Got the Traffic Light going...
- Thread starter USMCBay
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Did you buy a sequencer or build one?
SILVERPLATE
Well-known member
Very cool! Here is mine and it has the sequencer in it. I also have a WALK/DON'T WALK light.
AMCguy
Well-known member
I love it.
Where can a guy get a sequencer? I have several traffic lights that I got from a contractor. They were left over from the conversion to LED lights in our area.
I also thought of hooking up a motion detector to one and putting it out back by the shop.
Where can a guy get a sequencer? I have several traffic lights that I got from a contractor. They were left over from the conversion to LED lights in our area.
I also thought of hooking up a motion detector to one and putting it out back by the shop.
http://www.trafficlights.com/
For a Three light set up get the T3:
http://www.trafficlights.com/T3ad.htm
...it's $44...
I sold another 3 light setup to a buddy that hooked the Green Light into his Garage Door Opener... the yellow when it breaks the plane of the Garage... and photo sensors to activate the Red when he hits a certain point where he stops. Not sure if it's finished but he was buying the electronics to do it.
Very cool! Here is mine and it has the sequencer in it. I also have a WALK/DON'T WALK light.
Man that is an AWESOME set up you have. You have some great finds... my top favorites are the Air Station and the Ice Box conversion... WOW. I may have to plagiarize the Ice Box idea. It looks just like a tool box... great job.
I am looking for a pay phone and I heard you can make them work. That would be great... I am in the process of turning my Coke Machine into a Harley Themed Machine since that model has little collector value. It will be Orange 80% of the Body, A silver stripe vertically 8" around the front with Black Bar & Shield silhouettes, A black front with Diamond plate Coin Face and bottom.
Your garage is really inspiring... good job Mr...
The Hot Rod Grille
Well-known member
JCQuick
Well-known member
The shop that i race out of we have one there but we put leters on the lens red=Broke
yellow= ready and green is for racing
yellow= ready and green is for racing
The Hot Rod Grille
Well-known member
Man I like it all... I really like the Caution/Red Light combo. But most of all I like the Soda Shop~!!!!!!
Thanks for the kind words! Here's another shot of the soda fountain with "Jimmy" the soda jerk manequin.
Jim
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You guys are killin' me! I've had my traffic light for years and yet to have found the time to get it done.
It was at my work for years, and now it's in my shed. It's a green three sided signal. I figured I'd have enough parts to make one good one...but with parts availalbe...hmmm.
The guy that had it before me said it was being discarded after taken from service and the workmen gave it to him. It must be an older unit as it has what I call the "soft ice cream cone" pipe ends.
Geez...I'd like to have done and hanging in the garage.
It was at my work for years, and now it's in my shed. It's a green three sided signal. I figured I'd have enough parts to make one good one...but with parts availalbe...hmmm.
The guy that had it before me said it was being discarded after taken from service and the workmen gave it to him. It must be an older unit as it has what I call the "soft ice cream cone" pipe ends.
Geez...I'd like to have done and hanging in the garage.
GregPGH
Member
Looks good.
Does anyone have any input on adapting one of these to use as a parking guide? I'm looking for a "cooler than sold" solution to help backing my 20' trailer into the back of my shop through a side access door and getting it right where I want it without putting parking blocks on the floor. I need a light bright enough to see 30' away out of a side mirror when backing in so a traffic light seems like a perfect fit to me.
Any help would be appreciated, even if it involves a PLC and some more than DIY electronics... just don't want to reinvent the wheel if a solution already exists.
Does anyone have any input on adapting one of these to use as a parking guide? I'm looking for a "cooler than sold" solution to help backing my 20' trailer into the back of my shop through a side access door and getting it right where I want it without putting parking blocks on the floor. I need a light bright enough to see 30' away out of a side mirror when backing in so a traffic light seems like a perfect fit to me.
Any help would be appreciated, even if it involves a PLC and some more than DIY electronics... just don't want to reinvent the wheel if a solution already exists.
Doozer75
Well-known member
Here is my traffic light.
--Doozer
--Doozer
GregPGH
Member
That would be great - my mind started turning with ideas that all will end up costing me a fortune I'm sure - so I'd be very interested if anything he can share keeps it simpler than what I dreamed up... please don't read that as me making any attempt to belittle his design or skills in any way, I just got thinking down a very expensive path that is by far overkill. PLC controlled, various methods to "arm" the system such as what triggers it from its standby mode, added features that would just be cool, etc... As a "retired" engineer who spent a decade working on the software side of PLC controlled I/O based systems for one the country's oldest providers of rail control systems I started applying what I know to get to the results but in way too much for a 3 bulb backup light no matter how cool it would be! After all, a 9" version of what I want exists already for $30 but how fun is that and how hard will it be to see from 30' or so via my truck's side mirror as I pull in.
BTW - be sure to keep us posted on your projects you mentioned earlier on the to do list in your shop.
Thanks for your help
Greg
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
If anyone has trouble with bulbs in their lights burning out, swap out the incadescent for a low wattage CFL. I don't have a sequencer in my traffic light but all three stay on (make a great garage night light) but the bulbs kept blowing monthly. I put the corkscrew style CFL's in and have yet to blow one.
I have to get two sequencers now as I have a Walk/Don't Walk along with my traffic light.
Check with your city offices for lights as some get replaced on a fairly regular basis. My hometown swapped all of theirs out a few years back to go with the newer LED's and was selling them for $75/unit. My son and I just happened to buy two units of three each for the $75. Pretty good profit. Now I wish I had lept them all.
I have also seen a few places of business put them up as a note to customers. Red is closed, yellow is "be right back in a short" and green is open. DO NOT do that for a garage or it might be an open invitation for trouble.
I have to get two sequencers now as I have a Walk/Don't Walk along with my traffic light.
Check with your city offices for lights as some get replaced on a fairly regular basis. My hometown swapped all of theirs out a few years back to go with the newer LED's and was selling them for $75/unit. My son and I just happened to buy two units of three each for the $75. Pretty good profit. Now I wish I had lept them all.
I have also seen a few places of business put them up as a note to customers. Red is closed, yellow is "be right back in a short" and green is open. DO NOT do that for a garage or it might be an open invitation for trouble.
The Hot Rod Grille
Well-known member
Your garage just keeps getting better with each new pic! Here's something that fits your theme and is a blast to play! A Harley-Davidson pinball machine that sounds like the real thing and even vibrates when you play! It would be a great addition to your garage. It's usually one of the first games people play when they visit The Hot Rod Grille.Jim
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If you get a sequencer those CFLs will last about 2 days. On/off is their enemy.
I did what your friend is trying to do with his and it works great, on duty since the early 90's.
the photo sensors where from radio shack when they still sold them, I doubt if they carry them any more.
I posted this in another thread last summer, and have bought 2 more lights I'm restoring for my second and third bays. Now if I can just find the schematic...
I hung mine with a few bolts through a tube, then hung it from hooks into the ceiling joist.
I stripped the old paint and repainted mine, replaced the old gasket around the doors, and switched my wiring to DC, the local electrical store had bulbs that ran on DC current.
I plugged an old tyco train transformer to the light that comes on when you use the garage door opener; then used two of these home security beam sensors mounted in the ceiling with some relays to trigger the lights as I pull in to the garage.
So the garage opens and the light is green to pull in; trigger the first sensor and it changes to yellow; trigger the second sensor when you are in enough to close the door and the light changes to red.
Now I know I could have hung a tennis ball by a string to achieve the same thing, but where's the fun in that?
the photo sensors where from radio shack when they still sold them, I doubt if they carry them any more.
I posted this in another thread last summer, and have bought 2 more lights I'm restoring for my second and third bays. Now if I can just find the schematic...
I hung mine with a few bolts through a tube, then hung it from hooks into the ceiling joist.
I stripped the old paint and repainted mine, replaced the old gasket around the doors, and switched my wiring to DC, the local electrical store had bulbs that ran on DC current.
I plugged an old tyco train transformer to the light that comes on when you use the garage door opener; then used two of these home security beam sensors mounted in the ceiling with some relays to trigger the lights as I pull in to the garage.
So the garage opens and the light is green to pull in; trigger the first sensor and it changes to yellow; trigger the second sensor when you are in enough to close the door and the light changes to red.
Now I know I could have hung a tennis ball by a string to achieve the same thing, but where's the fun in that?
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Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
That is so supremely awesome. I have to get myself one.
Jim
Hey Brother... Just got back from Europe and saw your post... A Harley Davidson Pinball Machine is the Pinnacle of my Garage time achievement! An acquaintance of mine lost his in Hurricane Ike... Can you imagine! Just gone!!!
I hope to sell my Coke Machine Project enough to land an H-D Pinball Machine... I know my son and I will have years of time together with it and hope to have those times of unforgettable fun together... among other things of course.
I will get one... thank you for setting the goals for me by what you have done and my future great times with my son!
stok2
Well-known member
I have an old light, that needs to be redone. Does anyone know the exact yellow color that is on those things? Thanks for the help.
The Hot Rod Grille
Well-known member
When I was growing up in the late 50's and early 60's the traffic lights in our town were painted silver. In the late 60's and 70's they were painted a dark green and in the 80's to current they are yellow. I find that Rustoleum enamel in satin finish seems to closely replicate the original silver and green colors. Their "safety yellow" is what I used for the walk/wait light.
Jim
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autoclassicnut
Well-known member
I used Ace brand ...School bus yellow... it's really bright and the exact shade you want
stok2
Well-known member
Thanks, Hot Rod and Autoclassicnut. I'll have to make another trip to Ace Hardware....Damn the wifes gonna be upset...............lol
Fubar
Well-known member
First a payphone, now I want a traffic light.
Eddie 70
Well-known member
This is the color that I bought for my light. I have not used any of the paint nor restored my light. I gotta get around to getting it done. I am going to put mine in our game room. Great thread guys.
sctattooer
Well-known member
I had one given to me last fall. Finally got it mounted. It has the newer LED style lights, but I'd like to convert it to the older incandescents style. I guess that would mean I'd need lenses plus the fixtures. Does anyone know where I can find these?
autoclassicnut
Well-known member
Show us some pics of the payphone USMCBay!
autoclassicnut
Well-known member
Thanks... good work! Put diamond plate behind the phone... Wow! you'd better wear your shades in there!
ironheadtom
Well-known member
I have one of the newer led ones and it's so bright that it's distracting in the garage. I'd like to get one of the older ones myself. ( I used to have one but sold it) On a funny note...A guy on craigslist had an old gas staion dinger and hose assembly. I told my wife that it would be so cool to have it in the driveway. She's normally very easy going about this stuff, but she gave me a look like I had finally slipped off the edge. So I didn't get the bell.
It was overpriced , anyway. ( I may make my own but don't tell her) She'll figure it out the first time she runs over it!