Thread: How do I bypass light sensor/sound sensor on commercial props?

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Ok, I know everyone wants to build from scratch, but theres a lot of really nice stuff coming out each year from the mass produced guys, but their triggering systems suck. Props like "Spasm, Hex, the moaning mummy guy at hope depot" most commonly use a photovoltic cell I believe to notice changes in light. They are generally little black tubes leading into their chests. My problem with these things is that they don't seem to respond to infra red, and are virtually useless in the low light conditions of my haunt. A work around I have used before is to have one of my triggers trigger a light bright enough to activate their triggers but because I cannot always control the movement of the tots this doesn't always work. Further more some props like "zombie chin up" and "chest ripper" have audio sensors that trigger from load noises. The only thing I have done for them is place them on boards that transfers the sound of the steps to the prop "ussually" triggering it.

Now does anyone know can I simply short the leads going to the light sensor or sound sensor together to keep the prop always active, so that I can activate the prop using it's power cord. If not, how can I bypass the light or sound sensor on these mass produced props (ussually two lead sensors)?

Some props you can and others you can't, it all depends on how the manufacturer set it up, but if the prop has a try-me button, you can short accross this or even wire it into a relay attached to a motion sensor, so when the relay is triggered, it's like a button being pushed. I've purchased a couple of props this year that I'm setting up this way so I can change lighting and trigger the props and fog machine for the effect that I want when the TOT's come through.

I put a strobe light in front of mine and it makes it sense the light change and runs continuously!

Open it up, find the sensor, solder some wire (speakerwire good) on at each side of the sensor (it,s now in Paralell to light sensor), run wire out of prop (a disconnect is good idea), to whatever type switch (normally open) you want (manual, mat, motion...)

I know I'm a little late on this, but what I did with one of my props, was pull the "eye" out and added 3 foot leads. I then was able to attach the motion sensor to the door frame in my porch. It triggered everytime someone walked in. I was even able to put it at a hieght that little TOT's wouldn't trigger.

On the light sensor props you could mount an LED right in front of the sensor and then a switch to turn the led on when needed.the sound sensored one you could have a trigger of say a scream or thunder to activate the prop.

Does anyone know if you can purchase these motion switches online, like ebay?