4 Automatic Day Night Switch Circuits Explained

The 4 simple light activated day night switch circuits explained here can all be used for controlling a load, normally a 220V lamp, in response to the varying levels of the surrounding ambient light.

The circuit can be used as a commercial automatic street light control system, as a domestic porch light or corridor light controller or simply can be used by any school kid for displaying the feature in his school fair exhibition.The following content describes four simple ways of making a light activated switch using different methods.

1) Light Activated Day Night Switch using Transistors

The first diagram shows how the circuit can be configured using transistors, the second and the third circuits demonstare the principle by using CMOS ICs while the last circuit explaines the same concept being implemented using the ubiquitous IC 555.

Let’s evaluate the circuits one by one with the following points:

The first figure shows the use of a couple of transistors in association with a few other components lke resistors for the construction of proposed design.

The transistors are rigged as inverters, meaning when T1 switches, T2 is switched OFF and vice versa.

The transistors T1 is wired as a comparator and consists of an LDR across its base and the positive supply via a preset.

The LDR is used for sensing the ambient light conditions and is used for triggering T1 when the light level crosses a particular set threshold. This threshold is set by the preset P1.

The use of two transistors particularly helps to reduce the hysteresis of the circuit which would have otherwise affected the circuit if only a single transistor would have been incorporated.

When T1 conducts, T2 is switched OFF ans so is the relay and the connected load or the light.

The opposite happens when the light over the LDR falls or when darkness sets in.

2) Light Activated Day Dark Switch using CMOS NAND gates and NOT Gates

The second and the third figure incorporates CMOS ICs for executing the above functions and the concept remains rather similar. The first circuit out of the two utilizes the IC 4093 which is quad two-input NAND gate IC.

Each of the gates are formed into inverters by shorting its both the inputs together, so that the input logic level of the gates now get effectively reversed at thie outputs.

Though a single NAND gate would be enough for implementing the actions, three gates have been engaged as buffers for getting better results and in a view of utilizing all of them as in any case three of them would be left idle.

The gate which is responsible for the sensing can be seen accompanied with the light sensing device LDR wired across its input and the positive via a variable resistor.

This variable resistor is used for setting the triggering point of the gate when the light falling over the LDR reaches the desired specified intensity.

As this happens, the gate input goes high, the output consequently becomes low making the outputs of the buffer gates high. The result is the triggering of the transistor and the relay assembly. The connected load over the relay now flips into the intended actions.

The above actions are exactly replicated using the IC 4049 which is also wired with similar configuration and is quite explanatory.

3) Light Activated Relay Switch using IC 555

The last figure illustrates how the IC 555 may be configured for executing the above responses.

Video Clip demonstrating the practical operation of the above IC555 based day night automatic lamp circuit

Parts List

• R1 = 100k
• R3 = 2m2
• C1 = 0.1uF
• Rl1 = 12V, SPDT,
• D1 = 1N4007,
• N1----N6 = IC 4049
• N1----N4 = IC 4093 IC1 = 555

4) Automatic Night Operated LED Lamp Circuit

This fourth circuit is not only simple but very interesting and very easy to build. You might have seen the new flashlights manufactured with new high bright high efficiency LEDs.

The idea is to achieve something similar but with an added feature.

Functioning Details

To make our circuit operative after dark, a phototransistor is employed, so that when the daylight is void, the LED gets switched ON.

To make the circuit extermely compact one button battery type is preferred here, quite akin to those used in calculators, watches, etc.

Understanding the diagram:

As long as ambient light illuminates the phototransistor, the voltage at its emitter lead is sufficiently high for the base of PNP transistor Q1 to keep it shut off.

However when darkness sets in, the phototransistor starts losing conduction and the voltage at its emitter diminishes causing the phototransistor to slowly switch OFF.

This prompts Q1 to begin getting the biasing via its base/ground resistor R and it starts to illuminate brightly as darkness gets deeper.

In order to control the level of the ambient light for which the LED may be desired to be switched ON, he resistor R values may be varied until the desired level is satisfied. Putting a potentiometer may not be recommneded, just to ensure a compact and sleek dimension of the unit.

The circuit may consume approximately 13 mA when the LED is illuminated and just a few hundred uA when its switched OFF.

Circuit Operation

Bill of material for the discussed automatic night operated LED lamp.

- 1 PNP BC557A
- One compatible phototransistor
- 1 super bright white LED
- 1 battery 3V coin
- One 1K resistor

About the Author

I am an electronic engineer (dipIETE ), hobbyist, inventor, schematic/PCB designer, manufacturer. I am also the founder of the website: https://www.homemade-circuits.com/, where I love sharing my innovative circuit ideas and tutorials. If you have any circuit related query, you may interact through comments, I'll be most happy to help!