How to reduce IR sensitivity

[Father Guido]

I have an IR operated garbage can, trouble is the sensor is too
sensitive and it opens whenever you walk by. How can I reduce the
sensitivity of the IR receiver so I have to put my hand very close to
the sensor before the lid opens?

tia

 

[N_Cook]

I have an IR operated garbage can, trouble is the sensor is too
sensitive and it opens whenever you walk by. How can I reduce the
sensitivity of the IR receiver so I have to put my hand very close to
the sensor before the lid opens?

tia

Try various thicknesses of different plastics , clear or opaque, but not
polythene, over the sensor

 

[Arfa Daily]

Try various thicknesses of different plastics , clear or opaque, but not
polythene, over the sensor

Or different colours of electricians' self-adhesive PVC tape.

Arfa

 

[Adrian C]

"N_Cook"

Or different colours of electricians' self-adhesive PVC tape.

Or drink loads of chilled beer to lower ye body temperature....

 

[Ian Jackson]

Or drink loads of chilled beer to lower ye body temperature....

That type of Selotape which is translucent milky white on the reel, but
almost invisible when used, is pretty good. Just use as many layers as
are required to obtain the required sensitivity. It also works well for
annoyingly high-intensity LED indicators on the front of STBs and the
like.

 

[Sjouke Burry]

I have an IR operated garbage can, trouble is the sensor is too
sensitive and it opens whenever you walk by. How can I reduce the
sensitivity of the IR receiver so I have to put my hand very close to
the sensor before the lid opens?

tia

Partly cover the pickup?

 

[Father Guido]

Hi, thanks for the tips, they all make some
sense to me. I'll try them out as I get materials!

Thanks again,

Norm

 

[[email protected]]

Hi, thanks for the tips, they all make some
sense to me. I'll try them out as I get materials!

Thanks again,

Norm

try clear tape

 

[Jerry G.]

I have used black electrical tape. I start by partialy covering the
sensor window, and increasing how much it is covered to reduce the
sensitivity.

Jerry G.

 

[GregS]

I have used black electrical tape. I start by partialy covering the
sensor window, and increasing how much it is covered to reduce the
sensitivity.

Jerry G.

We used to use exposed Kodachrome. Got any bad old slides ??

greg

 

[Thor]

I have an IR operated garbage can, trouble is the sensor is too
sensitive and it opens whenever you walk by. How can I reduce the
sensitivity of the IR receiver so I have to put my hand very close to
the sensor before the lid opens?

tia

I haven't seen it suggested yet, you could try breaking open a floppy disk and
use the media as a filter. The media in a floppy lets IR through, just not so
well and it sounds like what you are after.

I just checked it with an image converter, you may need a few layers.



Thor

 

[Father Guido]

I've tried various amounts of scotch tape, but just putting the tape
over the sensor activates it, and it never resets. I.e. I turned the
device off, placed tape over sensor in varying levels and positions
but when I turn the device on, it opens and refuses to close. Sigh.

I look at some of the other suggestions, thanks for your help!

Norm

 

[New Jersey]

have tried aluminum or stainless foil/tape

 

[mike]

I have an IR operated garbage can, trouble is the sensor is too
sensitive and it opens whenever you walk by. How can I reduce the
sensitivity of the IR receiver so I have to put my hand very close to
the sensor before the lid opens?

tia

do you know how it works?
I'd expect it to be passive, but the tape keeping it on
suggests active?
If it's passive, there needs to be some means to track
ambient conditions and react to change.
Attenuation will decrease SNR but probably not
do what you want.
I'd look at baffles/reflective surfaces to point the
detection
zone away from where you are.

The low-tech solution might be to rotate the can.

Or fill it with cold beer. Then you'd want it to open
when you go by. If the tool don't fit the job,
change the job...

Better yet, take out the batteries. Some things just
don't benefit from automation. ;-)
mike