointer has no
chance of doing it. However, I would that that if you went to the flea
market, bought about 5 to 10 of them and placed the beams to focus into one
dot, you could do it. Red lasers are dirt cheap and cost about $2 US apiece
these days with the batteries.
Hint: measure the operating current of the laser directly from its
batteries- then place an inline resistor to limit the current to that value
when using some other power supply. This will keep the laser from smoking.
They go dim real fast when applied to an unrestricted 3 volt supply (or 4.5,
based on the type you have). As it is, the cheap laser pointers use the
internal resistance of the batteries to limit the current they can draw.
Without a current limiting resistor in series, they die.
You know, you might even pulse the things to make the streetlight stay
off. They have quite a dwell time. A pulse every second ot so whould be
enough to keep it off indefinitely, once you get a bundle of red lasers that
work as one.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III
 
K

Ken Taylor

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sir Charles W. Shults III said:
it...

Yes. The problem is that the sensors are far more sensitive to green
light than to red light. At least the ones in my area are. I use a green
laser pointer and it knocks them out immediately. A red pointer has no
chance of doing it. However, I would that that if you went to the flea
market, bought about 5 to 10 of them and placed the beams to focus into one
dot, you could do it. Red lasers are dirt cheap and cost about $2 US apiece
these days with the batteries.
Hint: measure the operating current of the laser directly from its
batteries- then place an inline resistor to limit the current to that value
when using some other power supply. This will keep the laser from smoking.
They go dim real fast when applied to an unrestricted 3 volt supply (or 4.5,
based on the type you have). As it is, the cheap laser pointers use the
internal resistance of the batteries to limit the current they can draw.
Without a current limiting resistor in series, they die.
You know, you might even pulse the things to make the streetlight stay
off. They have quite a dwell time. A pulse every second ot so whould be
enough to keep it off indefinitely, once you get a bundle of red lasers that
work as one.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III
The street lights out our way are on poles which are designed to break off
on impact from a vehicle - they are fitted out so that an impact on the pole
cuts the power for about three or four minutes, then tries to re-apply
power. If you attached a solenoid on a timer (assuming you were fortunate
enough to have these pole/lights in your area) I guess you could
periodically give the pole a kick in the groin to keep the light out. :)

Ken
 
C

Charles W. Johnson Jr.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken Taylor said:
The street lights out our way are on poles which are designed to break off
on impact from a vehicle - they are fitted out so that an impact on the pole
cuts the power for about three or four minutes, then tries to re-apply
power. If you attached a solenoid on a timer (assuming you were fortunate
enough to have these pole/lights in your area) I guess you could
periodically give the pole a kick in the groin to keep the light out. :)

Ken

Before interfering with the proper operation of the light I suggest you
contact a lawyer.

Charles
 

sandraseason

Feb 22, 2007
1
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
1
QUESTION?

If you were thinking of opening up a parking lot business and you wanted to put automated sensors under each spot kind of like they have on the street do you know how much it would cost to do that? per spot or in general
I am a college student doing a buiness plan.
thanks so much
 
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