# Quorum PIR and Disposable Camera Flash



## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

I came up with an idea to trigger a disposable camera flash using a Quorum PIR, a Kit 43 relay board and a disposable camera flash or maybe a strobe (the lights go out, the hallway is dark then the TOTs are blinded by a flash of light).

I have my proof of concept working, but need some help with figuring out a power source.

Right now, the PIR uses a 9v battery and the flash uses a standard AA battery. I think the PIR would last the night with the 9v, but since the flash uses up the AA relatively quickly, I don't think it would last the night in the haunt. I was thinking of using a cell phone charger to chage the flash, but the lowest voltage I have is 5v. It will charge the capacitor for the flash, but I'm wondering if I will blow it up.

Will this work, or should I think about substituting a 120v strobe?


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

The PIR will last for a very long time on the 9 volt battery. I use several of them and they've all seen dozens of hours of operation during prop testing without a battery going dead.
If size of the package isn't a big concern, use two D cell batteries in a holder and connect them to the power inputs on the flash board. Make sure you know what voltage the board uses - 1.5VDC or 3VDC - and wire the batteries appropriately. Cheap and easy.


----------



## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

Duh (slaps hand on head), I guess I was over thinking this. I was going down the path of using a wallwort.

The flash uses 1.5 VDC so I'll wire the batteries in parallel. I'll give this a shot and see how many flashes I get out.


----------

