Streel Light

[Slush]

I don't know if any of you have had to deal with this, but I have a street light in the corner of my front yard.

Up until now, I thought it was a great thing to have. Free light.

Has anybody else had to deal with "turning out the light"?

I really don't want to have it on when I am running the display. It is quite bright.

I did remove the access cover - and there is an inline fuse inside.
Should I remove the fuse, or will I be asking for trouble?

[Andrew_UK]

I have one just alittle bit up from my place, 2 years ago it was fine but they before last Christmas my neighbours cut their 80ft tree down!!!!! now its a little more of a problem but I just work around it and put stuff that needs to light up near it.!!

I wouldnt go putting your hands in a street light, I know over here in the UK its a rather large about of power going through them and my grandad used to work on them and has seen one of his mates die from them so best just top put up I would say.

[ErnieHorning]

I know of one person that contacts the city and has theirs turned off during the lighting season. He calls to tell them when it’s time to turn it back on.

I know of another person that climbs the pole and mounts a C7 bulb next to the sensor and dedicates one control output to this light. This way he can turn the light off during the show and back on when it’s done.

[Andrew_UK]

now I like that last idea!!

[Slush]

What would I need to do to make a "normaly closed" ssr and wire that up to it. hehehe

[Michael]

Consider as small of a flashlight bulb as will trigger the photo eye on the street light. Run some wires in duct tape to match the pole, down to a box taped to the pole a little off the ground so a ladder is needed to switch it on/off. Get twice as many rechargable AA batteries that are needed to power the bulb for the length of the show and just switch, the batteries each night. Always have one set recharging. That way you can hide it on the pole and there are no wires going anywhere.
WARNING: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Another option might be to shine a laser at the sensor if you can get it aimed at it.

- Michael

[Jeff Millard]

What would I need to do to make a "normaly closed" ssr and wire that up to it. hehehe

First off, I work for the power company. Tampering with the light will result in penalties if it is discovered (mainly by someone complaining that the light isn't working) They do pursue charges just to make a point. In addition to this, the power company usually isn't willing to turn it off to help enhance your display. Regardless of how bright your display is, the street light is there for safety and to deter crime. It is contracted by the township for those reasons. Turning it off intentionally has liability issues for you, the power company and the township. So it's an all arround bad idea to disable it.

I have read on Planet Christmas that someone was able to get the light turned off. It wouldn't happen to lights provided by our company. The policy is: the lights are there for a reason.

All that being said, I have one of them across the street from my display. It's very large and very bright. I put together a way to turn it off remotely without tampering (directly) with it. I took an X-10 lamp module that has a lamp socket built into it. I screwed it into a pigtail lamp socket that I connected to a long piece of SPT1. I put a small 40watt bulb in it and placed it near the photo cell of the street light (not going into much detail about how this was done...) and ran the SPT to the tree in the front corner of my yard. Use X-10 to turn the light on, and within 30 seconds or so the streeet light was out.

Lasty, I used this one time and got paranoid. Even with the street light on my display outshined it by a long shot. I asked my neighbors if it was taking away from the display and hinted there was something I could do about it if it was. They all said it had little or no effect on the way the display looks. Besides, it lights up the street for drivers and people walking around.

I'm not putting my little toy back up on the light this year. I don't think it's necessary, or worth the risk.

Jeff

[Wayne J]

I have the exact same issue. The light is one that I requested to have placed on my property and I pay a monthly flat rate for it.
My plan to turn it off is with a night light and a timer. I made a adjustable fixture to place it on the light with a couple heavy duty hose clamps. Just need a bucket truck now.
Below is a couple pics.


http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5643/image02tk6.th.jpg (http://img443.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image02tk6.jpg) http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4922/sl1nl6.th.jpg (http://img232.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sl1nl6.jpg)

[A Marchini]

I know of one person that contacts the city and has theirs turned off during the lighting season. He calls to tell them when it’s time to turn it back on.

I know of another person that climbs the pole and mounts a C7 bulb next to the sensor and dedicates one control output to this light. This way he can turn the light off during the show and back on when it’s done.

I don't have streetlights but the whole neighborhood has yard pole lights (with photosensors). I turn mine off using a light string on the pole.
Of course this isn't a city owned light.
Tony

[TED]

I don't know if any of you have had to deal with this, but I have a street light in the corner of my front yard.

Up until now, I thought it was a great thing to have. Free light.

Has anybody else had to deal with "turning out the light"?

I really don't want to have it on when I am running the display. It is quite bright.

I did remove the access cover - and there is an inline fuse inside.
Should I remove the fuse, or will I be asking for trouble?

If you touch the fuse you may get electrocuted. Here's an idea that may work for you without any danger of getting electrocuted or getting in trouble. There are shields that are made for streetlights for people who have a window(s) facing in such a way that they are bothered by the light. Call your power company and ask them to come put one on the streetlight. Sometimes they are provided for free.

TED

[NogginBoink]

If you're in the United States, think long and hard about doing something like this in our sue-happy society.

If, God forbid, someone were to trip and fall, or be attacked, near your house when the light is off, you can count on them suing you for everything you're worth if they can demonstrate that it's your fault the light was off.

[kostyun]

One thing the power company here will do is if you "complain" that there too much light in your yard from the light - they will put a small metal "shield" up that will block off how far it can go.

[Slush]

Well, the streetlight has no inpact on the lightshow. I actually think that the glow of the light gives off is good. You can see some of the elements better.

So instead of thinking about what to do about it, I should have been sequencing my next song.....then I would be done.

[oino]

Ya I got this problem!! :(
20-25 feet from my front door.

That tree in the pic was covering them but the city cut the tree.

[wjohn]

22 cal double tap to the head of the lamp.

honest officer, it was not me!!

[ben]

you poor people! I live in a town where Sidewalks and Streetlights aren't used. I also live 15min from Richmond, VA which is one of the crime capitols of the Nation :evil:

[oino]

Oh don't get me wrong. I like the light saves me money. No need for a porch light. But from the day after Thanksgiving to 1/3. Them lights need to be OFF. :)

Ya shooting them out crossed my mind. Around here they would have new lights the nextday.

I opened the streetlight box in the ground. just 3 wires in there Red, Black and Green (ground)

[klanger]

22 cal double tap to the head of the lamp.

honest officer, it was not me!!

while standing at the door with smoking gun :mrgreen:

[Johns2007]

Hi guys,
Here's what I advised my astronomer friend to do... Buy a small laser pointer for a couple of bucks and then power it with a "wall-wart" transformer. As long as you can "see" the sensor on the top of the light, you can have the laser inside your house, pointing out a window. He's been using it for over a year now and it has worked flawlessly.

John

[Walden]

lol just dont bump your stand for the lazer. Or bolt it down.

[TERBObob]

Ok folks .. where are these sensors located on the poles ? I have one RIGHT directly on the very southern edge of my front yard .
Would LOVE to do the laser light thingy ...

[Macrosill]

usually they are on the top of the light, however I have seen areas that have lots of lamps on a single remotely mounted sensor.

[Matt]

I have a light near my display...when I turned on everything at full brightness it turned off all by itself :D

-Matt

[xmus]

I have a light near my display...when I turned on everything at full brightness it turned off all by itself :D

-Matt

THAT IS CLASSIC! PRICELESS! ROTF LMAO
Please shoot some video of that and post it on utube with some narration.

[opcode1300]

22 cal double tap to the head of the lamp.

honest officer, it was not me!!

sometimes just kicking them hard enough will make them go out ;)