[DanWR]

Hello-
I'm trying to make a sitting scarecrow prop work from a remote trigger.

The trigger is just a relay with a remote control. I've done this before with other props (just yesterday the jumping spider) but I can't figure out what I'm missing with this one.

I expected to use a 3.5mm audio plug into the foot control port and use the remote relay to connect the two leads. This worked great with the spider.
What I'm finding with the scarecrow is that if I connect the footpad leads to a relay the scarecrow may go off ~10% of the time the relay is fired. In working with this problem I've found that If I have the bare wire from the footpad port exposed and I touch one of the leads with my fingers (nothing else connected to the footpad leads and the other footpad lead just in open air) the prop will trigger as I would like it to do.

I have 2 of these scarecrows, both are behaving the same.

Is there something odd about the footpad controls on these that I've not been able to get Google to tell me about?

I tried to post a link to the prop but I'm too new, the forum doesn't allow it.

Thanks for any help!
Dan

 

[J-Man]

I believe the Spirit step pad has a piezo that produces a small amount of current when activated. Some of the Spirit props look for this current to trigger. Try a AA or AAA battery in line with the two wires so when your relay momentarily closes, the prop sees a small amount of current.

 

[J-Man]

As another option, not sure if that prop has a "try me" button but if it does, use those 2 wires for the relay.

 

[DanWR]

Thanks J-Man
I have been able to get it to work reliably by connecting voltage through a resistor to one side of the relay and connecting the other to ground. That flip back and forth generates what is needed to trigger the prop every time.
Everything I'd read said that the foot pads are just two conductors that come into contact when you step on them. I had no idea what was going on.

 

[J-Man]

Great, glad you got it working.