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  #1  
Old 01-11-2015, 02:50 PM
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h0ughy (David)
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what do you do with a bright streetlight?

good question this one is - with no ethical answer what do you do with a very bright streetlight?

some may know my aversion to street lighting, and after the storms in April Alan's missing tree left him with a bug infested light that was covered with a moss or web that still shrouded his house and observatory to some extent. but during the week some absent minded local asked for it to be cleaned, which Ausgrid dutifully did leaving Al with more light than he could cope with. Enter the stick of freedom - so called because it can fit a roller on the end, and extend to over 5 metres, oh and black safety paint, lots of black safety paint

so we also tried to help clean the bugs away
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Old 01-11-2015, 02:54 PM
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i have heard of people using a laser to trick the light sensor into thinking it is day time. not sure if the street lights in Australia work in the same way. also, you need to make sure you use the right laser, some wont work ...
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Old 01-11-2015, 02:54 PM
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If I had ONE of those I would rejoice !!!! For some reason the ACT Government thought it was appropriate to place 6 of those within 75 metres of each other on the intersection outside my place.
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Old 01-11-2015, 02:58 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
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The Woollara council has installed 'curtains' around some street lights that caused offence to some residents. The curtain hangs down around the 'house' side of the light.

One enterprising fellow IISer did do the black paint solution you mentioned too . Blacked out the house side of the light too. None of the neighbours have noticed either .
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Old 01-11-2015, 02:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Somnium View Post
i have heard of people using a laser to trick the light sensor into thinking it is day time. not sure if the street lights in Australia work in the same way. also, you need to make sure you use the right laser, some wont work ...
yeah Houghy, do you know anyone with an appropriate laser?

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Old 01-11-2015, 03:11 PM
glend (Glen)
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Those Aus Grid guys must not have much to do right now, they have been 'dusting' off bugs around my street as well. Where can one acquire a "Stick of Freedom"? Or do Alan and your good self provide a midnight 'service'?
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mental4astro View Post
The Woollara council has installed 'curtains' around some street lights that caused offence to some residents. The curtain hangs down around the 'house' side of the light.

One enterprising fellow IISer did do the black paint solution you mentioned too . Blacked out the house side of the light too. None of the neighbours have noticed either .
funny you mention that - this bug off solution looks to be on the house and observatory side too
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:13 PM
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Those Aus Grid guys must not have much to do right now, they have been 'dusting' off bugs around my street as well. Where can one acquire a "Stick of Freedom"? Or do Alan and your good self provide a midnight 'service'?
Houghy's provided the link, it's at Bunnings.
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by glend View Post
Those Aus Grid guys must not have much to do right now, they have been 'dusting' off bugs around my street as well. Where can one acquire a "Stick of Freedom"? Or do Alan and your good self provide a midnight 'service'?
from the place that gave me my problems
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:14 PM
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yeah Houghy, do you know anyone with an appropriate laser?

Lasers will only turn of the lights for a very short time,you would have to have it permanently pointed at the sensor for it to be any use.
Cheers
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by astroron View Post
Lasers will only turn of the lights for a very short time,you would have to have it permanently pointed at the sensor for it to be any use.
Cheers
Depends how strong your laser is Ron.
But seriously, I was only joking....
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:22 PM
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yeah Houghy, do you know anyone with an appropriate laser?

we could test that theory from my place to the light in the cemetery just over the way from me
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:25 PM
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What about an air gun?
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:44 PM
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ATA 5 shotgun ( only joking)
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Old 01-11-2015, 03:45 PM
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ATA 5 shotgun ( only joking)
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Old 01-11-2015, 05:12 PM
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What about an air gun?
I tried that: I contacted an Adelaide gun dealer & explained that I wanted to 'take out' a street light & why.

They never replied - must have been bent over double laughing....

(When I was a kid in the UK, any 14 year old could own an airgun with no license or anything. How times change).

Dean
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Old 02-11-2015, 07:16 AM
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the big question is did it make a difference - Al can you answer this?
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Old 02-11-2015, 10:13 AM
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I imagine Al is me..

Getting the local street light people to place a curtain around a street light is probably the 'friendliest', though probably the slowest to happen...

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If the street light is flat or a flouro tube, not the bulbous type, a curtain shade is the only real solution.
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Old 02-11-2015, 11:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
Those Aus Grid guys must not have much to do right now, they have been 'dusting' off bugs around my street as well. Where can one acquire a "Stick of Freedom"? Or do Alan and your good self provide a midnight 'service'?
I'm not in an Ausgrid area, but if you complain about a maintenance issue on a streetlight, they have 2 weeks to fix it or you get $100 off your bill. Hence the prompt response.
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Old 02-11-2015, 11:30 AM
glend (Glen)
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Originally Posted by AussieTrooper View Post
I'm not in an Ausgrid area, but if you complain about a maintenance issue on a streetlight, they have 2 weeks to fix it or you get $100 off your bill. Hence the prompt response.
Light brightness is not seen as a maintenance issue. I did complain to Ausgrid and they directed me to the local council. When I complained to the council (Lake Mac CC) that the light at the top of the street was overly bright for a residential street (a bucket lense on it) they sent out an inspector to measure the output at night (but I was not allowed to know when he would come nor was I allowed to talk to him - I kid you not). The inspector was not allowed to enter my backyard to see for himself (Occ Health and Safety issue they said). Eventually, three months later I get a letter telling me the offending light is ' within spec' and no action is required. Tell that to the guy living under it who can read the newspaper in bed.

So I gave up on Ausgrid and the Council but now gorilla action is probably out of the question because they will know it was me. Should of kept my mouth shut and just vandilised the light.
I will have to rely on the line of advanced Leighton Green trees that I had planted last year; another year and they will have cutoff the streetlight.
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Last edited by glend; 02-11-2015 at 11:44 AM.
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