"Trip Wire"

I want to make a flood light on the side of my house come on when
circuit is broken.

I want to attach a low voltage wire to something in my front yard
When someone tries to remove that something from my yard (they'l
have to cut the wire), I want my flood light be activated to scar
them off. I can't imagine this is too difficult a job for someon
that works in electronics. Can anyone tell me how to do this

Thanks
Willia

 

Hi William,
As is often the case people here read into the question before they answer.
I am no different. I could just describe a circuit to do what you ask but
feel compelled to but in.
If someone cuts the wire to steel your object the light will make them run
alright, but with your object.
Why not just let the PIR floodlights come on when they get near the object?
OK TOM, mind your own business! Someone steeling your statues William?
Regards,
Tom

 

Try visiting this site!
http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/ they got onfos there regarding
electronics and i hope this can help you a lot!..By the way, I'm Ryan..

 

On Wed, 01 Jun 2005 19:28:33 -0500,

The laziest way would be a long wire through all of the item to be
protected and then wired to a relay coil. If the circuit is broken,
the relay's coil would de-energize and the normally closed contact
will close. The floodlight could be wired through the N.O. contact
(in parallel to an existing switch) so the floodlights would come on
when the wire's broken.

 

William, look at this beautiful "Garden Dwarf".
http://www.classycollect.com/dw63177.html it has a motion detector built in
and starts barking when someone comes near. If you wire the internal relay
to the light line, also the light will go off. Good night.

 

My first reaction was the same as Tom's: sounds like your alarm might
be activated a tad to late! But maybe the protected object is heavy
and/or bulky enough to make the burglar reluctant to hang around very
long in bright illumination?

Presumably though you have also considered inexpensive PIR-based
security lights? A suitably located high power halogen lamp could be
reliably triggered by a nearby potential villain. Most types are
usually activated in darkness only, and for a presettable short
duration, both features minimising wasted electricity consumption.

But assuming you still want exactly what you've specified, a simple
approach such as the one Impmon suggested would do the job. Its
circuit could look like this:
http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/Images/TripAlarm.gif

You could try it out initially with a battery (and a DC bulb for
safety). But note my suggestion to use a mains-based DC supply ('wall
wart'), as a battery would be constantly draining and therefore quite
impractical.

Note also my warning about mains voltages, as I don't know your skill
level.

BTW, if I was constructing this myself, I think I'd add a loud audible
alarm in parallel with the outdoor lamp.

 

If I were doing it myself, I'd rig the circuit to trigger the Gattling gun.

Actually, if I were doing it for real, I'd get a dog.

 

Tom Biasiwrote
"WilliamH" <-spam.invalid
wrote in

Hi William
As is often the case people here read into the question before the
answer.
I am no different. I could just describe a circuit to do what you as
but
feel compelled to but in
If someone cuts the wire to steel your object the light will make the
run
alright, but with your object
Why not just let the PIR floodlights come on when they get near th
object
OK TOM, mind your own business! Someone steeling your statue
William
Regards
Tom[/quote:6719e5ad73

Thanks for the response Tom

Actually, someone is stealing solar lights from several of m
neighbors. I only found this out after purchasing some reall
expensive ones. I don't want mine to be taken. I'm actually going t
anchor each light to the ground by a cable at the base of the ligh
(the lights are on 18 inch metal poles) attached to a piece of reba
driven into the ground. On a first attempt, this will probably kee
the lights from being stolen. I'm sure they would bring wire cutter
the next time though. I want to sound an alarm and or light as th
light is pulled from the ground. I know this sounds elaborate, bu
it's the principle at this point.

Thansk
Willia

 

WilliamHwrote
I want to make a flood light on the side of my house come on when
circuit is broken.

When someone tries to remove that something from my yard (they'l
have to cut the wire), I want my flood light be activated to scar
them off. I can't imagine this is too difficult a job for someon
that works in electronics. Can anyone tell me how to do this

I just read through Tom's message and then went down to the rest o
the responses. I thank each of you for your responses and will le
you know how things go. I'm going to try an put something togethe
this weekend. I just rememberd last evening, my neighbor across th
steet has a degree in electronic engineering. He said he would hel
me. He said he'd have a lot of fun doing it. I'll pass some of thes
ideas by him as he said he'd think about it through the evening an
get back with me. Thanks again for all of the responses. I trie
posting this scenario on a couple of other forums and had very littl
or no response.

Willia

 

Terry Pinnellwrote
-spam.invalid (WilliamH) wrote

My first reaction was the same as Tom's: sounds like your alarm migh
be activated a tad to late! But maybe the protected object is heav
and/or bulky enough to make the burglar reluctant to hang around ver
long in bright illumination

Presumably though you have also considered inexpensive PIR-base
security lights? A suitably located high power halogen lamp could b
reliably triggered by a nearby potential villain. Most types ar
usually activated in darkness only, and for a presettable shor
duration, both features minimising wasted electricity consumption

But assuming you still want exactly what you've specified, a simpl
approach such as the one Impmon suggested would do the job. It
circuit could look like this
http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/Images/TripAlarm.gi

You could try it out initially with a battery (and a DC bulb fo
safety). But note my suggestion to use a mains-based DC supply ('wal
wart'), as a battery would be constantly draining and therefore quit
impractical

Note also my warning about mains voltages, as I don't know your skil
level

BTW, if I was constructing this myself, I think I'd add a lou
audibl
alarm in parallel with the outdoor lamp

--
Terry Pinnel
Hobbyist, West Sussex, UK[/quote:e074f6c6d9

Regarding the loud audible, I agree. I want to be sure to cover mysel
during the day as well. My wife just had a digital camera taken fro
her car in the late afternoon

Willia

 

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 11:28:22 -0500,

Or junk the 12v light bulbs and go with 120v lightbulb and hook it
directly to 120 ac outlet. If he cuts, police will then question him
with badly singed hand in a nearby hospital. This one would be
completely foolproof if it wasn't for the fact USA is lawsuit happy
country. =P

 

?? Is this a reply to my post? Or a copy of it...?

 

William: I think there's something screwed up with your methods of
quoting...

 

Banwrote
WilliamH wrote

William, look at this beautiful "Garden Dwarf".
http://www.classycollect.com/dw63177.html it has a motion detecto
built in
and starts barking when someone comes near. If you wire the interna
relay
to the light line, also the light will go off. Good night
--
ciao Ba
Bordighera, Italy[/quote:97bab28074

That's a good idea..

Willia

 

The only suggestion I have to offer is to add a camera (preferably
video) to the mix. If the light/sound show does not deter the theft,
the camera can provide some info on the perp. You probably don't want
the camera in line with light from either direction, one would get the
perp running away, the other would get you a backlit silouhette. An
oblique angle that covers some of the street would be best.

Good Luck,
Tim

 

That's a great way to end up in prision for setting a booby trap.
What about kids or animals that could get hurt or killed, too?

 

My apologies. It was kind of confusing to me as well when I wa
posting. I'm sure it was/is confusing to everyone else. I think I'v
figured it out now

 

OK, no big deal!

Another puzzle. Not sure whether it's just some quirk with my Agent
newsreader, or something you did when sending, but your message was
neatly placed in the original thread, "Trip Wire", yet I see its
Subject is not 'Re: "Trip Wire" as I'd have expected, but 'You're
Correct Terry (screwed up methods of quoting)'

 

I've come to the thread a little late, but I'm still not happy -
If a $15.00 motion-detector security light doesn't deter the thief
as he's walking up onto the property, why would a light that doesn't
come on until he's already cut the trip wire scare him away?

Thanks,
Rich

 

Agreed - I asked same question in my reply yesterday. No response yet.