Looking for laser pointer info

[LENNY RUEL]

Here is my thought and I need to know if any of you have a source for it etc.

I want to get a laser pointer to knock out the street light across the street from my house while my display runs. It would have to be a non battery powered one as I want to mount it on the chimney and run a power line up to it from a timer inside the house. I don't think a battery would hold up with as cold as it gets here in Wisconsin.

Any clues as to where to find this and set it up. I'm guessing a red one is better as you would probably not see the beam all the way across the street. It would just hit the sensor and knock out the street light where as with a green beam you would be able to follow it back to the source.

Not trying to be an arse just trying to kill a light that while my display runs you don't actually need to have on, without anyone neccesarily knowing about it. If the light was reported as coming on eratically and they came to check during the day it would seem to act fine. It would just be off from 5-10 PM. Me thinks this is better than just popping it with a BB gun from underneath in the middle of the night.

I've seen this talked about before just don't remember where it was. Thanks in advance.

Lenny

[Ponddude]

I have to tell you...that is probably one of the more ambitious ideas I have heard in a while...lol

I work for my township and I don't know if it is because the DPW knows me, or if because they just like the show, but every year they come by my house and disconnect the light.

Have you tried asking?

[DownTown]

My opinion is:

If a street lamp detracts from your display, you don't have enough lights!



D.T.

[ItsMeBobO]

Ponddude wrote:

Have you tried asking?

Come on... I want find out if the concept will work!

[Steven]

Yes, it will work.

Use one of these: http://www.atlasnova.com/RedLaserPointer650nm.htm
Then power it by taking a wooden pencil or a dowel, use a Dremel tool to cut a groove in it, and run an insulated wire down the groove. Strip and bunch the wire at the end and use some solder to make a bump. Then, strip another wire and wrap it around the dowel a few inches from the end. Use tape to make it big enough to hold in the battery compartment of the laser.

Run the wires to a "battery eliminator" power supply set to 3 volts. But measure the voltage first! Some of the cheap battery eliminators put out excess voltage, and this will destroy the laser.

Now use a small rubber band to hold the on switch down.

Plug the power supply into an LOR channel. Figure out how to aim the laser. The light sensor on the streetlight is most likely pointed north to make sure it comes on at dusk, so you probably won't be able to turm it off unless your house is on the north side of the street.

We did this last year and it worked, but we saw some children run into the street while the show was going and their parents weren't watching, so we got scared of the liability and turned the laser off. Last year we used the input feature to control the laser manually, but that's more trouble than it's worth. This year, if I'm outside, I'll probably just use the battery and take the laser inside with me when I leave.

[LENNY RUEL]

I've considered asking guys but only want it off during the show. Its kind of nice to have it otherwise as with the light being there things are lit up pretty good and discourages much in the way of vandals. DownTown...I think there is plenty of lights and they look good as is. I just think they would be that much better with it being darker. With the snow we have had the last couple of years averaging about 85 inches that street light reflects off all the white and you can take pictures at night with pretty short exposure times. Driving up the street without headlights, not a problem either. The front of the house is only about 50' back from the road so pretty much all of the lights are within that area other than my LED C-7's on all the roof lines and the icicle lights down the side. Sooooo, that light is only about 40 feet from the front curb.
Steven, IF the sensor is to the North I'm SOL I guess. From my chimney it is across the street and about 20 degrees north. I'm looking west by the way. I'm hoping it is aimed at my house so when the sun comes up to my backyard which faces East it trips it off.
Thanks again for the info.

Lenny

[Guest wbottomley]

DownTown wrote:

My opinion is:

If a street lamp detracts from your display, you don't have enough lights!



D.T.

Great idea Dave.

I like your thinking!