I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

Or maybe forget that floodlight (I have another outside fed from the
garage) and use an external low voltage PIR to feed an audio alert
and/or switch on a light (even low voltage). I doesn't have to be DIY;
off the shelf solutions welcome!

Just thinking ... I suppose there is nothing to stop me feeding 240V
back from the switched supply to the floodlight.

Rationale: I'm interested in being alerted about potential burglaries
/before/ they enter; a few nights ago I heard was awoken by burglars
attempting to force a window. I assume also, that an audion alert just
loud enough to be heard outside might be a deterrent.

I'm sort of reluctant to fit a proper alarm; many reasons, but the main
one is that they tend to elart you only after the burgulars have gained
entry.

TIA,

Jon C.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

Or maybe forget that floodlight (I have another outside fed from the
garage) and use an external low voltage PIR to feed an audio alert
and/or switch on a light (even low voltage). I doesn't have to be DIY;
off the shelf solutions welcome!

I modified my front door PIR (pre-part P !) to switch a hall light and so I
can easily have the flood on continuously :-

http://uk.geocities.com/gentlegreengiant/PIR.GIF

Quite what you would use to make the noise I don't know - presumably a
transformer and bell / buzzer of some sort ...
Actually I have considered doing something similar - maybe something
intermittent though in case a neighbourhood cat starts firing the thing off
all night ...


Just thinking ... I suppose there is nothing to stop me feeding 240V
back from the switched supply to the floodlight.

Rationale: I'm interested in being alerted about potential burglaries
/before/ they enter; a few nights ago I heard was awoken by burglars
attempting to force a window. I assume also, that an audion alert just
loud enough to be heard outside might be a deterrent.

I'm sort of reluctant to fit a proper alarm; many reasons, but the main
one is that they tend to elart you only after the burgulars have gained
entry.

TIA,

Jon C.

wrote:
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

I will shortly be doing something similar, however I will use standalone
PIRs to trigger a digtal input to a home automation controller. The plan
is to simply use the 240V switched output of the PIR to drive a relay
with a 240V coil. Then I can use the relay contacts to do whatever...

The smallest/cheapest relays I could find with a 240VAC coil are about a
fiver each from Farnell - a shame as the PIRs only cost me £2 each!

Cheers,
Ben.

wrote:
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

The safest and simplest way to do this is to find a 240V relay that will fit
inside your PIR device. (assuming you are competant to fit this safely,
properly insulated, and secured)

As most floodlights have a choccy block connector in, simply connect the
relay coil across the floodlight terminals.
Now, you have a switch that goes on when the floodlight does.
Connect this to a source of power, and the bell/buzzer of your choice.

brugnospamsia wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

Or maybe forget that floodlight (I have another outside fed from the
garage) and use an external low voltage PIR to feed an audio alert
and/or switch on a light (even low voltage). I doesn't have to be DIY;
off the shelf solutions welcome!

I modified my front door PIR (pre-part P !) to switch a hall light and so I
can easily have the flood on continuously :-

http://uk.geocities.com/gentlegreengiant/PIR.GIF

Quite what you would use to make the noise I don't know - presumably a
transformer and bell / buzzer of some sort ...
Actually I have considered doing something similar - maybe something
intermittent though in case a neighbourhood cat starts firing the thing off
all night ...

Thanks, that looks useful; however, I'm going to have to overcome an
irrational (?) lack of confidence in my ability to mix 240V with low
voltage equipment (don't comment, I know it is silly and irrational and
amateur and non-DIY).

As regards buzzers, I have a (5V?) buzzer and a home made siren from
days when I built electronics as a hobby.

Okay, agreed, cats a problem.

A really annoying thing is that I had a 'listening light' socket in the
hall until a few weeks ago; suddenly, it started to act strangely, as
did two others the same (Unicom??? bought in Aldi -- I posted here to
see if anyone could guess why it (actually all three) ) failed in the
same way. That would have detected the noise and would have switched on
a light, presumably deterrring them.

I assume it would be possible to adjust the 'light level' trimmer on
the floodlight so that it comes on all day? (Daytime, it seems to me,
being as good as any to commit a burglary.)

Thanks,

Jon C.

wrote:
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

Or maybe forget that floodlight (I have another outside fed from the
garage) and use an external low voltage PIR to feed an audio alert
and/or switch on a light (even low voltage). I doesn't have to be DIY;
off the shelf solutions welcome!

Just thinking ... I suppose there is nothing to stop me feeding 240V
back from the switched supply to the floodlight.

Rationale: I'm interested in being alerted about potential burglaries
/before/ they enter; a few nights ago I heard was awoken by burglars
attempting to force a window. I assume also, that an audion alert just
loud enough to be heard outside might be a deterrent.

I'm sort of reluctant to fit a proper alarm; many reasons, but the main
one is that they tend to elart you only after the burgulars have gained
entry.

One of the sheds or big catalogues sells a PIR light with a radio link
to a 'chime' that can be plugged in anywhere indoors to warn when the
light is triggered.

There is a choice of three radio channels, so if you decided to have two
PIRs, they could be either be operated as separate systems on different
channels, or both set to the same channel so that either PIR would ring
both chimes. (As with all low-cost "wireless" systems, the downside is
the risk of false alarms if the neighbours had similar devices
installed.)

Bought one for the relatives recently, for exactly the reasons you
describe, and they are quite happy with it. I just need to remember
where from...



--
Ian White

Ben Willcox wrote:
wrote:
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

I will shortly be doing something similar, however I will use standalone
PIRs to trigger a digtal input to a home automation controller. The plan
is to simply use the 240V switched output of the PIR to drive a relay
with a 240V coil. Then I can use the relay contacts to do whatever...

The smallest/cheapest relays I could find with a 240VAC coil are about a
fiver each from Farnell - a shame as the PIRs only cost me =A32 each!


Those PIRs work outside? (Or as well as any PIR works outside -- I seem
to get no more than two years out of my floodlights, but then they do
get the full force of south-westerlies.) You couldn't give a brand
namme and/or model no.?

I assume that if I look carefully (online -- unfortunately no store
nearby), I can get all this from Maplin?

Many thanks,

Jon C.

Ian Stirling wrote:
wrote:
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

The safest and simplest way to do this is to find a 240V relay that will fit
inside your PIR device. (assuming you are competant to fit this safely,
properly insulated, and secured)

As most floodlights have a choccy block connector in, simply connect the
relay coil across the floodlight terminals.
Now, you have a switch that goes on when the floodlight does.
Connect this to a source of power, and the bell/buzzer of your choice.

What terminals are on that 240-V relay? 240-V (live and neutral) in;
two terminals of the switch out? There's not much room left in the
plastic box that contains the choccy block connector -- is that where
you'd put the relay?

Many thanks,

Jon C.

wrote:

Those PIRs work outside? (Or as well as any PIR works outside -- I seem
to get no more than two years out of my floodlights, but then they do
get the full force of south-westerlies.) You couldn't give a brand
namme and/or model no.?

Well they are designed to, however I havn't got around to fitting any
yet! I can check the make/model when I get home, but they were in B&Q on
some kind of sale and I havn't seen them there since. (Other stores
might still have them). Ha, found them here in Maplin:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...=3141&doy=11m8

but the ones I have are in black. Plus Maplin are ripping people off at
that price.

I assume that if I look carefully (online -- unfortunately no store
nearby), I can get all this from Maplin?

The only relays that Maplin do with a 240VAC coil are big chunky things.
Something like Farnell order code 4307719 should do. Of course for your
application you ideally want a momentary output, which you won't get
with a normal relay so you would need to find some kind of buzzer/alarm
that just sounds once when it receives a trigger.

Cheers,
Ben

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:51:57 GMT, "brugnospamsia"
wrote:

Actually I have considered doing something similar - maybe something
intermittent though in case a neighbourhood cat starts firing the thing off
all night ...

Even large hedgehogs trigger my PIR!

Mr F.

Of course you could just connect a "stand-alone" PIR to a 3-pin socket
(indoors), then plug in a standard plug-in transformer to give 5v or
whatever when the PIR triggers. If you are confident working with low
voltages you can build whatever you want to run off this low voltage
output.

Do make sure that you properly label the socket though - you don't want
the next door neighbour (who pops in to feed the cat/dog/fish while you
are on holiday) plugging a hoover in!!

formulated the question :
I would like to derive an audio alert from a PIR floodlight. To be more
specific: let's say I have the floodlight above a back window and
driven from a three-pin plug from inside. I would be happy to bring
additional cabling from the PIR.

Or maybe forget that floodlight (I have another outside fed from the
garage) and use an external low voltage PIR to feed an audio alert
and/or switch on a light (even low voltage). I doesn't have to be DIY;
off the shelf solutions welcome!

Just thinking ... I suppose there is nothing to stop me feeding 240V
back from the switched supply to the floodlight.

Rationale: I'm interested in being alerted about potential burglaries
/before/ they enter; a few nights ago I heard was awoken by burglars
attempting to force a window. I assume also, that an audion alert just
loud enough to be heard outside might be a deterrent.

I'm sort of reluctant to fit a proper alarm; many reasons, but the main
one is that they tend to elart you only after the burgulars have gained
entry.

TIA,

Jon C.

I have 3x hard wired 500w PIR's and was faced with the same problem. My
solution was to find a small tranformer with room to wind a few turns
of one of the mains supplies around the core (around 5 turns). I then
used the original windings of the transformer to supply a bridge
rectifier with a small capacitor across the DC output, to which I then
connected a 12v piezo sounder via a switch so it could be disabled.
This will need to be the type with a built in oscillator.

The mains cable I chose fed all three lights, so if one PIR is
triggered the piezo will sound, more lights trigered equals more noise.



--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

In message , Mr Fizzion
writes
On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:51:57 GMT, "brugnospamsia"
wrote:

Actually I have considered doing something similar - maybe something
intermittent though in case a neighbourhood cat starts firing the thing off
all night ...

Even large hedgehogs trigger my PIR!

Especially if they're doing what they do noisily !

--
geoff

Ian White wrote:
[...]

One of the sheds or big catalogues sells a PIR light with a radio link
to a 'chime' that can be plugged in anywhere indoors to warn when the
light is triggered.

There is a choice of three radio channels, so if you decided to have two
PIRs, they could be either be operated as separate systems on different
channels, or both set to the same channel so that either PIR would ring
both chimes. (As with all low-cost "wireless" systems, the downside is
the risk of false alarms if the neighbours had similar devices
installed.)

Bought one for the relatives recently, for exactly the reasons you
describe, and they are quite happy with it. I just need to remember
where from...

Okay, problem possibly solved.

I bought a 'Jaguar' (IQ Europe Ltd.) 'battery powered PIR sensor
with portable chime alert and light adaptor'. (In B&Q, 50 quids.)

Incidentally, initial impressions: (i) I wonder how long the AA
batteries will last? (three in sensor, three in chime); (ii) I wonder
will the PIR sensor go the way floodlight sensors go when exposed to
weather Irish weather (and facing south-west), i.e. fail after
two/three years? (iii) cats; I'm now attempting to use some sort of
netting to discourage them from their 'traditional route' into my
garden; (iv) set off by the onset of bright sunlight; (v) easy to fit
and set up -- ten minutes at most -- compared to something that I'd
kludge myself.

Thanks all.

Best regards,

Jon C.