Photo cell reverse switch?

[necrow]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me source or create a photo cell reverse switch.

I'm trying to light a dark room in the day which is for reptiles, natural light cycles are required for better breeding season's and at moment I'm using timers. These are a pain as needing changing repeatedly and would love to use daylight hours via a photo cell to reproduce natural light. I know I can buy dusk till dawn switches but have had no success finding a reverse one. Many thanks beforehand Steve

 

[Lectrician]

Have a look at changeover relays. A relay would need enclosing in a suitable enclosure though.

 

[333rocky333]

or a normal photocell connected to a contactor with N/C contacts ( normally closed) some fit a standard enclosure with a din rail

 

[JohnW2]

I'm trying to light a dark room in the day which is for reptiles, natural light cycles are required for better breeding season's and at moment I'm using timers. These are a pain as needing changing repeatedly and would love to use daylight hours via a photo cell to reproduce natural light. I know I can buy dusk till dawn switches but have had no success finding a reverse one. Many thanks beforehand Steve

As has been said, a standard photocell plus a relay/contactor in a suitable enclosure is the obvious answer. However, you'd obviously have to locate the photocell so that it was not confused by the light it was controlling - otherwise the light might be on all the time!

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

Why do the timers need changing?

 

[necrow]

Day time or light time is always in flux - Winter shorter hours Summer long hours - I wanted to use the light outside to keep the lights inside much the same, thus keeping a natural order to days and seasons for the reptiles.

 

[necrow]

I'm looking into the relay's but as not that electrically minded already sucking my thumb making gar gar noises

 

[JohnW2]

Why do the timers need changing?

From what the OP said, I presumed it was being implied that the seasonal variations in (daylight) day length were important to controlling/determining the reptiles' breeding behaviour.

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

Day time or light time is always in flux - Winter shorter hours Summer long hours - I wanted to use the light outside to keep the lights inside much the same, thus keeping a natural order to days and seasons for the reptiles.

Are they northern hemisphere reptiles then?

 

[stillp]

Day time or light time is always in flux - Winter shorter hours Summer long hours - I wanted to use the light outside to keep the lights inside much the same, thus keeping a natural order to days and seasons for the reptiles.

OK, I assumed you meant they needed replacing.

 

[JohnW2]

Are they northern hemisphere reptiles then?

I would imagine that they would have quickly adapted to a 6-month displacement of the seasonal changes even if they had 'changed hemispheres' at some point in the past, and that the important thing would be the variations in day length during a 12-monthly cycle.

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

I used to have a friend who bred various birds of Antipodean origin, and apparently they bred more successfully if kept on "Australian time". It surprised me too. We built a timed dimmer circuit so the light brightened gradually to simulate the dawn, and faded out to simulate dusk.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Are they northern hemisphere reptiles then?

Could they not be persuaded to pretend they live near the equator?

Or, did they?

 

[necrow]

At the moment I have Three differing lights - DAY light on between 16 too 8 hours depending on season - A twilight bulb on for an hour before main lights and a moon light bulb on intermittently for four hours REally wanted to drop the main light out of the loop and let it do it via outside daylight. . . Maybe I should put a window in lol

 

[necrow]

It does not matter where the snakes are from, although most are UK Bred, it's about seasonal light, in a room without windows hence the need to use electrical lighting