[Seedy]

It's Halloween! I have a prop that has a PIR sensor. However, it's hanging so high it never triggers. I rigged a motion sensor which will turn on normal things like a light when the sensor is tripped. This particular prop has a try me button (1/8th inch input). It's an open ended circuit or I assume it is because you press a button and it triggers.

I'd like to hook up a sensor to this open end circuit to trigger the prop. I'm an IT guy not an electronics person so be gentle, its my first post.

 

[kellys_eye]

I'd like to hook up a sensor to this open end circuit

What form of sensor? Heat, light, sound, motion?

 

[Seedy]

The actual sensor I modified is a normal outdoor sensor but that was just information I provided for theory as well. The open circuit try me button is what I'm trying to trigger by any motion sensor. I thought originally that a 9V battery adapter plugin would work. Strip the button, connect positive to the positive 9V battery connector and negative to negative, then use then plug into the motion sensor I modified. Not sure if that will work? So I'm asking what needs to happen besides a miracle to pull this off? I keep reading about relays....surely there is a plug and play scenario for non electronic peeps like myself.

 

[kellys_eye]

The open circuit try me button

I'm guessing that this is just a pair of wires that you short together to activate the device.

In which case an PIR sensor that has 'no-volts' contacts (or zero-volts contacts as some call them) can connect to those wires.

The PIR output will have the 'relay contacts' inside it. These contacts 'close' when movement is sensed and can be wired straight across the 'open circuit try me button'.

 

[Seedy]

And I'm lost. Here is my perspective. In the day of Google and help sites, I would think this would be more simple. The prop has a PIR sensor which is weak at best. So how do I connect the try me button with the two wires to a good motion sensor. Remember that we all have our interest and unfortunately I took the path of music and computers and not electronics.

 

[BobK]

kelley_eye told you how to do it, but apparently not in words you would understand.

You need a PIR sensor with a relay output. This type of sensor will mechanically connect two wires when motion is sensed. He calls this no-volts contacts, though that is a term I have never heard before.

So, you find such a sensor, then you plug a mating plug into the try me button jack, and connect the two wires of the jack to the two outputs on the PIR sensor.

Bob

 

[Seedy]

Yep I understood what he said but I didn't understand. This is why I hesitated coming into this forum. Ask me something about a database. I could help you. So the answer you say is a no voltage PIR. How far do you think the no voltage PIR would detect? And I did a quick search and I'm not sure I see something like this. So how about I give you what I want to do and you help get there? How about a relay? What type of relay that will connect to the open connection and go to my outdoor sensor light?

 

[kellys_eye]

Most PIRs will show a detection pattern (range) in their specifications - beam width, beam height, range etc.

The PIR will activate an internal alarm/light/whatever but you can also purchase SOME PIR detectors 'blank' which have relay contacts that are provided for the user to take power to whatever they desire. They aren't as common as 'powered' PIRs though... such as this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12M-Secur...hash=item544f9c8c45:m:m9mJG2cP42MpIY2fQTqClZA

The model shown in the link will require an external relay to do the job you wish. The PIR is powered accordingly (12V) and the third wire that comes from it will switch the PIR supply out to activate a separate relay. The relay contacts are then wired across your switch to activate the device you want to control.