My 1st LoR post! how to make sequencal driveway lights

[AKcharger]

Good day everyone!

 

 Here's my project I need help with...completely new to this lighting stuff:

 

I'm Installing driveway edge lights at my house and I'd like them to sequentially flash like lead-in lights at an airport, that is they turn on/off in sequence to "guide" you up the driveway and into the garage.  While simple perhaps compared to  some of the projects I've seen here in the forum I don't know where to start.

 

Here's what I'd like system to do

- Light system that can both sequentially flash AND remain on steady

- Have rheostat to control intensity...Ideally they'd be set to bright for flash mode and adjustable medium-low if I used them as night time house lighting.

- Would like a way to trigger the lights in sequence mode when the garage door is opened and a normal on/off/dimmer switch to control lights normally

 

Questions

- I don't want the sequence all the time and don't want to carry some kind of remote controller so wiring the sequencer through the garage door circuit sounds the logical way BUT how can I fix it so the lights go "into" the garage when arriving home and the lights lead "down" the driveway when pulling out and leaving?

- The controllers I've seen have plugs designed for temp lighting, this will be permanent,  is what I'm suggesting possible or are all the lighting controllers designed for seasonal applications

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

 

 

 

 

Below is a very crude video of the runway approach lights if your not familiar

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0EJWlM3Fg

[ItsMeBobO]

Welcome AKcharger 

 

Sounds like you already have your lights picked out.   How many and what kind are they.  Single color incan or halogen 120AC I presume.   In order to get them to chase like that you need each bulb to have its own wires going back to the garage or where ever your control box will be.    Triggering can be done.  You will need the power to be on to it all the time.

[AKcharger]

Hi bobo

Thanks for the reply. Actually I haven't selected lights yet. I was thinking about LED style list for long life and low elect usage, is that a good choice?

I figured either 6-8 lights per side for a total 12-16 and Expected each light would need its own wires, but what kind of controller should I be looking for? The ones I've seen have individual plugs for seasonal type lights

Thx

[stonecutter2]

Interesting idea.  Would love to see it in action when it's done.

 

I think you're looking at an x10 system (for light switch operation) combined with some laser safety sensors or something to indicate when you're leaving the garage ...then some other sensor at the foot of the driveway for when you're driving into it (or perhaps the garage door opener as you said).

 

So here's a question for you to ponder:  How do you handle when you actually pull into your garage?

 

You drive into your driveway (assuming some "curb" sensor or garage door opens): Lights move toward garage.

You pull out of your garage (assuming some "garage" sensor): Lights move away from garage.

Now...

You pull into your driveway, open garage and pull into garage.  Will lights move toward the garage as you drive onto your driveway, *then* reverse and move away from your garage when you enter it?  Because the sensor to change direction will get tripped once you enter your garage.

Edited November 4, 2013 by stonecutter2

[Santas Helper]

 

I'm Installing driveway edge lights at my house and I'd like them to sequentially flash like lead-in lights at an airport, that is they turn on/off in sequence to "guide" you up the driveway and into the garage. 

 

how can I fix it so the lights go "into" the garage when arriving home and the lights lead "down" the driveway when pulling out and leaving?

 

So your wife has problems staying on the driveway like wife does too huh? J/K

Of course if I installed something like that, my wife would run over the lights.

 

I work at the FAA depot center. We have what you need. 

 

Okay, all kidding aside (but I do work at FAA... when I'm not furoughed  )

 

I'm sure there are different ways to approach this (or depart  )

 

You can use a micro switches at the garage door or use lasers as previously mentioned.

If using lasers, I'm wondering if there is a timer that once the first laser is set off, the other one is bypassed for a short period and vise versa. This way both triggers won't activate.

 

As for a control box, thats another good one.

I'm sure there are options for that too.

 

BTW, welcome to the forum.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Santas Helper

[AKcharger]

Thanks again guys

 

Stonecutter what is a 10x system?

 

As for direction of the lights, unless anyone here has a good idea I've resigned myself that they'll just go one way...towards the garage. While I'm 100% sure I could figure it out, I fear costs and complexity would spiral out of control...the intent is just a neat little lighting gimmick. Plus thinking about it most of the time when lights would be used/seen is at night when returning home from work.

 

Thanks for the welcome santa's helper

[Max-Paul]

Back in the day, I would build an 555 timer in astable mode and run this into a counter chip that would drive a 7415x chip that would give me 16 outputs. This would drive a series of amplifiers that would then turn on your lights. The astable driving circuit would be powered on by what ever control circuits you want. Forgot what the conditions where in your earlier post, but anything is possible. The use of a LOR box is just to much over kill.

[Ken Benedict]

Back in the day, I would build an 555 timer in astable mode and run this into a counter chip that would drive a 7415x chip that would give me 16 outputs. This would drive a series of amplifiers that would then turn on your lights. The astable driving circuit would be powered on by what ever control circuits you want. Forgot what the conditions where in your earlier post, but anything is possible. The use of a LOR box is just to much over kill.

Been there. Done that. Works real good.

 

But the Original Poster wanted to have the chase TOWARDS the garage coming in and AWAY from the garage when leaving.

 

My solution would be to put an Ultrasonic Detector in the garage directly over where the car would be when parked.

When it detects a shorter distance (the car present), it would tell the Integrated Circuit chip to cycle (count) in one direction (away from the garage).

When it detects a longer distance (the car not being there), it would cycle in the other direction (towards the garage).

The driveway lights would be driven from the same circuit as the light bulb attached to the garage door opener (the little screw in one) and

only be on while the garage door is in motion. All off otherwise.

 

Sample sensor: http://www.robogalaxy.com/ultrasonic-sensor

 

Possible channel chaser: http://www.canakit.com/8-channel-20-program-ac-light-chaser-controller-kit-ck570-uk570.html

or: http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/ligh/vek8044.htm

 

But this is a LOR forum. And I agree that a LOR solution is overkill for your application.

 

This may be a better place for your question: http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forum.php

[Orville]

But if he has an LOR Controller, why would this be overkill?

 

After all, many of us use our LOR controllers for many other aspects of our home and garden lighting during OFF Seasonal use, don't we?

 

So if he has the controller, why not utilize it?    

 

So what if it's overkill, I think many of use our controllers in many applications that could also be considered overkill, don't we???

[AKcharger]

Thanks for all input guys but while I'm how 100% confident I could make such a system...I think it would rapidly become a monster. I'll go with a more conventional approach

 

...but sure appreciate the advice!

[Paul R]

If you aren't dead set on having the lights flash in two different directions depending upon coming or going, one simpler solution might be to use a trigger in LoR with a relay wired into your garage door opener lights. When someone hits the button to open the door, the lights come on, flashing in sequence. When the lights go off, it shuts down. Could also program them to a light sensor and/or timer to be constant on during nighttime hours as regular landscape lighting.

 

-Paul

[flyinverted]

This could be done with a Mini director and a show playing in interactive mode. Use a timer to power the mini director.

 

The mini director has 3 inputs. I would use the garage door opener to trigger inputs 1 and 2.

 

Input 1 would play the chase TO the garage for 90 seconds.

Input 2 would play the chase FROM the garage.

 

Taking what Paul said, input 3 could come from an ambient light sensor on input trigger 3 for a normal always on sequence.

[Ken Benedict]

This could be done with a Mini director and a show playing in interactive mode. Use a timer to power the mini director.

 

The mini director has 3 inputs. I would use the garage door opener to trigger inputs 1 and 2.

 

Input 1 would play the chase TO the garage for 90 seconds.

Input 2 would play the chase FROM the garage.

 

Taking what Paul said, input 3 could come from an ambient light sensor on input trigger 3 for a normal always on sequence.

But how would the garage door opener know if there's a car arriving or departing?

[Santas Helper]

If you aren't dead set on having the lights flash in two different directions depending upon coming or going, one simpler solution might be to use a trigger in LoR with a relay wired into your garage door opener lights. When someone hits the button to open the door, the lights come on, flashing in sequence. When the lights go off, it shuts down.

-Paul

 

If his garage door is like mine, with obstruction sensors, that might be a problem. While the garage door is open and walk the path of the obstruction sensors, the garage door light comes on every time.

[flyinverted]

Ken wrote:  But how would the garage door opener know if there's a car arriving or departing?

 

I thought about this and have an update:

Start the interractive show when the door is closed.

Use input 1 with the following sequences

Depart.las

Off.las

Arrive.las

Off2.las

 

As long as you don't stop the door before it's fully open or closed, the sequences will stay in synch with the door. If not, 2 presses of the door button will fix that.

 

Press 1 = Door open, depart.las

Press 2 = Door close, off.las

Press 3 = Door open, arrive.las

Press 4 = Door close, off2.las

 

I'm using an InputPup this year and I'm doing something similar, so I know this will work.