Thread: Animation sensors...when they don't animate

Tweet

I have several electric props that have standard sensors "sound/motion". Problem is when it's dark (in my haunted garage) they sometimes DON'T activate without significant noise. I thought I might remedy the problem by sticking a piece of tape where the motion sensor is to keep it consistantly running but that didn't work. My next idea is to possibly find something that vibrates the base constantly because they seems to activate easily when that is done?.

Thought

Don't tape over the motion sensor. That will stop any chance of it actually picking up motion. There's two things you can try. One I know works and all you do is have a portable cd player playing a spooky sound track near the prop. A thunder storm track works well, but any commerical horror cd played loud enough is fine. It's just the volume and close proximity that sets them off. If you can have a multiple speaker speaker setup [more than just stereo], you can run that audio out to whatever prop needs it. My other thought that I think should work would be to put mini strobes set to a slow pace on the motion sensor of the prop. The dark to light flash should be enough to set them off. I haven't tried that, but I bet it would work. Good luck!

Dan

If I remember correctly the motion sensor in these props detect changes in light, so if you put a small light that people have to walk between the prop and the light, the prop is much more likely to activate. Worth a try! Good luck.

Thanks. I tried the strobe and it didn't work very well... I think the portable cd is a great idea. Will try led light faced towards victims

I'm suprised the strobe didn't work. Did it work at all, and it was just hit or miss? Or not at all? The light beam on the prop should do the trick as well, but I have found that to be hit and miss as well, outdoors. In a controlled setting indoors, it may be more reliable. Loud audio will do the trick, but it doesn't offer precise triggering of multiple props at a certain time. It's only a loose way of getting props moving from loud sound. Good luck.

Dan

I have had good luck pointing the prop so the sensor is toward a light source. Often I can use an existing light in the background, but sometimes have to place one. The tot walking between the prop and the light source usually is enough of a change to trigger the prop.
I would also be interested in hearing if others here have figured out how to make the sound sensors more effective.

I have never had much luck doing this, even with CD music, it has to be loud, much more than the background noise and close to the sensor. Some ideas that might work.

- Create a blinking LED and place it in front of the light sensor. This can be done by building an "astable mode" 555 timer

- I have noticed that you might be able to create a "light path" in front of the object that is full of light but have the prop in the dark, usually the light sensor can trigger in this path

- Start to think about some relay timer and find a "try me" button input to toggle from a sensor pad.

-Tim

I've had good luck with having a light pointed at the prop from across the walkway. The TOTs pass by the light and it sets off the prop.