Dusk to Dawn sensor

[Robert Burton]

I am sure this has been done before, so wanted to ask before re-inventing the wheel. I have a light on the side of my house that uses a dusk to dawn sensor. If I wanted to use the LOR software to turn it on and off....how would I? I know that I can take a light and put it over the sensor to turn it off. To make the security light come on, I have to turn the light above the sensor off. Just the opposite to turn it off. Now, what about during the daytime?

I am sure someone else has done this. Is there a better way of doing it? Thought about taking a small flower pot and putting over the sensor to completely block out the light.

Ideas?
Robert

[George Cotton]

Probably the easiest way is to purchse a "night light" sensor from Lowes or Home Depot. Use it to control power to your LOR if in stand alone mode. Have the sequence set to run any time power it on. Or, you could use a simple wall mounted timer.

If you are using a PC to control the LOR, then you would have to use the light sensor set up something similar to the motion detector described in the LOR manual using an input.

I have a digital timer turn my FM transmitter on a few minutes before showtime and let the DC-MP3 unit actually control the show. It's all stand alone. A couple minutes after the show is over, the timer turns off my FM transmitter till tomorrow night.

Pretty much automatic. Just reprogram timer for Halloween and Christmas darkness and show lengths.

[Robert Burton]

George Cotton wrote:

Probably the easiest way is to purchse a "night light" sensor from Lowes or Home Depot.

I am wanting to do just the opposite without having to re-wire my house security light. The "night light" would turn it on...when I need it off. Already have a night sensor...and it works great ;-)

Thanks :-)
Robert

[TJ Hvasta]

my bad, I re-read the OP..

[George Cotton]

Sorry, I mis read your original post. The fix is EASY and I use it to turn my yard lights on/off.

A simple RED 4w nightlight near the sensor will do the trick. I turn that channel on (red light on) at the start of the show, leave it ON for all songs and then turn that channel OFF shortly before the show ends and the yard lights return between shows.

Works for me.

The yard lights work normally (just like your night watcher) until the red light comes on. My sensor is on the back side of a tree so visitors never see it and even if they did, the red would not be distracting. However, I did cover the lens with duct tape to reduce it even more to the casual visitor. The whole thing is positioned to shine directly on the photo cells, but still allows normal daylight to do it's thing. After the last show, the yard lights run for the preset time after the last show.

I do the same thing to turn off a large stand alone animated star in a big window that's on a dusk sensor plus timer. It's turned off during the light show as well. Use the same channel, just sent two different ways. It runs for the preset time after the last show.

[kzaas]

Another option is to use home automation hardware called X-10. LOR can control it. You just replace the light switch that controls that security light with an X-10 switch which I believe is $12.00 and you will also need a Serial or USB X-10 computer interface that plugs into a wall socket and that's around $50.00. With these you can turn off the light at the begining of the shows then back on at the end of the night.

That PC interface also comes with it's own software so that when you are not using the interface for your display you ca set up home automation. The Interface is also RF so if you have an RF remote control you can use it for items in you house.

Take a look at it on http://www.X10.com

But buy on Ebay.com

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=ws-12a&_sacat=See-All-Categories

There were no savings on ebay for the PC interface

http://www.x10.com/activehomepro/activehome-pro.html

[Robert Burton]

George Cotton wrote:

The whole thing is positioned to shine directly on the photo cells, but still allows normal daylight to do it's thing.

That is going to be the trick for me. Guess I will just have to play with it. The light is one that you would see on a street light. Big honking thing. That would help me if I could get the thing to work in the day...and still be able to put the light over the thing during the shows.

[Steven]

George Cotton wrote:

A simple RED 4w nightlight near the sensor will do the trick.

This same technique will work for streetlights, if you can climb to the top of the pole.

[jimswinder]

Steven wrote:

This same technique will work for streetlights, if you can climb to the top of the pole.

I heard Green Lasers work also...

and no pole climbing!!