Look at any list of things to do to make your house less attractive to the criminal element and you’ll likely find “add motion sensing lights” among the pro tips. But what if you don’t want to light up the night? What if you want to use a motion sensor to provide a little light for navigating inside a dark garage? And what if the fixture you’ve chosen is a solar fixture that won’t quite cooperate? If you’re like [r1ckatkinson], you do a teardown and hack the fixture to do your bidding.
[r1ckatkinson]’s fixture was an inexpensive Maplin solar unit with PIR motion sensing, with the solar panel able to be mounted remotely. This was perfect for the application, since the panel could go outside to power the unit, with the lamp and PIR sensor inside. Unfortunately, the solar cell is also the photosensor that tells the unit not to turn on during the day. Armed with scratch pad and pencil, [r1ckatkinson] traced the circuit and located the offending part – a pull-down resistor. A simple resistor-ectomy later and he’s got a solar-powered light working just the way he likes it.
A simple hack, but effective. Seeing off-the-shelf gear modified is always a treat. Of course there’s something to be said for the more home-brew approach to security lighting, too.
I could tell that was a maplins product just from the superbly finished circuit board. Nothing but the best.
Why do they bother to put silk screen on the PCBs of things nobody will ever fix? I can understand it costs a little, but on a large scale wouldn’t they save money by jumping over some steps?
Did something like this many years ago for an outbuilding that my father had – the killer was cold weather that tanked the batteries at night.
Maplin – my favorite overpriced Chinese tat flinger. It’s either on offer, or you are desperate. Or both…
I don’t know who sets their prices, but some of them make me suspect they are smoking way too much crack! Just keep an eye out for whatever you want coming on the regular special offer / sale prices – at least it takes the sting out of it a little.
Sometimes they are good for the weird stuff though, when the price is so low you just *have* to get one to repurpose in another project. =)
Any ideas what the simplest ways to put an on-off switch and maybe a high low on this led security light would like to use it as a work light it’s a great light except it doesn’t stay on