Light Cycle Control

[nopEda]

I wanted to get a sensor that would turn on the birds' light when the sun comes up and turns it off when it goes down. That would solve pretty much all the problems, if you want to go along with the seasons in your area which I do. But how to do it? Someone in a forum somewhere suggested using two of the solar sensors, with one turning on and off a light that controlled the second sensor which controlled the bird light... I did it and it works great. Ended up getting a light sensor at Lowe's that has a little tube over it, and got an LED nightlight at Walmart that will fit in the little tube, and wrapped it up with electrical tape and it works great. And using that little LED nightlight it probably won't even start a fire.

[L in Ontario]

And using that little LED nightlight it probably won't even start a fire.

Sure hope not!

[Ursula]

I wouldn't mess with something like that!

Why don't you put the lights on a timer? I mean, it's not that the day/night cycle changes so drastically every day. If you want to have longer days in summer than winter just adjust the timer on the first of every month a bit.

I can't count the number of timers in our house... Aviary fountain, fish tank lights, snake tank lights, yard lights,.... And when we're on vacation some house lights so it looks as if somebody was home...

[Sally]

I'm with Ursula, I have multiple light timers in my bird room. This way, I can just set the timers for the length of day I want. If you want to keep it with sunup and sundown, you will need to make small adjustments to the timer, but that shouldn't be a problem. I have mine on long days during the winter, which wouldn't be possible with light sensors anyway.

I have so many lights in my bird room that I will have one bank of lights plugged into one of those light strips with say 5-6 outlets (and a safety switch that flips everything off if there would be a problem), then that light strip is plugged into one timer. Then the next bank is done the same way.

[kenny]

hi
in this country ,you can buy dawn to dusk plug ins,you plug the thing in the wall set the lux..the darkness you want it to come at and plug a lamp in the device.we have one for the porch light so as soon as it gets dusk the light comes on and when it gets light enough it goes off and you can leave it plugged in all day,we use them to deter burglars but it would work the same for you i am sure


ken

this one i saw on e-bay

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[nopEda]

hi
in this country ,you can buy dawn to dusk plug ins,you plug the thing in the wall set the lux..the darkness you want it to come at and plug a lamp in the device.we have one for the porch light so as soon as it gets dusk the light comes on and when it gets light enough it goes off and you can leave it plugged in all day,we use them to deter burglars but it would work the same for you i am sure

ken

No it's the opposite of what I want. I was never able to find one that turns lights on during the day and off at night, but since it's what I wanted to have I was incorrectly of the impression that some other pet and/or plant owners might want to do it too. My bad.

[kenny]

hi
oh riight must have misunderstood,then all i can suggest is what the others have,a 24 hour timer they will switch your lights on and off all day and night.....the only thing i am doubtfull about is wether or not they can be used with flourescent light tubes...not saying you have them just saying i dont think they can be used with them....you could always try a manual dimmer lightswitch if you are there all the time but if not the 24 hr switch is the way to go ...the only problem is you may need a night light when it gets dark because they do switch themselves on and off rather quickly leaving your birds startled....what i used was a timer and a stepless fader you can buy them from specialist places.when the timer switches off the fader takes over and gradually takes the light right off bu that way the birds are not startled


ken

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if you look on this link under lighting,there are some dimmers on there that may help you out


http://www.robharvey.com/hospital-cages.htm

[Ursula]

Timers work with all types of lights, fluorescent light tubes included. However, dimmers do NOT work with all lights. I had a ceiling lamp with fluorecent lights in my aviary and thought I'm smart and install a dimmer light switch instead of the normal one, so the birds don't get sudden darkness when I turn the light off. But... didn't work! I actually got a different lamp with normal light bulbs then and that works.
I'm not sure about the combination of dimmer and timer either, I can't imagine how that would work... Never heard of a timer that actually dims the light, but maybe there is such a thing? Additionally, I also use a cheap plug-in night light that comes on automatically when it's dark. It gives just enough light so it's not completely dark. You can get that at Walmart or Home Depot... Just plugs into an outlet. (I have it on an extension cord in the middle of the aviary.)

[kenny]

hi
i assure you the stepless dimmers do work i had one for years,as the picture on the previous post shows you plug it in set the timer for whatever time you want and when it switches the timer off the light bulb starts to get gradually dimmer over about half an hour giving the birds time to roost,as it shows in the picture you cannot as you know use them with flourescent tubes.this is a picture of mine ,it looks a bit dated compared to the other one but i did buy it in the 70s

ken

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[nopEda]

hi
i assure you the stepless dimmers do work i had one for years,as the picture on the previous post shows you plug it in set the timer for whatever time you want and when it switches the timer off the light bulb starts to get gradually dimmer over about half an hour giving the birds time to roost,as it shows in the picture you cannot as you know use them with flourescent tubes.this is a picture of mine ,it looks a bit dated compared to the other one but i did buy it in the 70s

ken

Thanks for mentioning the dimmer. I looked for something like it but never found anything. You could work it out with fluorescent lights by putting them and the dimmer both on the timer. I don't want to use a timer because I'll regularly be gone for days at a time, and if the power goes off it could screw things up for the birds before I get back to reset it, and there's danger I wouldn't even notice.

There is a window into the cage. The way the outside sensor is positioned it shuts the fluorescent light off in the cage while there is still enough daylight coming in the window for the birds to get to their roost. I also do have a dim night light with a deep blue gel over it in the cage. It gives the appearance of a moon lit night.