Motion Triggered Bed-to-Bathroom Floor Illumination

If you or your elderly parents belong to those who have to frequent the bathroom by night, and sometimes get disoriented in the dark, this might be worth a try. Like the illuminated floor lane in a smoke filled airplane, the EL wire shows you the way from your bed to the bathroom, triggered as soon as you step out of your bed... (and decent enough not to wake up your partner)

What you need

• https://www.adafruit.com/products/405 (2 x EL wire, 2.5 m, $12)
• https://www.adafruit.com/products/448 (12V inverter, $4.95)
• https://www.adafruit.com/products/352 (12V 5A power supply $25)
• https://www.adafruit.com/products/402 (EL wire splitter, 2$)
• https://www.adafruit.com/products/368 (Screw terminal block 2$)
• http://www.f-tronic.com/produkte_abzweigkasten.php?id=70 (Electronic junction box, $3)
• http://www.amazon.de/Popp-GmbH-Bewegungsmelder-110%C2%B0/dp/B0017VJ43K (Motion sensor triggered switch with adjustable light sensitivity and delay, $38)

Tools

• Pliers
• Some screwdrivers
• MakerBot Thing-o-matic (optional)
• Duct tape

Step 1: Testing the EL wire

Screw the black/red cable of the inverter to the terminal block. Make sure to connect the red cable to plus (+) and the black to minus (-).

Plug both orange EL wires into the splitter and the splitter into the inverter. Connect the screw terminal block with the power supply.

Plug the cord of the power supply into an outlet. If everything works, the EL wire lights up as shown in the picture and you hear a high pitched sound. This is normal and comes from the inverter.

(If it does not work make sure to unplug the power cord first before you manipulate anything else.)

Comments

[nerd7473]

I had an idea similar to this.

[HalleHamar]

Hey, I can use this to find my way home :)

[billbillt]

I built something like this much cheaper and simpler..I bought a PIR battery powered closet light from Ebay for $6..Then I conerted to to wall power with a $1 6V wall wart...too abot 30 min....

[dagaherz]

My same idea... but it is not so well-time-killer and no good for investigation and personal improvement... ;)
In addition, I can tell not necessary e-bay: passed Xmas I bought 3 of them in Carrefour,7€ each one.
Interesting tut, anyway

[tamberg]

Cool! Thanks for the tip.

[Organize74]

I put motion lights on my stairs because I have 3 steps down, a landing at the "top" of the stairs to the first floor then 3 steps up to the hall where the other bedrooms are in the house. I had visions of my daughter waking up in the night and forgetting the steps between our bedroom doors. My problem is the darn cat wanders all night and turns the lights on. I love that yours is low intensity. I'll have to see if mine can be switched. Thank you for sharing!

[Tinkerteem]

you should secure the path.. what if someone change the path to your closet.. you'll end up messing it.. :))

[tamberg]

Sensor and junction box are both IP45+ i.e. they withstand "low pressure water jets from any direction"

[mikeasaurus]

Clever idea and I love the low intensity light the EL wire emits, perfect for sleepy eyes.

[tamberg]

Thanks!

[Robot Lover]

Very interesting design. If I make this I would either boil the EL wire before I put it along the base boards to straiten it out, or heat it with a heat gun. Great instructable!

[tamberg]

Guess I need to finally get a heat gun, then.

[StiltGuyJoe]

Genius! Pair with this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Night-Vision-Toilet/ and say goodbye to being blinded by late night conventional lighting again! Maniacal laaaaugh.

[tamberg]

Nice! Thanks for the link...