off topic ( go box questions )

[goodstuff 10+ year member]

sorry for this being off topic but it seems like a good place to ask since peeps on here seem to be pretty smart so here goes...I am looking at building a "go box", one of those things that police,ems peeps have that changes the traffic signal from red to green so they can fly throught the intersection...has anyone built one of these? I have the plans already and my buddy has a degree in electronics I showed him the plans and he says it should work just wondering where I can get the ir array, will I have to build it myself or do they make premade ones also what is the total cost for the whole thing going to be...

Again I apoligize for this off topic post and I promise to answer more peeps questions in the near future...

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[awalbert88 10+ year member]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the idea, because I think it just leads to more accidents from people trying to run red lights.

 

[goodstuff 10+ year member]

um ok I can see where you are coming from but this device changes both sides of the lights and I don't plan on using it when there are other cars around or even that often only late at night when I pull up to an intersection and there is no one on the other side and I sit there at a red light for no reason... also I just want to know if I have the skillls to build one....and it would be good in an emegency if I really needed to get someone somewhere like to the hospital or whatnot...

 

[mwbuck]

yeah im real interested as to how to make one of these and how they work. let us know how you make out. i'd like to build one too.

 

[goodstuff 10+ year member]

it's pretty simple actually...it's basically just infrared led's flashing at a certain frequency, there are sensors mounted on the traffic lights...not all of the traffic lights everywhere have them so it doesnt work in every situation...anyways the sensors pick up the flashing and that's how the light knows to change. the other thing is that different lights use different frequencies so you have to adjust the box to flash at the frequency of the light you are at...it might sound complicated but the concept is simple... light flashes, gets picked up by sensor, light turns green...i have the plans which I bought off a website that escapes my memory at this point now I am in the process of gathering parts I wouldn't recommend anyone attempt this at least not without someone who knows how to read electrical schmatics or has a friend( like me) who knows about that type of stuff...also as you most likly read above there are ethical and saftey issues in building and using this device so just be careful what you do and how you do it and make sure you are safe and not causing problems for anyone....

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

But if there's no one around, why would you need one?

 

[Depression 10+ year member]

I don't wanna say because they are gonna be outlawed for sale soon and I want one before everyone else gets one..I guess Yesterday the story about these things ran on National News and IT HAS BLOWN UP. The ones on EBAY Skyrocketed in price yesterday,obviously because of the news Story.

THEY COME FROM A COMPANY CALLED MIRT..Here is the Web site. They run about $500..I live in L.A. and every light is controlled this way so I could use one more than folks in small towns. But now it looks like I need one because everyone else is gonna turn my light red I need it just to FIGHT BACK after Yesterdays News Story.

http://www.nostoplight.com/how.html?refid=null

 

[goodstuff 10+ year member]

I would need one because that way I won't get pulled over by the cops for running a red light... my friend and I went to radio whack yesterday and bought all the parts we needed for 30 bucks, the only thing we couldnt find were the ir led's themselves well they had ir leds but not the high power ones we needed ... I dunno how much the leds will be but im guessing not more than a few dollars a piece and the plans call for five of them...but I am having trouble locating them...anyways i just hope you will not misuse these devices and be safe with what you do and if anyone can tell me where I can find 3000 mcd ir led's that would be great

 

[mtech2 10+ year member]

That's funny....

"i cant imagine the plans are that complicated... just need a capacitor and ir LEDs and some resistors right?"

Don't forget the diodes, maybe even an inductor or a transistor let's not even talk about IC's!! .....of course that's what EVERY electrical device is made of!

Throw 'em all together and voila'!!!

It is against the law to use them and for good reason!! Anyone who uses these illegally is a punk *** *****!! If I saw someone using one of these I'd beat there ***!!

 

[goodstuff 10+ year member]

Well first off.... fighting is also illegal and that would be real cool if someone was trying to get to the hospital and you pulled them out of their car and TRIED to kick their ***....why shouldn't I be allowed to have life saving technology? Obviously it's because some people (not going to name names) are ignorant piles of shit and would misuse this device in an instant given the chance...secondly it IS a RELATIVELY simple circuit as far as circuits go and YES electronics master, it does have an ic and 2 transistors and lastly I do agree that these types of devices should be restricted to people who need them and people who are smart enough to build them since most of them have common sense....

 

[paikiah 5,000+ posts]

it's not really that off-topic..//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[mtech2 10+ year member]

funny pants....Its use is restricted and it is not for every pimply faced punk who can wield a soldering iron and follow instructions from a kit!!! It is for EMERGENCEY VEHICLES....I think I could tell the difference between someone going to the hospital and some kids on a joy ride. And you can't tell me that most people on this forum are interested in it for the possible life saving benefits....they PLAN on misusing it....just read the forum!!! Oh and thanks for recoknizing me as the Electronics master that I am.

Shrinky Dinx.....We are not talking about an LED blinking every second or so. We are dealing with an amplified RF signal which is a little more difficult to generate than a blinking LED that you have on a button or something.