ULPT Request: How to shut off a street light (not a traffic light) temporarily?

Posted by raydeecakes@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 73 comments

As the title says, I'd like to know how to shut a street light. I've heard that this could be done, both temporarily and permanently, but I haven't found anything to back it up. I tried a method** suggested by a friend and it didn't work. When asked about the particulars, they weren't quite sure.

**The method they suggested seemed plausible and I had access to what they suggested, but maybe they were wrong about the type. I'm being cryptic because I want to see if someone else suggests this method and I can ask questions. Cut through the nonsense back and forth. I hope that makes sense.

The street light outside of my house is blinding when it comes on. Personally, I would be fine if it was gone, permanently However I understand why it exists - terrain of the land, cars parked on a busy narrow(ish) street and potential for lots of shadows. I'd be ok if I could shut it off temporarily and this is sort of a ridiculous reason, but it would help the lightning bugs. The yards are full of them, but I believe there would be significantly more if that light was gone. This is also true the other wonderful nocturnal creatures that live in the neighborhood. Also, fuck that light.

Yes I thought of a BB gun, but the neighbor parks his car under the light. Also, no this isn't the only street light on the block. They are about 3 about 100+/- yards apart from each other-1 at each corner and the one in front of my house (3 total).

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Relevant_Principle80@reddit

As a kid we would use a Qbeam. But they restart when the beam is gone.

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Boat_Liberalism@reddit

A can of automotive headlight tinter and an extendable spray can pole might do the trick and significantly darken the light.

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Reach-for-the-sky_15@reddit

I know this isn't unethical, but have you tried contacting the city’s public works department?

These issues you're bringing up like the lightning bugs are real issues that the city would want to address.

PS: Also, if the city doesn't want to address these issues, you could always then take your interaction to the local media since interactions with city officials (especially complains) are almost always on the record.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

You're right it's not "unethical", but I'm willing to try it. There is a speeding problem on the street, so again I understand the need for the street light. Unfortunately it's just so god-damned bright.

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Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Two birds, one stone: knock over the lamp-post. No light / free speed bump.

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ElegantGate7298@reddit

My last house had a speed bump near it and it was free entertainment. I would love to put a speed bump outside my current house.

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PlantsAreDelicious@reddit

Pick up the phone and call the electric company and simply ask them to cover the lamp to reduce the light. The worst they could do is say no.

Source: utility company worker

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Naughteus_Maximus@reddit

Also - the lights should really be on a dimmer cycle, so they aren't so blinding at night, say from 11pm or midnight - and ideally even with a motion sensor so they return to full brightness only when someone walks or drives past.

If the city is unwilling to explore these reasonable solutions that affect your sleep and quality of life, you have to take matters into your own hands, either with an air rifle or by stealing a car and ramming it into the lamp post.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

I like the stealing the car idea best.

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B_D_Rick@reddit

Tape 4 or 5 broom poles together and put a light on the end. Lift the light up near the sensor

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wafflecocks7@reddit

climb up there and take out the bulb

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

LED panel.

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wafflecocks7@reddit

okay throw a rock at it when theres no cops around

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ForThePosse@reddit

So is it a light sensor activated light?

If so. The sensor is on top. Go up there and attach a light with a light sensor to turn on when it gets dark. It'll shine light on the street lights sensor and make it think it's still daytime.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

It does have a sensor on top, a very large and visible one. It appears to me (from the ground) that the sensor has a 360⁰ fov. If that is the case, I wonder if a light directed on one side of the sensor would work.

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Onedtent@reddit

Install a solar panel* so as to block the light from blinding you.

The local council/city/town/municipality whatever will immediately remove the street light to stop a taxpayer from benefiting something for "free"

Follow me for more ~~hacks~~ tips.

*Believe it or not a solar panel can generate electricity from a street light during the hours of darkness. Albeit a tiny amount.

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trashme8113@reddit

At the bottom is a screwed on door to attach the electric wires. I donno if it’s basic 110v. When building a street light the run the wires and build the base. Then they stick the pole on top and attach the wires at the base. So open that door and snip a wire. If you were really into it, install a smart switch so you can shut it off when it bugs you.

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czarnicholasreturns@reddit

In the city of st louis many are 480 volt. Helps solve the problem of people stealing wires for copper.

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czarnicholasreturns@reddit

Ok, I just made a similar suggestion but saw yours 5 minutes later, and you actually have done it. I suggest placing with a drone if it is higher than broomstick level.

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czarnicholasreturns@reddit

Paint the side that faces your house with a paint pellet gun. Or put a solar dusk to dawn light on the top of the sensor. When it gets dark, your light will come on, turning off the streetlight.

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p50one@reddit

I was on vacation and the place I was staying at had a streetlight that blinded you while sitting on the balcony. It took a bit of creativity, but I took a solar pathway light with the base removed and set it on the sensor of the streetlight. When it got dark, the solar light turned on and would in turn shut off the streetlight. I was able to do this because we were close in height to the light from the balcony, and could reach it with a broomstick, might not be as easy from street level.

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BelisColdwine@reddit

Some engineer buddies of mine used to throw a big Halloween thing (very big, it took over their front & back yard, and in later years spread to the neighbors’ yards as well), and they would get the street lights to turn off by setting up a small mirror above them, then shining a laser so it hit the light sensor on top.

BIG LEGAL DISCLAIMER — They had city police there to close the street. Please don’t turn off street lights where kids are walking around.

That won’t work if the lights are on a timer only, of course, and I don’t know if any cheap laser pointer will work or if you need something fancy. Obviously you’d have to climb up to mount the mirror too, and the city might have questions the next time they come by to do work on it. And it sounds like there’s no dimmer, so this is probably only a binary on/off solution. So, ymmv, but maybe there’s a simple technological solution here.

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xsmp@reddit

these people talking about spray painting a street light with flammable pressurized chemicals are funny

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

😂

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Marcelitus230@reddit

Maybe you could partially tape it? If you've got some stairs

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xsmp@reddit

tape would catch fire lol

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yarnycarley@reddit

https://www.instructables.com/Handheld-EMP-device/

Fry it 😁

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lucid_pilot@reddit

Here, they all have an service opening. You need to be a bit creative to open it if you don't have the right 🔹or🔻 shaped key. Inside is a fuse you can unscrew ;-)

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crixux27@reddit

We used to kick them 20 years ago walking down the street and they'd turn off in Australia. Thought it was a safety thing incase they got hit by a car.

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lucid_pilot@reddit

Well, that are the old ones with gas discharging... The new led ones are not affected...

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Few-Being-1048@reddit

Lol in Canada if you really kicked a street light the only thing that would happen is you’d break your foot

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TC_Shannon@reddit

In Germany they turn off, too if kicked hard enough

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opoqo@reddit

Knock down the pole with your car.... That will shut it off temporarily

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daxophoneme@reddit

While you are trying some of these unethical methods, do you have blackout curtains?

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FirstSurvivor@reddit

Doesn't help the wildlife OP mentioned in the post.

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Satchik@reddit

I heard someone would use a Roman candle to shoot little balls of fire over the street lights to shut them off prior to his neighborhood fireworks display.

Takes a while for the lights to reset.

But that was over twenty years ago and the technology may have changed.

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mrfuzzyshorts@reddit

It has. No longer mercury vapor, or sodium light bulbs, that need to cool down before they can restrike again. Nowadays with LED fixtures they don't need a cooldown. To turn back on

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Hellboundpoddy@reddit

I know UK street lights have a fuse behind a panel at low level that can be removed to turn them off. Other countries street lights I'm not sure but I'd imagine there's something similar to allow for maintenance.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

This is on a wooden pole, so unfortunately the wires and such are well above my ability to reach or access them.

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cyrusthemarginal@reddit

Set it on fire? Chainsaw?

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Hellboundpoddy@reddit

Ahh that will put a stop to fuse shenanigans.

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cyrusthemarginal@reddit

Slingshot and some practice

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MarleyDawg@reddit

Get a solar light, with a remote. Climb the pole and install it facing the light sensor. Use the remote when you want the street light off

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cristaples@reddit

We used to open the door with a triangular key in the 80’s and turn the switch off behind the door.

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Ivabighairy1@reddit

Do what they do in L A and steal the copper wires from the light.

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callmemoderation@reddit

They make these things that can be attached to street lights to better direct the light and prevent them from shining too strongly into people's houses. Perhaps that would help in this case if the light was more direct and not polluting such a large area.

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JJHall_ID@reddit

Have you tried a spotlight aimed at it? There should be a photodetector on it to control the “disk to dawn” feature. A light aimed at that sensor should trick it into thinking it’s daylight. If that works, you can experiment and see if something like maybe a laser at the right spot would be enough.

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phathomthis@reddit

Normally the sensors are on top of the lights to detect the sun. I'm not sure how well OP would fare from below. It might work if it was a bright as the sun spotlight.

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JJHall_ID@reddit

Cops will sometimes use their mounted spotlights to turn off lights as they drive by if they want the neighborhood dark for some reason while searching for someone. I know they did it in the past with the older sodium street lights lights, but I haven't paid attention to see if they still do it with the new LED street lights. I assume they use similar photosensor modules so it should still be possible.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

I'm at a disadvantage because I'm on a hill. My only approach would be to trespass in the neighbor's yard, which is elevated and use the laser. He's a douche, so that's not an option.

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ggcpres@reddit

You're getting a lot of nice advice, but as a short-term fix have you considered blackout curtains? They're designed to block the sun, so they should easily block the street light.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

I have blackout curtains. My genuine thoughts are about the nocturnal animals and the lightning bugs.

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ggcpres@reddit

In that case, and this is assuming the city shit the bed and the media won't help, try either wrapping the light with clear tape or spraying it with clear coat.

Theoretically that should dim the light without putting it out entirely. I'd check the can to make sure the clear coat wouldn't catch on fire though.

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shaftofbread@reddit

How's your frisbee throwing technique? Enough well-aimed piss disks will corrode the electrical connectors, etc, in the light! 😂

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

😂

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year_39@reddit

Talk to people from the city and explain that you're looking to get your yard declared a firefly sanctuary and would like to discuss the light. People tend to be receptive to things like that and want to help you out.

Also, actually do the firefly sanctuary part.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

Sounds official. I like this suggestion. Look at you being all ethical and a steward of sustainability. ❤️

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kelariy@reddit

Let your local crack heads know where they can find some copper.

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concrete_marshmallow@reddit

Spray paint it red. It will still give light, but gently.

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Yoink1019@reddit

I had a friend that claimed a piece of x-ray film would shrink around a street light if you could get it up close to it. Said his brother did it by throwing it up until the heat made it stick.

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AquaSquatch@reddit

Infrared laser pointed at it.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

This is the method I tried, no luck. The sensor is on the top and I'm at a disadvantage because I'm on a hill. My only approach would be to trespass in the neighbor's yard, which is elevated and use the laser. He's a douche, so that's not an option.

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shaftofbread@reddit

Is this the same neighbour that parks his car under the light? If so, I'm seeing a two birds, one stone situation here... possibly even a literal stone!

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Efficient_You_3976@reddit

Run a chain around the pole and around the axles of the neighbors car. When he drives off, your problem is solved.

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Ray_in_Texas@reddit

A BB gun worked when I was a kid......

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carycartter@reddit

Another city option would be a request for a light blocking shade on the side of the light towards your house - still lights up the street, shadows behind the shade.

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Dasrule@reddit

A high power air rife will make a very tiny hole in the abs shield while still shattering the bulb inside. The risk to your neighbors vehicle is minimal.

Alternatively, are these mounted to the utility poll or do they have their own base? If they have their own base look for an access hatch. It should be 6-8” tall and 4” wide. They are used for maintenance of the wires need to be replaced. Now, as to not be obvious, wire in a WiFi or Bluetooth outlet controller. Be sure to get one that supports 240v as that’s pretty standard for street lights. There you have it, you can control them at will. Source; my friend has a tennis court and it’s lit by street lights. I helped him wire in the WiFi controllers.

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raydeecakes@reddit (OP)

That would be amazing. Being that this is municipal equipment, I'm not sure an electrician would be down for doing this for me.

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blacksunabove@reddit

Open up the panel and remove/switch off the fuse.

Most panels will be a standard allan key or similar.