Well, it's been a while now (like 2 months), and I am still using the LED lights.
I've added a feature though - so that I do not have to use the alligator clip to turn it on and off. Yuppers - I've added an Infrared (IR) switch to it.
Pretty darn cool, too. We have about three or four IR controllers in the house (as do most people), and all I need to do to turn the LED lights on is aim the IR controller at the 'box', and click a button - any button - and the LEDs turn ON (or OFF).
It is still a bit too sensitive though, and I need to work on making it less sensitive... it tends to respond to the fluorescent lights (that put out IR), or other anomalies that I am scratching my head over.
One thing that seems to turn the LEDs ON or OFF is... me! I sit in my recliner, and will get up - or sit down. During the 'get up' phase, the lights tend to toggle. Not sure why, either. It doesn't happen all of the time, so it's difficult to determine a logical reason for this. My wife tends to think it's my watch that I wear (it has a 32kHz crystal inside of it - which would make sense), and so we did a test - I removed my watch and left it in the other room. It seemed to be the reason... but then the other night it happened while I wasn't wearing my watch. Kinda blew that theory out the window.
I told my wife... "It's me! My LEDs like me, and respond to me." She hasn't bought into that idea... and neither have I, but it doesn't seem to happen whenever she gets up from the sofa. I am thinking that it is picking up an IR reflection or something - from somewhere... not sure yet.
In any case... I need to add circuitry that would de-sensitize the IR switch part, and it will then be more stable and useable.
I am getting enough battery 'juice' for lasting through a couple of weeks of overcast skies, which is nice. There is a trickle-charge during even the overcast days, which help.
My boss - has a setup similar ty mine... that he is using in a weekend mobile home on some property that he owns... his is discharging his battery much faster than I am mine. Of course, he's running a much higher load on his battery, which is also 'smaller' than mine, too.
This makes me think that I am using the right balance of solar panel to battery 'amperage', to LED load. This is a good thing (as Martha Stewart used to say).
My next phase is to electronically capture all of the circuitry that I am using - or want to use, and make a printed circuit board with it - and then 'kit' it up for offering to others.
Of course, I am still working on adding 'features', too...
Still having fun...
Regards,
Jim TX
LED Lighting - Part 3
by Jim_TX 3 Replies latest jw friends
-
Jim_TX
-
Little Drummer Boy
Nice!
-
CyrusThePersian
Pretty darn cool, too. We have about three or four IR controllers in the house (as do most people), and all I need to do to turn the LED lights on is aim the IR controller at the 'box', and click a button - any button - and the LEDs turn ON (or OFF).
This system sounds so cool! I think in the statement above you may have hit on your problem. infrared light is everywhere. What you need to do I think, is design a device that only responds to a specific IR code like a TV does.
Keep us posted on this great idea!
CyrusThePersian
-
Jim_TX
"...infrared light is everywhere. What you need to do I think, is design a device that only responds to a specific IR code like a TV does."
Well, I thought about that, too. I am trying to think 'simple' here. If I add what you are suggesting, that requires a complete microprocessor-like device to decode the signals.
What I am getting are just spurious 'glitches' into the circuitry. By watching the LED that I have attached, I believe that I can 'filter' out the glitches without resorting to a micro/decode scheme.
Thanks for your suggestion, though. *wide grin*
I also found an old IR handheld that I had lying around. I scrounged up some batteries for it, and I can now 'hit' the lights from my bedroom - eliminating having to trip over numerous obstacles getting into the living room. The remote will stay in/near the bedroom, and only be used for turning on the LED lights from 25 to 30 feet away.
Ahhhhhh... 'instant' light. *wide grin*
Regards,
Jim TX