Hi, this is Wayne again with a topic “DIY Hacks & How To’s: Pressure Plate Switch”.
Over the next couple of weeks, i’m going to show you a variety of sensors and actuators that you can use to automate a haunted house this week, i’m going to show you how to make a pressure plate switch. This is just a simple switch. That’S activated when someone stands on it to make one. You need three sheets of cardboard: a roll of tape and aluminum foil, tear off two large pieces of foil and tape them to two of the cardboard sheets then attach wires to the foil with tape. Take the third sheet of cardboard and cut out the center, leaving about one inch of cardboard along the outside edge stack, the three layers together, so that the foil sides are facing each other and separated by the cutout sheet of cardboard. Finally, attach all three layers together with tape when you press on the center of the cardboard, the two foil sheets will make contact and complete the circuit, just like a regular switch. If you want to make this design a little bit sturdier, you can replace the cardboard with wood paneling.
There are a lot of ways that you can use. This switch one way is to use it to activate an arduino program to connect the switch to the arduino connect one wire directly to an input, pin and also connect it to the 5 volt pin with a 1k resistor then connect the other wire to the ground. Pin when someone steps on the switch, the arduino will register a low signal. Another option is to use it as an auxiliary switch for small dc electronics by wiring the pressure plate in parallel to an existing momentary switch. You can use it to activate that function. Just like the original switch would, for example, you can use it to activate a sound module to do this, connect the wires from the pressure plate to both sides of the play switch on the sound module.
Then, whenever somebody steps on the pressure plate, it will play the sound effects. If you want to use your pressure plate to activate an ac device, then you need to use a relay for safety, so find a double pull. Double throw relay with contacts that are rated high enough for your ac appliance and a 12 volt coil you’ll also need a 12 volt power supply or battery connect, one wire from the pressure plate to the negative terminal of the power supply and connect the other wire From the pressure plate to the coil of the relay then connect the positive terminal of the power supply to the other side of the relay.
Coil connect the ac power line to the common terminals and, lastly, connect the appliance to either the normally open or the normally closed terminals, depending on whether you want it to turn on or off when the pressure plate is stepped on, to be safe. All connections on the relay should be made with insulated connectors. I also mounted the relay in an insulated plastic housing as a simple example of how you might use this. I connected a lamp to the normally closed terminals of the relay that way the light is normally on, but when someone walks into the room and steps on the pressure plate, the lights will suddenly turn off. Well, there’s a few ways that you can use a pressure plate switch to help.
You automate your haunted house thanks for watching and check back next week for more diy hacks and how to’s .