Extend Range on Infrared Remote

[hube2]

Hopefully I am putting this in the right place.

There is a trove of experience here and thought that someone might have experience with this.

I want to put in some solar powered flood lights, here is an example https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FCK6G1F/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza. There are other ones as well.

These things come with infrared remotes. My problem is that the remotes for these things have extremely limited range, maybe 30 feet and I want to put one on a shed that is about 77 feet from the house and on a pole that is over 100 feet away. I would like to be able to turn these lights on and off from the house.

Needing to walk out to be close enough for the remote to work would defeat the purpose of putting in the light.

Does anyone know of any way to extend the range of an infrared remote, preferably battery powered. The purpose of using the solar lights is that I do not want to bury wires out to these places.

 

[PuffyC]

What you want is an IR repeater (aka IR extender). They’re pretty common, just do a search and you’ll find plenty. Not sure what kind of range but the ones I’ve seen are RF so I’d think 100 ft would likely work.

 

[MossRoad]

I had IR extenders in my house for years to control A/V equipment located in other rooms. In a nutshell, you put an IR receiver, or target, in a location that you can see. You put the IR emitter at the other end. It usually had sticky tape and was placed directly over the IR receiver on the device that you want to control.

Then you point your IR remote at the target receiver, it sees the IR signal, translates it to radio frequency, transmits it to the emitter, converts it back to IR, and relays the command to the device being controlled.

Worked fine. However, it was not rated for outdoor use, and, you have to be line-of-sight to the target receiver in order for it to work. Also, it required AC power.

 

[hube2]

I have been looking for extenders that do not require AC power and having no luck. If anyone has any examples please let me know.

I'd like the lights but know one in the house, except me, would be happy with them being on all night long. I'm sure my neighbors would not be happy either, but I don't care about them. I need to convince the family that being on all the time would be a good idea and after talking about it with them I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[MossRoad]

Why not put a motion sensor on them AND an ON/OFF switch?

That way they would only come on if motion was detected, or, you could turn them on manually when you needed the light to stay on.

Most of the IR extenders have AC converters on them, and actually run on DC.

For example, this one I'm linking to below. I believe it comes with AC to 12VDC power packs. If your fixture is putting out 12VDC, it would work. However, the receiver would be on 24/7, so don't know what type of power drain it would put on the battery for the light.

Amazon.com: StarTech.com Wireless IR Remote Control Extender - 330 ft / 100m - IR to RF - Infrared Repeater - IR Extender for Cable Box - IR Repeater Kit (IREXT2),Gray: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: StarTech.com Wireless IR Remote Control Extender - 330 ft / 100m - IR to RF - Infrared Repeater - IR Extender for Cable Box - IR Repeater Kit (IREXT2),Gray: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

 

[dlctcg]

You may want to check the lights you are looking.... It looks to me they have built in (Dusk to Dawn / 3Hr / 5Hr / 8Hr) Timers. I think you would be able to set them to come on at dusk & turn off at a predetermined timer interval. As long as they keep that program they would do the same thing eveynight & you would still have manual control when needed via the remote...

You may want to check on that

 

[oosik]

I have a single yard light. It's atop my last power pole. Comes on at dusk - off at dawn. Illuminates the entire yard. I'm sure they must make similar yard lights that are solar powered. Mine is 120V powered. I know FOR A FACT - this yard light irritates the locals - coyotes, raccoons, porcupines, etc.

 

[hube2]

Ya, Most of the solar powered lights I'm looking at have an on a dusk, off and dawn feature. I don't care about irritating the locals and neighbors. One of the locations I want to put a light will not be a problem. But the one that will be is the one I want to put on the shed so that in illuminates my entire driveway and side yard.

The issue is that my family has this thing about being blinded by my flood lights when they pull in the driveway. Never seemed to bother me but I get bitched at every time I forget to turn off the ones I have. Can't imagine grief I'd get if there was one that was all the time.

There are some IR extenders that will work, but nothing meant for outdoor use and they would probably not last long in weather. Plus I'd have to rig up some type of power supply rather than use the AC adapter they come with.

 

[oosik]

I installed my yard light in 1982. It's still up there - still using the same bulb. Your "flood lights" must be different than my "yard light". Standing directly under my light - it's not the least bit blinding. It illuminated a 150 foot circle from atop the power pole.

 

[hube2]

No power pole here, my power is buried from the closest pole on the road. Nothing to get them up high. With a one story house a light like what you are referring to would no light up my entire driveway even from the peak of my roof.

These are what I currently use.



They point right down the driveway.

I can't mount the solar light close to the house because they'd be on the north side of the house and would not get sufficient sunlight to charge the battery. My other shed where I can mount it is out of range of the remote, but the angle would be similar. I might be able to get it up a bit higher, maybe 10 or 12 feet, but with the slop of the driveway they would still likely be pointing right at a cars windshield in order to illuminate what I want to illuminate.