DIY Hacks & How To's: Pressure Plate Switch

One of the best parts of a haunted house is the automated special effects. To make sure that the effects are well timed, you need sensors to detect where your guests are in the haunted house.
Find more at the Maker Shed: makershed.com
Make: Electronics, 3rd Edition: www.makershed.com/products/ma...
Over the next few weeks I am going to show you a variety of simple sensors that you can use to automate your Halloween setup.
Read all about it on MAKE: makezine.com/video/diy-hacks-h...
Here's the project on Make: Projects makezine.com/projects/use-a-di... and on Instructables: www.instructables.com/id/Use-a...

[@CulexDestructo]

I built a pressure plate switch almost exactly like this one about 15 years ago, when I was in the first or second grade. It was the first time I'd ever gotten a light bulb to light up, and I thought it was just the most amazing thing! I've been hooked on electronics and DIY projects ever since.

[@akureyri2824]

Great video. Liked and subscribed!

[@Dookiedolf]

Good idea. They step on the pressure switch & the doorbell rings & rings & rings whilst the visitor is looking for the doorbell button. Finally they knock on the door & your doorbell is still ringing whilst your walking to the door. The added bonus is when next doors cat walk across it at 3am waking up your whole house. Your doorbell idea is simply genius =D

[@Woodentoolcompany2]

Pretty cool.

[@michaelheredia9905]

Perfect!

[@gmarch999]

Love it thanks

[@johnpearson8586]

Good work Trying ideas for garage door sensor telling me when open.with led in house as indicator.

[@aaronbecerra2958]

es impresionante lo que se puede hacer con poco dinero excelente

[@ethanlittle776]

Wicked I made a small one from cardboard it worked perfectly going out tomorrow to make a bigger version wicked invention

[@matthewsalvador9783]

Great video May I ask how would I use a pressure switch to light up when mail is landed inside box??

[@andrewfarrell4624]

This is brilliant! Any tips on how to use the low signal from Arduino to send a signal ti Ableton live anyone?

[@TheSevenhats]

I would love to see a more detailed step by step on the electrical wiring hookup

[@idkwhattowrite1620]

TheSevenhats after 6 years you got one like (me)

[@JackInTheShop]

i like it

[@OutofTimeDateMind]

Going to use this to make traps for Live Action Role Play >: D

[@ditdot2Games]

What kind of light does he use, and what is the bulb hooked up to?

[@gametrue2229]

Will it work to light a fuse

[@TescoSushi]

Could you make the cardboard any size? I'm planing to use it for a helmet with a moving jaw so I'm wondering whether it would work?

[@roznothejon]

Psycho Seraph yes you can make it bigger or smaller

[@mdewolf1849]

So ... dumb question. In the AC application ... where does the power supply go? power comes into the commons, you plug the appliance into the extension cord female end, but what do you do with the 12v power supply?

[@123456789robbie]

Arduino has built in pull up (i think, might be down) resistors.

[@MommyOfZoeAndLiam]

Hi, I know this is old, but if you check the comments, please tell me, do you think this would work on a smaller scale to light up an LED light? I'm trying to find a way to light up a carnival game when a ball hits a Target.

[@TF-hl4bh]

good:)

[@CalebFaulkner]

Mixing the pressure plate with arduino to send a tweet when someone is in your house/at your door/in your refrigerator? I think yes.

[@Ani-yt4nf]

I thought it used actual pressure to make energy, but still, it's a nice switch mechanism

[@Praecantetia]

not exactly what I expected but cool. I was looking for a joycon (switch :P) mod that adds pressure sensitivity

[@MAKE]

Praecantetia Do the Switch joycons have any analog control inputs, other than the thumbstick?

[@Praecantetia]

Make: no not to my knowledge. I'm planning to hook it up with my pc and use it as a tool for digital drawing.

[@andrewscovell6803]

Will this pressure plate output a specific amount of pressure being exerted on it or will it only output a signal that is was stepped on/pressed?

[@vixtordev]

No, it will only output a signal.

[@akush55]

Old keyboard will do and uses take it apart the circuit board?

[@el1ssgames]

But is it possible for the pressure plate to open a door? Or lift some cardboard up?

[@angelespino8783]

I got a question? How did the light turn on because I did the same thing and my light didn't even turn on.. can you please help me

[@Omega_2]

I don't see why people get mad over every tiny detail. Minecraft isn't the only game to use a pressure trigger circuit of the sort. Terraria has them, PLENTY of other games feature them as well. Even Pokemon Diamond/Pearl had a pressure triggered item(via wireless Multiplayer). Even real life uses these, too, but not always for good.

[@tried12usernames]

You seem to be proficient in the art of parroting memes that everyone knows.

[@mathiraj9928]

Can somebody help me with the 1:29 part please? I'm not very familiar with the circuit board

[@user-su8gf2zy6b]

Cool f haters I love your channel

[@siddharthvadlamani6]

What type of bulb did you use? I am trying to build this for a science project, but it is not working with a 130 volt bulb...

[@exploreinfinite9175]

Siddharth Vadlamani whoa 130 volt is high you need one matching the power supply

[@antonioarnett4059]

Good video but it doesn't tell me how to make a pressure plate that has the system off then wanted touching it turns the thing that you want on and it doesn't tell me how you're supposed to wire this

[@JokaBeeze]

How do I make a bulb light without battery only using wire and foil

[@gametrue2229]

JokaStyle you cant? You need a vacuum

[@WhatIsGod]

MORE MINECRAFT IN REAL LIFE! do it do it do it.

[@tried12usernames]

Nice mirroring. Also, *you're

[@pietroaretino6390]

Fucking radical. Thanks man. Well done.

[@kurtlindner]

Soooo cool -if aliens ever let me go back in time (I know, impossible) and take someone with me, you are it; especially if going back to medieval times.

[@loocow1554]

dem shoes

[@Khether0001]

place it under a carpet/rug =)

[@ukaszCzescik]

door bell :)

[@ioonerbe]

Or wire DigitalOuput High and Digital Input Read

[@DFX2KX]

minus the TNT or lethal amounts of sand, sure!

[@abecoulter18]

good ol coulter cardboard

[@1990hondacivic]

I want to make a toaster that has a pressure plate, so you would just throw toast in it and it would lock into the toaster and cock kind of line the one briefly showed in Spider-Man ps4

[@hetgandhi823]

Question arduino shuts down when too much pressure is applied whats the reason

[@gametrue2229]

HET GANDHI too much voltage?

[@gametrue2229]

Shorts it out?

[@CamronLocke]

Fourth?

[@manwlis99]

Pressure plates from minecraft?

[@FuzyFeeDZ]

so sawdy

[@thesofaqueen7308]

My house almost burnt down

[@michalnemecek3575]

Minecraft IRL

[@RickOsgood]

I made a video about this exact same thing a couple weeks ago! I made mine a bit differently though. Check it out on my channel!

[@andrewliebenberg4207]

What the shit is an aurduieno

[@tried12usernames]

Sorry, I was under the impression that was a clear variation of "You seem upset", but I guess you're genuinely worried and would like to keep pointing out that I seem overly agitated. It's clearly constructive, your comment: "You seem upset", and not provocative at all, nor a lame attempt at a witty reply. Personally I think sarcasm never gets old, just seems like the funniest way to be mean on youtube. I don't know where your concern comes from, I assure you I'm fine and dandy, miss

[@tried12usernames]

I didn't even notice when being sarcastic online started being frowned upon. Not so long ago nobody was a such little bitch about harmlessly mean comments. I didn't even insult him or anything, I just made fun of how excited he was that he could relate to this video... because of minecraft... But then I always forget that this nerdy attitude is adored nowadays, for some reason, even if one isn't actually a nerd.

[@DETHANAUT]

Dude I have no idea, what's Minecraft?

[@ukaszCzescik]

:)

[@Kevin-fj5oe]

Minecraft sure got real

[@Ghanemq8]

put under it some tnt ;D

[@idkwhattowrite1620]

Ghanem__q8 after 6 years you got one like

[@Ghanemq8]

@@idkwhattowrite1620 oh wow I remember watching this video as a kid. I used to watch this channel a lot.

[@JackInTheShop]

? 70 Views - 7 likes.

[@DLZeon]

But there is no BOOM. (I'm a dick in minecraft sometimes...)

[@freaksmagee126]

second

[@francisco75132]

LOL REAL LIFE MINECRAFT

[@tried12usernames]

Oh man, you mean, like, that's an inside joke only minecraft players will understand? Wow, so cool man. Wow, I certainly don't think you mean to say that minecraft also has pressure plates, I'd have to be some kind of genius to think of that. And I certainly don't think you're implying that making pressure plates is, like, exclusively related to minecraft and that they didn't exist before. Yeah, I guess minecraft totally invented them. Sarcasm aside, I thumbed down your comment.

[@tried12usernames]

I am chill, you ignoramous (I have never even been to mexico...) lol And inside jokes only work when nobody else gets them. I've never played minecraft and it wasn't much of a stretch for me to get that "joke". Pretty funny btw, it's sooo clever. If you can't handle the sarcasm then I'm sorry if I somehow hurt your feelings bro, I'm just some guy on the internet being harmlessly mean, you're the one who has no need to get upset ;) it's okay this time though, you're forgiven

[@CamronLocke]

Minecraft in real life. Like if you know what I'm saying.

[@tried12usernames]

Who just taught you something. Btw, you overuse ellipsis