Light/Dark Detector


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This handy little circuit can tell the difference between darkness and light, making it very useful for switching on and off signs, porch lights or other things when it gets dark or light.

Schematic

Schematic for Light/Dark Detector

Parts

Part
Total Qty.
Description
Substitutions
R11100K Pot
Q112N3904 NPN Transistor2N2222
Q21NPN Phototransistor
RELAY19V Relay
MISC1Board, Wire, 9V Battery Snap (if battery used), Knob For R1

Notes

  1. R1 Adjusts sensitivity

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Comments

acme fixer
Light/Dark Detector
Friday, April 24, 2009 11:02:42 AM
NPN Photodetector? One could never tell from the outside whether it's NPN or PNP. Assume it's a typical relay, say 200 ohm coil. If you connect this circuit to a 9V battery, it will draw three times as much current as a 9V battery usually supplies. The battery will last only a few hours. The coil should have a 1N4002 rectifier across it, cathode to the positive end.
anonymous
Light/Dark Detector
Friday, April 24, 2009 5:55:16 AM
it's vrey useful for students
Raheem
Light/Dark Detector
Thursday, April 16, 2009 5:05:13 AM
can any give me the schematic for controlling the dim and dipping of the headlamps of the vehicle when it detects the vehicle coming in the opposite direction to it.. so as to make the people see the roads properly during night
anonymous
Light/Dark Detector
Monday, April 13, 2009 11:34:25 AM
where can i get a device that can detect whether the street light is out during the day? my job is to locate streets lights that are out so i can report to the electric company for them to replace the lights. I dont want to have to go out at night and locate the lights that are out and during the day all lights are off so i can't tell. thanks
john
Light/Dark Detector
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 8:44:51 PM
i wasn't able to get a phototransistor so i used an LDR and a 50K preset, works fine. the diode didn't make much difference,it's only for theory buffs. pcb is so easy to design.....duh!
anonymous
Light/Dark Detector
Friday, February 20, 2009 11:58:09 AM
Hello Im i beginner and am finding it very hard to translate this circuit onto a strip-board. Please can you provide a strip-board layout for me to follow. Many thanks, Jethro
Sajjad Haider
Light/Dark Detector
Thursday, December 18, 2008 8:50:11 AM
Its a good and easy to make Circuit. Its so easy to make this circuit on bred board. I will recommend to all readers of this page to make this circuit. I hardly took 5 minutes for me to make it on bred board. "It really Works".
Shahab
Light/Dark Detector
Sunday, November 23, 2008 3:43:57 PM
It doesn't work. I tried it.. it works if you use an LED instead of a relay. but in case of a relay there is a huge voltage drop at the emitter of the 2n2222 transistor and there isn't enough to energize the relay coil.
Joseph KD5KZL
Light/Dark Detector
Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:33:52 PM
While the comment about the flyback diode is correct this circuit is in about every entry level electronics book. You don't need a PCB for this circuit as it is easy to layout on a perf board, but Dave Cutcher might have the board. He wrote the book Elelctronic Circuits for the Evil Genuis and used such a board for the projects in the book.
vinaya kumar
Light/Dark Detector
Monday, May 05, 2008 6:14:10 AM
can any give me the schematic for controlling the dim and dipping of the headlamps of the vehicle when it detects the vehicle coming in the opposite direction to it.. so as to make the people see the roads properly during night..
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