Automatic Light for Toilet cubical

[dhutch]

Its a friday afternoon...

Can you get timed door switches? So that on opening the door, the light comes on, but on closing it the light remains on for (say) two minutes.

I have thought about replacing the switch with one that includes a neon so you can tell if the light has been left on, but in all honesty you can tell by the glow that comes out all round so I think is more that my lodgers done give a toss about my electricity bill than they are unable to tell if they have left the light on again. The light switch is also on the wrong side of the door so removing it would also be a winner...


Daniel

 

[securespark]

How about a PIR switch?

 

[Iggifer]

a PIR is gonna be the best solution and just set it to 2-5 minutes

 

[IJWS15]

Been in hotels where the bathroom switch was on a PIR/timer.

Anoyed me so would not do it that way, you can't turn the light off.

BTW how do you turn it off to change the lamp?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I think a timed PIR would be a more logical solution.
Whose to say that the door will always be open and shut, to functionally activate the light.

 

[EFLImpudence]

And if you're sat there for more than two minutes (or whatever) having a bit of bother the light goes out and you have to open the door.

 

[JohnW2]

And if you're sat there for more than two minutes (or whatever) having a bit of bother the light goes out and you have to open the door.

Similar issues can arise with a PIR, particularly if there is not one above the (or each) cubicle. The combination of a PIR (to activate light on entry into the room) and an IR beam within each cubicle (to keep the light on whilst the cubicle is occupied, and for a delay period thereafter) would probably be the functional ideal.

Kind Regards, John

 

[plugwash]

The question is whether it's worth it.

Running the numbers it seems at current UK electricity prices a one watt constant load costs about £1.50 per year. Assuming you have a compact flouresecent light in there your payback time is going to be pretty long.

 

[JohnW2]

The question is whether it's worth it. Running the numbers it seems at current UK electricity prices a one watt constant load costs about £1.50 per year. Assuming you have a compact flouresecent light in there your payback time is going to be pretty long.

Indeed - whether it's toilets, car parks or whatever, it's often difficult or impossible to justify 'technologically clever' approaches on financial grounds. However, it does not really 'feel right' to leave a light on contnuously (or a lot more than is necessary), even if that may be the financially best approach!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ricicle]

See here for some interesting reading as well....

 

[JohnW2]

See here for some interesting reading as well....

One obviously has to be a little careful about these attempts to examine environmental and/or financial cost balances, since there are issues of 'convenience' and 'quality of life' which are virtually impossible to quantify in either environmental or financial terms.

An objective analysis would very probably conclude that most of the technological things that we take for granted cannot be 'justified' - and that goes all the way from private cars, through dishwashers, hairdryers and mobile phones to the innumerable 'gadgets' that we all have and use! In some cases, it may merely be a case of something having been invented (and well promoted) to solve a problem which didn't really exist - but many of these things do confer (largely unquantifiable) 'benefits' to us (convenience, lifestyle etc.).

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The combination of a PIR (to activate light on entry into the room) and an IR beam within each cubicle (to keep the light on whilst the cubicle is occupied, and for a delay period thereafter) would probably be the functional ideal.

Far too much "technology".

A time switch, the electronic equivalent of the old pneumatic ones, will do the job.

Put it at arms reach for someone seated on the pan, and set it to 5 minutes.

 

[JohnW2]

Far too much "technology".

Probably, particularly given how small the potential gains/savings are.

A time switch, the electronic equivalent of the old pneumatic ones, will do the job. Put it at arms reach for someone seated on the pan, and set it to 5 minutes.

Depending upon the layout, you then might well need something else in addition (another of the same?) to switch on the light when entering the room.

P.S. I think one can still get 'old pneumatic ones'. If so, why bother about electronic equivalents if one wants to minimise use of new technology?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Not sure how long they can be adjusted to? My only experience of them is on communal staircases, and they never seem to stay on for long.

Pressure switch under the floor covering? Light is on whenever anybody has their feet on it.

 

[JohnW2]

Not sure how long they can be adjusted to? My only experience of them is on communal staircases, and they never seem to stay on for long.

That's true - my experiences are the same. However pneumatic ones with reasonable on-times might possibly be avauilable (improvements in technology?!).

Pressure switch under the floor covering? Light is on whenever anybody has their feet on it.

Probably flawed - a person sitting on the loo does not necessarily put any significant pressure on the floor.

Many years ago, a relative of mine got fed up with people leaving the light on in an outside loo (supplementary to one in the house!), so he wired a loud buzzer, in the house, in parallel with that light. It was bloody annoying, but certainly ensured that no-one left the light on!

Kind Regards, John