Thread: Motion sensor/pressure mat help

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My wife and I are thinking we need to step it up this year and more un-manned scares is the only way we can go. Problem is, we have no idea how to use motion sensors or step pads with animatronics...does anyone know how to do this? We'd really love to save as much cash as possible this year and the pre set-up stuff is PRICEY!

What sort of scares or props are you thinking of triggering? Lights, sounds, animations?

Well, we are trying to figure out how to set up a motion sensor/pressure mat air cannon, but other stuff would be great too. If we figure out other ways to get un-manned scares to work well, we can think of other things to power.

I don't use air cannons, so I'm not sure just what components you're using. I use PIRs and timers for triggering lighting, sound FX and wiper motor props. Sounds like it's fairly easy to do, though.

Are you referring to the need to make a basic pressure mat?

Well, any how-to's would be great. I have no idea how to hook up any mats or motion sensors to a prop, how to delay a motion sensor (so prop doesn't run continuously), how to trigger an air cannon, anything!
I'm a complete noob when it comes to this type of stuff.

Check out this thread - http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=19719
Although it mainly covers the use of controllers, it does have some good info on the use of motion sensors.

Very cool and very informative...but for now I just really need to know how to attach a basic pressure mat or motion sensor to a pre-existing animatronic/prop. Do I have to crack open things...rewire things...I will read through that link again for future reference...but I'm taking things a little slow...I'm REALLY new to this type of thing. Does anyone have a "Scary-Animated-Props for the Severely Retarded" book?

Does your prop have a "try me button"? If so, you can just cut it off and attach it to a pressure mat like this one - http://www.harborfreight.com/pressur...mat-96481.html
Cut the wires to the switch on the pressure mat off, connect to the wires from the try me button with some wire nuts and your done. The pressure mat will operate just like an on/off switch.
If you want to have a motion sensor trigger your prop, this is one of the easiest and cheapest to get you started - http://halloweenpropmaster.com/ir_prop_trigger.htm

If you built a prop such as a cannon you might have or will need a controller for it then that is where you will hook everythngin up if you bought something then yes you need to mod alittle and either find the try me puttin or open it up and connect the hot and live wires together.