[PLUG-TALK] Electrical hacking: Touch-lamps

Jeme A Brelin jeme at brelin.net
Wed May 19 02:36:08 UTC 2004


OK, you know those lamps that turn on when you touch their metal parts?

I want something like that... but not exactly like that.

I went to the store to see what I could find.  I found a couple of
interesting products:

Touch lamps.
Touch lamp bulb socket adapters.
Touch lamp outlet adapters.

The lamps do what the lamps do.

The bulb socket adapter has a socket that screws into an existing lamp
bulb socket and a conducting tab that screws against the metal casing of
the bulb socket to make contact for the touch-sensitivity.

So far, so good.

The outlet adapter, however, goes between the power cord and the wall and
has NO conductor to attach to a metal part of the lamp.  But it still
freakin' works.  How the hell's that?!?

Mods:

I don't like what it does, exactly.  First, it is designed to dim power to
three levels.  Is there a reason they ALL do this?  Can I modify the thing
so that it just turns on and off with touch?

And what if I have a lamp with no metal parts, but would like to have a
metal strip on the wall that is touched?  Is that possible?

Let me know if you've got any ideas.

Thanks.
J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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