The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Need help with electrical project
Slanderer
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've heard of someone doing this before, so i wanted to try it myself. The idea is to have a string of Christmas lights inside a locker/cabinet that light up when the door is opened. Now, the mechanism to turn on the lights doesn't seem to complicated, but the power situation does.
I heard of this being done with a lantern battery, yet I'm not sure if that would work or not. Would it be possible to supply a high enough voltage to power these lights? Might connecting 2 in a series help? Using only part of the string of lights? Any other ideas?
Really, any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.
I heard of this being done with a lantern battery, yet I'm not sure if that would work or not. Would it be possible to supply a high enough voltage to power these lights? Might connecting 2 in a series help? Using only part of the string of lights? Any other ideas?
Really, any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.
Wii Code: 1231 4448 8299 3147 ((Send me a PM and come join the party))Knuckle Dragger wrote:Hey, if God had sent an angel down to the principal's office that said, "Don't fire the bitch, the big man knocked her up." I am sure he would have given it due consideration.Midshipman wrote:Looks like the Catholic Church would have fired the Virgin Mary if they had been in business back then.
Slanderer on
0
Posts
This project reminds me of something someone in my highschool electronics class did. He got sick of people messing with his locker so he wired it to shock people.
Booby Traps are technically illegal in most states, and probably against the rules for most schools/colleges/universities (BTW I do have the circuit for a Shock Trap myself...)
As for powering christmas lights, you can buy battery operated ones (usually run on a small powerpack of D Cells or a single lantern battery).
Theoretically, if you wanted to run a full sized set you could either try and wire up enough batteries to provide 110V (This is generally not a good idea, shock hazard), or the prefered option would be a 12V battery with a small 100w inverter. A fully charged battery (not neccisarily a full sized car battery, they do have smaller 12V) would probably provide a few hours of lights, which should be plenty since lockers are generally only open for a couple minutes at a time.
If you do use the inverter+battery, I'd recommend attaching the switch on the 12V side, that way when the door is closed it cuts power to the inverter, where as if you wired the switch on the 120V side, you would still have power flowing to the inverter even when the door is closed.
Also, SAFETY FIRST. use plenty of heat shrink tubing and/or electrical tape, and I'm assuming you're at least familiar with basic household electrical wiring. If you are not, do not attempt to wire the 12V+Inverter setup, there are shock hazards. Last thing you need is to accidentally energize a row of steel lockers with 120Vac.