Thread: Cheap Motion Sensors - fairly easy to use

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Not sure if this is the right area, so mods move it if you wish. Just got notified Graveyardmall.com has thier sensor lights back on sale again for $1.99 each + shipping. I use these in my props as a remote motion sensor - you will need a tiny bit of soldering skills, and some relays (I use 5v to ~250 volt, but only to use on a 24v bus - no 100v or 220v anywhere near my TOT's)
These are powered via 4 'AA' batteries, and I clip the wires to the bulb & use those to trigger the relay. It's a 'real' PIR sensor, so it's hard to beat for the price...
The usually ship fairly fast, but don't know if you will get them in time for this year... (just got the email this morning)
Here's the link:
http://graveyardmall.com/sensorlight.html
Hope it helps someone!!!

Rob

Thanks for sharing with everyone! I being a novice at this kind of stuff, am wondering if you can show some examples of how these are used in your props, and what "hacking" is required to get them to work for this type of use. I've "hacked" (only in the most reachign use of the term) regular cheap motion sensor floodlights and rewired the setup for a 4 gang box so as to give me 2 std outlets and 2 motion controlled outlets. but that is about the most I've been sucessful with on my own. works fine for those Animated props that a can be run on a wall wort but certianly doesn't work for the battery driven items..

I bought something similar up here at a hardware store. Cheap and easy to mod....works like a charm to trigger my pneumatic solenoids through my prop controller!

well, it appears they sold out.
Having said that, these units have a light bulb which receives ~4.5 volts when activated. I simply clip the wires heading to the socket, and attach them to my 5v side of my relay. On the 'other' side of the relay I have one of my 24v 'legs' attached - when activated, the relay closes the 24v side, and bingo - pneumatic prop jumps. No reason that relay couldn't be used for 110v or even 220v, but I don't put that kind of current anywhere near where folks can 'touch'. This methodology *should* work with almost any of the 'closet lights', you just need to ensure the voltage triggering the lights is sufficient to trip your relay...