zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 04:49 PM |
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Electronics advice required.
Not really car related. Well, it is tenuously, but anyway.
I need to operate a twin channel traffic light via remote control - green to go, red to stop. (It's traditional, I beleive.).
The lights will be positioned approximately 500-600m from the person operating the remote on a hillside.
There is no power available, so it must be able to be run from rechargeable power suppies on board.
I know we could go and buy some proper remote controlled traffic light, but this is locostbuilders and those cost a fortune.
Here's what I had in mind for what I'm trying to do.
One of these for the remote.
Remote
Two of these for the lanterns which would be built into a housing along with the RF receiver.
L
anterns
I would sort out the colours via some stage gel as used in stage lighting.
Any thoughts from the electronics gurus out there. I was going to house the RF receiver along with the lanterns and use that to switch the red and
green lights.
Cheers
JF
[Edited on 15/5/09 by zilspeed]
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 04:56 PM |
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is this for the hill
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MikeR
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:00 PM |
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500 - 600 KM!!!!!!
blooming heck, that's long range!
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hellbent345
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:01 PM |
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sorry dont know the answer but that reciever isnt going to reach 500-600km 
damn too slow!
[Edited on 15/5/09 by hellbent345]
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zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
is this for the hill
Not for hillclimbs, for other activities where we need to ensure that the track is safe.
The official timekeepers sort the lights out for hillclimbs.
Have you got a buckshee set for road closures ?.... 
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Rod Ends
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:12 PM |
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Is the frequency legal for the U.K.?
If not the equipment can be seized.
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zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Rod Ends
Is the frequency legal for the U.K.?
If not the equipment can be seized.
It's the same as RF garage door remotes it seems.
What about the range.
Are they lying on the listing where it says 1KM ?
[Edited on 15/5/09 by zilspeed]
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:34 PM |
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They may or may not be - I think the above post doubting it's range is because you've put 500-600km in your OP 
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
What about the range.
Are they lying on the listing where it says 1KM ?
[Edited on 15/5/09 by zilspeed]
[Edited on 15/5/09 by Steve Hignett]
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zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:47 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
They may or may not be - I think the above post doubting it's range is because you've put 500-600km in your OP
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
What about the range.
Are they lying on the listing where it says 1KM ?
[Edited on 15/5/09 by zilspeed]
[Edited on 15/5/09 by Steve Hignett]
What a F4nny I am... 
Maybe I should consider changing that then...
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BenB
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 05:56 PM |
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So you want the central controller to change traffic lights from red to green simulteneously on two different traffic lights?
I know how I'd do it 
I'd get some simple R/C toys off ebay (on the same channel) hack them apart and use the servos to operate microswitches. Cheap and simple.
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zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 06:28 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
So you want the central controller to change traffic lights from red to green simulteneously on two different traffic lights?
I know how I'd do it
I'd get some simple R/C toys off ebay (on the same channel) hack them apart and use the servos to operate microswitches. Cheap and simple.
Will look into that.
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Rob Lane
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 07:49 PM |
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If this involves safety, can you see the lights change from control point?
If not you will need feedback from light or you won't be sure it's changed by radio.
Please don't use 2 million candlepower light. I have one of those and it can be seen quite brightly 5 miles away.
For power consumption consider cluster of high brightness leds. Setup correctly it will all work off 12v car battery at each location for day no
problem.
Colour LED is no problem either. What size are you thinking of, say 50mm diameter high brightness cluster each colour?
Use coded remotes to ensure security of signal. Lots of door systems would provide what you need. Just depends on your budget.
Check current consumption of receiver, lights and relays to get the smallest possible consumption to give longest battery life.
[Edited on 15/5/09 by Rob Lane]
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zilspeed
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 08:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob Lane
If this involves safety, can you see the lights change from control point?
If not you will need feedback from light or you won't be sure it's changed by radio.
Please don't use 2 million candlepower light. I have one of those and it can be seen quite brightly 5 miles away.
For power consumption consider cluster of high brightness leds. Setup correctly it will all work off 12v car battery at each location for day no
problem.
Colour LED is no problem either. What size are you thinking of, say 50mm diameter high brightness cluster each colour?
Use coded remotes to ensure security of signal. Lots of door systems would provide what you need. Just depends on your budget.
Check current consumption of receiver, lights and relays to get the smallest possible consumption to give longest battery life.
[Edited on 15/5/09 by Rob Lane]
Cheers Rob
Have since discovered some RF remotes which may be what you are reffering to.
Also take your point with the coloured LED clusters - like the ones used on bus tail lights I guess ?
[Edited on 15/5/09 by zilspeed]
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hobbsy
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 08:28 PM |
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If you search ebay for "2ch rf transmitter" or similar you'll probably find something similar to what I bought a while ago for a
project.
Not sure if it'll do 600m though.
When I first read 500 or 600KM I was thinking no problem - a GSM module and use SMS...
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 15/5/09 at 11:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
is this for the hill
Not for hillclimbs, for other activities where we need to ensure that the track is safe.
The official timekeepers sort the lights out for hillclimbs.
Have you got a buckshee set for road closures ?....
no not but the next set that comes our way will be
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 16/5/09 at 12:00 AM |
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRAFFIC-LIGHT-HEADS_W0QQitemZ220412325930QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET?hash=item220412325930&_t
rksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50
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