I have looked at using those in my haunt before, but would only use the regular outputs that feed a garage door opener. Not sure why they went to all the trouble to use the LED on the sensor to drive the circuit.
...I like the idea that if used as an alarm it will wake me up, so I can run out there and handle business. Plus, you could hack the sound and put in a prop.
...I like the idea that if used as an alarm it will wake me up, so I can run out there and handle business. Plus, you could hack the sound and put in a prop.
LOL.. Yeah GDfreak, I did... If that's a common occurence in a particular area, it's not time to make a driveway alert sensor... it's TIME TO SELL THE HOUSE & move to another town!!! LOL
Yep, Both the sensor/transmitter and the receiver are battery operated. It works fine. Mine is mounted on a lamp post near the end of my drive (over 100 ft from the house) and goes off when either a car or person passes the post. I will be hacking mine to run on an AC adapter (I have AC power on the post) so I won't have to worry about replacing batteries. I already narrowed the range of the sensor by putting a short piece of PVC on the front.
And for real problems with thieves I prefer something like this:
Ya first thing I thought was trigger a prop.and ya the guy with the axe you either live in the woods or he's a fellow haunter wanting to show you his new prop!LOL
he had to use the led because the sensors operate vie PWM not a relay contact. so you have to have a much more advanced circuit to interpret the PWM from the garage door sensors. his simple way was just to get the kind that has an led that flashes when the beam is broken and use the photocell to trigger the relay.
I thought about building the PWM circuit but i might use this now.
We always had problems with older kids stealing pumpkins and smashing them in the street. Several years ago, I saw a neat trick on the internet, but unfortunately, I don't know who to credit it to.
Anyway, you get a burglar alarm horn and a door switch (the switch and the magnet). As best we could, we stuck the magnet into the base of the pumpkin and placed it onto the switch. We wired teh switch to the horn with a large 6V lantern battery and hid it under the stairs behind the pumpkins. As soon as the "pumpkin admirer" lifted the pumpkin, the circuit completed and the horn blasted him!
His parents got upset with us for traumatizing him, but I think it was worth it. At least we don't have any more pumpkins getting smashed.
hmmmm...you could do an electromagnet setup with piece of metal in the pumpkin and an electromagnet under the porch/stairs. They would never be able to lift the pumpkin.
You could also use a delay charge setup like the banks with an exploding ink bomb. Once the pumpkin is lifted the circuit is broke and the timer starts ticking. He's running away thinking he got it and then he REALLY gets it. WHAM!!!
