Frequency generator to shut off street lights.

Kain

Jun 16, 2004
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Input voltage does not affect the wavelength of any monochromic light emitting devices. What it could possibly affect is the intensity, but nothing more. Some laser pointers are rated between 630~670nm meaning it COULD do the job for ya. If you can emmit a regular white light you will have pretty much the full spectrum of wavelengths, thus the one that you need as well. There are fairly powerfull white LED that are nothing else but 3 LED sharing the same package - RGB (colors). I have seen this type of LEDs with 20000mCd intensity which is, oh well, enough to cause demage to your eyes. If you can focus this into a nice concentrated beam...you might be able to have fun with no lights on ;D. I personally have tried 10000mCd - it is a lot....especially for a LED 8).

 

electronicshacker

Jul 28, 2004
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Outstanding idea! GEE! Why didn't I think about that before? Maybe because I already dark blinds and dark curtains, HA!



street light does a lot of horrible things, not counting shining into my bedroom at night (which I tried to fix with curtains and what not), but also I am a astronomy entusiast. Which you can propably guess, I don't want any light into my telescope!

The only real solution: move away from the city.
 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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Kain, you say that you have seen leds with 20000mCD. For what unit is that?

I am already ahead of you. I am to recieve a laser pointer that gives off 650nm wavelenghts. I "won" it on 10/06, and is being shipped from Hong Kong. It should arrive within 10 days, which I will tell you of my result.

 

Kain

Jun 16, 2004
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Kain, you say that you have seen leds with 20000mCD. For what unit is that?
Quantum, mCd stands for microcandela - unit for light intensity. I guess the "m" should look little different for micro, but we are limited by the software :). Cool about the pointer. It better work too ;D
 

Mhz1

Aug 9, 2004
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I read across a few posts here and maybe I'm Missing Something, But ...

Even If you were able to tamper with the photocell (On/Off), I believe you would have to keep a constant feed of transmission signal on it, or it would simply return to it's original state once your mechanism is withdrawn from it... So you would have to keep turning it on or off I believe ... Just my 2 cents.. ;)

 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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Mhz, to reply to your poundering, we haven't talked about that. My thought to that is I would attach it to a stand, and change the laser so it is always at a costant output (duck-tape).
For all whom are intresting in my idea, I finally got my laser pointer from Ebay. And yes, I tried it, but it did not work. I think my studying and tinkering of the street light helped. As so, whenever the light turns on, it is overwhelming compared to the laser pointer. So, I wait when the light is barely just turning on and point (click) the laser.
The laser specification says the wavelength is 630 to 680, so it could be too much wavelength output.
I haven't given up hope, something has to turn it on.

 

Mhz1

Aug 9, 2004
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quantum, this may sound a bit out of place and close to impossible, but I believe one option would be 'Reflection', The problem would be getting the set position for the reflection.. If you could manage to get a reflection to reflect back to the Photosensor, then you could use a narrow beam yard lamp to reflect up the pole and in turn trigger the photosensor.. of coarse the yard light would need to be on your property and positioned in a way that it doesnt disturb much except up to the reflector. The hardest part would probably be getting the reflector in place.... Just a Thought..

Maybe I'm ahead myself.. Correct me.. The operation of photosensory may not work with direct lamp light.. Not Sure.

 
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quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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I understand Mhz, and possibly it may work. What do you by a narrow beam yard lamp?

 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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I have outstanding news. I shown the laser in a light-sensitive night light and it went off, the light bulb went out when it was on in the dark. Awesome. I bet the street light works like that also. Maybe the laser isn't strong enough too shut it off.

 

harsh2

Jul 29, 2004
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quantum , what didnt work the laser?
or trying to turn off the street light.

 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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The laser works fine, it's just that I did not shut off the street light off. I keep trying. ;)

 

Mhz1

Aug 9, 2004
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sorry it took so long for my reply here quantum, just got back...

What I mean is, try to have your light source focused so that it isn't too wide a projection.. In other words, you could possibly get a lenz attached to a circular black cup housing and attach it to the top of your light source... This way the light would be more concentrated on your reflective object only...

Lets assume my photon theory is incorrect, and reflected light will change the photosensor's state, then if your quest for laser solutions fail, I believe this would be your next best approach... but who knows..

 
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Dazza

Jun 21, 2004
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I may have a solution. the scientific name for it is (throwrocksrunfast) ;D. Maybe a camera flash, if you could in case the flash unit in mirrors to direct it to the focus lens, as is used for the laser. Of course you would need to make it flash rapidly, or use multiple flash units and make them flash one after the other. This would probably be a real pain to put together. Just an idea. Maybe you'll need several lasers to intensify the beam.

 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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I tried to intensify the laser by putting the laser in front of binoculars, but it still doesn't work. Maybe I should put through my telescope.

 

Kain

Jun 16, 2004
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Quantum, focusing the source does not increase its intensity at all on first place. It's the same to say that just that you put a lenses in front of your lamp it makes it more powerful (since power increases with the intensity doing the same). The intensity of your source will remain the same unless you use more than one source. Semiconductor LASERs work in switching mode usually - there is an integrated small circuit on the board that is some sort of impulse generator (multivibrator or so...). I have read some time ago that the output intensity of the LASER LED can be increased dramatically with appropriate switching and higher input current. This however, causes it to live shorter due to the increased temperature on the PN junction. Focusing the light increases the intensity on given area. However, in your case the LASER LED is already focused by the built in the pointer lense - this is why it's beam shaped. I doubt you can focus it better than it already is. ::)

 

quantum1

Jun 24, 2004
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What I tried to say was that I tried to make the diameter of the laser bigger, which I did. So I suppose what you are saying is that you can't futhor more intesify the laser pointer. Correct?

 

Kain

Jun 16, 2004
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Yes, you cannot exceed the power rating of the pointer, unless you change the swithing mode and so on, which means that the intensity of the source remains const.

 
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