Arduino project · Light sensing · Medium
Smart Street Light (Dim and Boost)
At night the lamp glows at 20 percent to save energy. When someone walks by, it rises to 100 percent. In daylight it is off.
What you will learn
- How street lights save energy
- How to use two sensors for three brightness levels
- How PWM dims a lamp
How it works
Step 1 switches the lamp off. Darkness sets 20 percent. Movement sets 100 percent. Daylight at the end switches it off again, whatever the PIR says.
Try this next
- Keep the boost on for 10 seconds after movement.
- Use three lamps in a row.
- Add a solar panel voltage meter.
The simulator program and explanation on this page are original. The idea follows a classic Arduino project that students have built for years.
Parts: sensors and actuators (tap to show or hide)
Try the inputs (virtual sensors)
Pins (you can change them)
| Part | Arduino pin (change it here) | How to wire it |
|---|
Every wire, one by one
Red rail = 5 V from the Arduino 5V pin. Black rail = GND. The coloured wires carry signals. Match the wire colours on the drawing to this list.
| # | Colour | From (part and leg) | To |
|---|
Steps run from top to bottom, then start again. While the simulation runs, the active step is highlighted in green.
Quantities come from the parts you added. The store links open a search for that item on Robu.in, Amazon.in and ThinkRobotics, so you always see what is in stock today. Check the model, voltage and price before you order.
| # | Item | Qty | Search term | Buy / compare |
|---|
The PDF has the circuit sketch, pin table, every wire, sequence, full code, the parts list with store links, do’s and don’ts for each part, and the safety notes. The project file lets you come back and keep editing.
In the real world
A lamp you can dim
Your dimmable LED sets how bright the lamp in the real room glows.
Tip: use the gold tab at the bottom of the circuit drawing to pull the real-world view up over the Arduino board. Your parts stay visible above it, so you can press a button and watch the real scene react.
- Dimmable LED = the brightness of the lamp