How to bypass solar light's radar sensor to stay on indefinitely?

Submitted by ThatFooFooLameShit t3_ynmm0u in DIY

Stupidly bought a solar powered outdoor light that has no available adjustments to its sensor sensitivity/timer/can't be bypassed. I would like it to remain on through the main switch and happy to turn it off via the same switch. It's not serving as a security light, just one for my patio.

I have tried to find a tutorial video, but cant quite find one thats similar. It's a radar sensor that is inbuilt into the globe.

Just wondering if anyone could explain how to rewire it to bypass the sensor. Apologies if this sounds vague, couldn't post a picture of the circuit board, but the model is 2000lm cole and bright radar360 solar light.

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

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Beneficial-Shower-42 t1_iva1agt wrote

I would just go out and buy the proper light you want. They don't cost much. Unless you just like tinkering with things which is ok too :)

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ThatFooFooLameShit OP t1_ivdyeb5 wrote

Haha yeah I will end up doing that and getting a wired one. Was just trying to make my girlfriend think I was less of a moron when I realised it wasnt going to work by saying "its okay I'll just rewire it" - ignoring the fact I have no knowledge of rewiring. I do like attempting new skills tho, might still give it a crack if I can get the right instructions from someone explaining it like I'm 5 :')

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dontfwiththelawnmowe t1_iv9o9op wrote

piece of tape/paint on the sensor, it will always think its night?

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ThatFooFooLameShit OP t1_iv9q96s wrote

The sensor itself is built-into the globe unfortunately. The solar panel losing sun is what activates it so that it can turn on from the sensor. Appreciate the idea though, thanks

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trekkerscout t1_iv9obyd wrote

Bypassing the motion sensor would effectively make the light useless as it would completely lose its battery charge in a fairly short time.

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ThatFooFooLameShit OP t1_iv9p119 wrote

I'd only need it on for an hour or 2 max at a time. Do you not think the battery would be up for that?

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dman2864 t1_iv9yleo wrote

Only way to know is to try. Just take it apart and remove the wires from the sensor and connect them together or not depending on the type of switch. Worse case scenario solder the wires back in place.

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robosmrf t1_iv9q10r wrote

It's probably all IC controlled and built in.

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Hattix t1_iv9z35l wrote

These guys work on a PIR sensor to detect motion and the solar voltage to tell when it's dark.

What you need to do a bypass on the PIR sensor, and that's really easy.

A PIR has three pins, a supply rail, a ground rail, and the sense line. They pull sense up when a moving subject passes the PIR by turning on a FET. Cut the sense line and solder a small resistor (e.g. 4.7 ohms) or just a bridge between the sense trace and the supply voltage.

Fair warning in advance: It will kill the battery.

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ThatFooFooLameShit OP t1_iv9zgbl wrote

Thank you so much. Finally feel like I have the answer I was after.

No dramas on the battery - I fucked up by buying a security light instead of a normal one so atleast if I can get this working I wont feel like it was a complete wsste of money until I have to upgrade to a wired outdoor light.

Thanks again

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Bok101 t1_iva99po wrote

4.7 ohm is not a small resistor! Sounds like you are describing a pull up, if we assume 5 volt supply voltage, and you ground the signal, you will be pulling a bit more than 1 Amp through the pull up resistor, or about 5 watt. A fitting size would be so where between 1k and 10k if intended for a pull up.

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Hattix t1_ivacy5w wrote

You're replacing a fully turned on FET (which, you'll recall, has much less impedance than a few ohms!), you won't get that sort of current into the MCU's sense pin, it's a very high impedance.

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shifty_coder t1_iva71w0 wrote

Return it and get the right thing?

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ThatFooFooLameShit OP t1_ivdy4n9 wrote

Bought it because of the solar capability. Dont think it exists as a non-security light. Probably because of the battery capacity limitations. Lesson learnt, will end up just wiring a normal one in. Just trying to save it from being a complete waste of time yknow

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