!2 volt home lighting
By lrdl3535
@lrdl3535 (149)
United States
April 5, 2013 8:16pm CST
I recently started working on converting some of my lighting to 12 volt. I am mainly working on storage sheds and animal pens. But my question is, does anyone know how to set up some kind of timer for the lights? I have motion sensors, but I only want them to come on at night, any suggestions?
2 responses
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
18 Apr 13
Congratulations! 
You do not need a timer. I have a very simple circuit with just one transistor you can use that senses when it's day or night & switches on & off at whatever light levels you set it to (just turn the knob on the pot.). This is a far more reliable method if you attend to it regularly, rather than relying on mechanical or other timers which will invariably start with a small error & then accumulate errors in a summing effect over time, so you end up with the lights going on & off when you don't need it, which defeats the purpose. You may trigger your motion sensors by this method too.
Are you using LED lighting? What are you running them off?
You do not need a timer. I have a very simple circuit with just one transistor you can use that senses when it's day or night & switches on & off at whatever light levels you set it to (just turn the knob on the pot.). This is a far more reliable method if you attend to it regularly, rather than relying on mechanical or other timers which will invariably start with a small error & then accumulate errors in a summing effect over time, so you end up with the lights going on & off when you don't need it, which defeats the purpose. You may trigger your motion sensors by this method too.
Are you using LED lighting? What are you running them off?
@subhojit10 (7375)
• India
6 Apr 13
Wow that sounds interesting about your project and i am sure u will come out with flying colors one day with your project. to be very honest i do not have much knowledge about the conversion but may be you can get your answers from the net or from some skilled professions who have worked on this project before.
