[humble pie]

Hello everyone! I am a newbie to this site, but not to Haunted Houses-I've been doing one in my Garage on and off for about 15 Years-after a two Year hiatus, I'm doing one again this Year, but need your help on Motion Sensors.

I did a Search, and read as much as I could, but I am Electronically challenged-most of my Props are pneumatic, and I control them with valves and flow control valves that I purchsed from Grainger-I have to be centrally located, but it has worked in the past.

I have had problems through the Years getting people to show up and help, so I have tried to have as many props self energize as possible.

The problem I am having is that sometimes the Motion/Light Sensors that come with the Prop do not work, or are erratic. It appears that people are using regular Motion sensors-is this the answer? I have made some triggers that you step on, and they work o.k. for lights and such, but I do not know how to wire something like that into a commercial made prop that already has a sensor-

Can you please enlighten me? I am at a loss, and have thought of just having a black light behind people so that it iwll "trip the beam"-please teach this idiot!

 

[scareisburg]

Like most haunters I have used/hacked motion sension light fixtures and the motion sensing wall switches. The results has been mixed but generally less then desired. The main issues with these are:

Limited adjustment for time on and retrip
Very tempermental
Contain an electric eye so only work when dark and can be affected you other lights

The best improvement to these is to put a short tube or plactic pipe over the lens to focus the field of view. Think toilet paper tube size and length

I've pretty much junked most of these sensor because they are so tempermental and just not reliable. I suggest looking at Haunt Masters Flex ECT this has a motion sensor and adjustments for delay, time on and reset time. They work very well and are resonable priced. I've also had very good luck with Pico Boo products from fright ideas however you need to buy/add a sensor as it does not come with the controller. Here's the links for the products.

Haunt Masters Products that SCARE at Prices that don't!!!
Fright Ideas Controllers : Fright Ideas, Control the Fear
Radio Shack Sensor PIR Sensor Module - RadioShack.com
I've also had good experince with boards from Simple Circuits Haunted House Boards

Best of luck and I'm sure you'll get lots of other idea and opinons on this one

 

[kprimm]

I have used a few different prop controllers and i really like the hauntmaster products combo flex timers. The PIR sensor is wired right into the flex control box and it has off and on timers that you can control incrementally.These timers work very well. The other problem i have found with regular PIR or hacked sensors are as stated previously, they are unreliable. The PIR sensors used by hauntmaster and others for example have circuitry that make them interface with thier controllers.

 

[Dr. Dark]

I'm going to agree with the rest here. The Hauntmaster Flex ECT'S Work great!!!

 

[humble pie]

Thank you everyone for your replies! I will look into a Hauntmaster Flex!

 

[robzilla69]

i have completely abandoned motion sensors for pressure pads!
these work great and they are cheap!
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
but if your doing motion detection hauntmaster is the way to go

 

[humble pie]

i have completely abandoned motion sensors for pressure pads!
these work great and they are cheap!
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
but if your doing motion detection hauntmaster is the way to go

Thank you for the suggestion-how did you wire them up? Have you wired them to a Commercial Prop? I bought some Props that I want to use a manual sensor with (Mats would work!) and am not sure how to wire them up-they are 9 volt, and have the motion sensors as part of the prop-do you disable them?

I looked at the Hauntmaster this morning, and they apear to be 120v (don't know how to interface them either)-

 

[robzilla69]

if its a store bought prop with a test button, you simply cut the test button off and cut the sound/ battery module off the pressure pad and wire the 2 wires of the pad to the 2 wires of the prop. it will work on whatever power supply voltage DC your prop works on. If using a prop controller with a trigger input do the same but wire to controller. my pneumatics etc work on 120v a/c so i use this solid state relay for them
POTTER&BRUMFIELD SOLID STATE RELAY 110/240VAC 15A - eBay (item 300343826613 end time Oct-01-09 05:49:34 PDT)

 

[humble pie]

Robzilla69,

Thanks for the info! What if it doesn't have a test button? Can you help this idiot with a wiring schematic on the relay? Thanks so much!

 

[robzilla69]

in order to do that i need to know what your wanting to trigger send a link please ill do what i can

 

[humble pie]

here is one:

Life-Size Animated Hanging Skeleton in Cage Over 5 Feet - eBay (item 110432170910 end time Oct-06-09 12:21:36 PDT)

here is another:

6 Foot Jason Animatronic Prop in Decorations Animatronics / Animations

here is another:

Animated Lifesize Witch with Fogging Cauldron in Decorations Animatronics / Animations

I can give more if you need them, and thanks for your help!

 

[robzilla69]

ok the witch and jason both have test switches ive seen them. its a little button somewhere on the prop with 2 wires to it it plugs into the main box in the prop. check closer. leave the power switch off and push button if it activates the prop your there just like i said before. the ganging prop is sound activated so it will require some digging into the wiring of the prop to activate it. if you want to open the control box up and post some pics im sure we can figure it out

 

[humble pie]

Thanks for the help, I will do so-

 

[Halloween 2012]

Hey Robzilla, sorry to hijack the thread, but could you look at this post

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/82440-what-can-i-use-these.html

 

[modmomm]

Robzilla,
I do not have a store bought prop. We are doing an electrocuted man and need to have the motor to run prop,strobe light and compressor on one switch. Will this Pressure Mat work for that? And is there a specific solid state relay to use? Every year I tell myself I am going to take a college course on electrical etc so I can figure this stuff out but never do. UGH. Thanks for you wisdom!-Modmomm

 

[Otaku]

modmomm,
A pressure mat will work as the trigger, but not as the timing device. For that, you need something that lets all those devices run for the time length that you need. Otherwise, the prop will only run while someone is standing on the mat.
Since you have three different devices, most likely of different voltages, that need triggering your best bet is going to be some kind of computer-controlled relay board, Prop-1 controller or other EFX-Tek board. This is assuming that when you say "compressor" you mean the solenoid supplying compressed air to the prop.
If you plan to trigger the prop manually, things get easier.

 

[modmomm]

Pressure Mat

Thank You Dark Alessi. We have decided to have a person manually handle this prop. Maybe next year I will be on the ball and have the necessary Electronic devices AHEAD of time.

Modmomm

 

[Otaku]

OK, so you need all three things to go at once, right? The compressed air, the motor and the strobe? Here's what you can do. If you're comfy with working with AC, use a 3PDT (3 terminal) AC relay to fire everything at once. You can also use a 4PDT or a pair of DPDT relays. A single trigger button will be used to activate the low-voltage relays which will supply power to the prop. Give me some details about the motor, solenoid and strobe (voltage, amperage required and so on). Once I have that info, I can whomp up a wiring diagram for you.

 

[modmomm]

Dark Alessa,
Power Drill operates body. No solenoid, using regular large air compressor for noise and strobe lite for effect. All run 120v. We were going to have a wavefile of voltage and screams but decided the volume of the compressor should work. (No One makes sounds during a regular electrocution anyway).I was surprised to get your offer of wiring diagram- just another reason I LOVE THIS SITE. Everyone is so helpful Thankyou very much -Modmomm

 

[robzilla69]

Looks **** Otaku has this one. I like SSR's quiet and flexible plenty to choose from. Also a pic-boo could handle this nicely