Light Sensing LED - PICAXE Version

A while ago I posted light sensing LED which used the arduino board now it is the same project but using a PICAXE microcontroller.This is the simplest circuit you might have ever seen it only uses a PICAXE microcontroller,a resistor and a LED.A LED not only lights up when power is applied but also produces a tiny voltage when exposed to light.Based on this principle we are going to make our "light sensing LED".A single LED is used to take a reading and light up when it is dark.This is a fun to do project which requires minimal parts.

This instructable will explain how to create your own light sensing LED,making some changes,programming the microcontroller,makingit on a breadboard and soldering the circuit.

A short video of it in action:

Step 1: How Can The LED Sense Light?

An LED can be used for light detection as well as emission.LED is a simple diode which has been adopted to emit light.Therefore if it is inserted into the circuit the same way as the photodiode it will serve the same function of sensing light

The LEDs will be sensitive to the light which has the wavelength equal to it or lesser than it.

When light falls on the LED a small voltage is produced this voltage produced can be fed to a microcontroller which can read it and follow the further instructions.

Comments

[chailiyh]

you can do it with a LM339 too.
but you will need much more res.

[justbennett]

Thanks for posting this. This concept is included in some other instructables, I think, but I like that this one focuses on one concept. This could be incorporated into more complicated projects in interesting ways. I like the picaxe too (cheap AND easy), and I hope to see more projects on here soon. I'm working on a couple myself.

[masterchippy]

I do not know if it will make any difference but the 08M2 can have its speed adjusted from 4MHz to 32MHz with

setfreq M32

[AndyGadget]

 
There is only part of a program here.
What about the 'readadc' to get the b0 value and the code to tie those snippets together?

[Bot1398]

Sorry forgot to include that! btw how did you like the instructable?

[AndyGadget]

That's better.
I'd have written the program as:

do

    readadc 2,b0

    if b0 < 10 then
        high 2
        pause 1000
    end if
loop

but either way works.

How about putting in spaces after full stops in your text?  It would make it a lot easier to read.  Also, you mention the schematic in your text but I can't see it there.  It's a very simple circuit but that would make things a lot clearer.  All in all though, a good start.

There is another way of doing this which is more sensitive.  The LED junction is first 'charged' and then the state of an input pin checked after a time.  The discharge rate is related to the light level so can be used as a dark / light switch. 

_{P.S. It's not a good idea to display your e-mail address like that unless you want all sorts of spam turning up in your mailbox.}

[Bot1398]

I have added the schematic and I not received any spam from anyone actually I have not received any email from anyone

[Bot1398]

(removed by author or community request)

[AndyGadget]

 
I think you've got the chip in upside-down in your title picture!
Speed should not be a problem. If you're running this without the programming resistors, make sure that the chip pin 2 is tied to 0V otherwise you can get strange things happening. 

[Bot1398]

(removed by author or community request)

[AndyGadget]

 
Which of the programs gives you the short interval blink? The 'pause 1000' should give you a 1 second blink (at 4MHz) when triggered.  Another thing you could try is a 0.1uF capacitor across the supply, as close as possible to the chip's power pins.  (This is good design practice for any digital circuit.)