Simulating sunrise on the cheap

September 5, 2006 7:36 AM

Simulating Sunrise: So they sell timers that plug into outlets, and they sell dimmers that plug into outlets. Does anyone know of some way to combine the two that doesn't involve me rewiring the outlets in my apartment? I'm looking to jigger with my circadian rhythms in anticipation of the coming winter darkness.
posted by leotrotsky to Health & Fitness (10 answers total)

Ummm - can't you plug the dimmer into the timer?
posted by exogenous at 8:00 AM on September 5, 2006

Best answer: We have one of these, and we love it. I know there are other brands and models based on the same idea. Some terms to search on might be "sunrise clock" or "dawn simulator."

There might be a clever, inexpensive way to hack your overhead lighting, but we weren't electrically savvy enough to figure it out. The clock was a good compromise for us.
posted by miagaille at 8:04 AM on September 5, 2006

Best answer: There is a page on everything2.com about this that seems to be down but here is the cached text on Google.

I have a commercial dawn simulator that cost about 100 bucks, I think it was worth the money but obviously not everyone can afford that. In my experience you will also need blackout curtains to get the best effect (they really are worth having anyway, you'll sleep better).
posted by teleskiving at 8:39 AM on September 5, 2006

The dimmer switch can be something as simple as a potentiometer (a variable resistor), or something fancy that is more energy efficient. I don't know how your timer works (can you post a brand name?), but I'm assuming it's just a switch that opens at Time1 and closes at Time2. If you connect the two in series, you will have a light that is off when T>Time2 and on (at a specific "dimmer" setting) when T>Time1. Do you want the timer to control the dimmer setting? That's going to require a lot more electrical prowess than connecting two off the shelf components in series.
posted by muddgirl at 9:12 AM on September 5, 2006

Best answer: You could use a PC with X10 automation modules. Lamp modules have power settings from 0 to 15. Your PC (assuming it's always on) can schedule when to turn things on and off and at what power. You could gradually turn up a lamp in this way.

(This sort of assumes that you're really good with computers, though.)
posted by chuma at 9:38 AM on September 5, 2006

"The dimmer switch can be something as simple as a potentiometer (a variable resistor) "

Uh, no, not in practice, and especially not for home use. For a ton of different reasons; the main one being that you cannot easily buy a potentiometer with a high-enough power & voltage safety rating for just about all practical light loads. Nor would you want to, you could fry eggs on it.

All approved residential dimmers are SCR or thyristor-based. You can also find variable transformers (google variac), but appropriately sized ones run about $200 and up.
posted by Artful Codger at 9:44 AM on September 5, 2006

Best answer: One more thing: I think that if you really want to screw with your body rhythms using light, you need a light emits the full spectrum of wavelengths, ie that simulates sunlight. Otherwise your body won't be fooled. Remember, it's smarter than you.
posted by number9dream at 10:10 AM on September 5, 2006 [1 favorite]

Ummm - can't you plug the dimmer into the timer?

First and best answer. Or is there some information missing from the question?
posted by Neiltupper at 10:48 AM on September 5, 2006

Response by poster: Neiltupper, Exogenous, Peanut Gallery: If you plug the dimmer into the timer, you'd still need to work the dimmer (unless you can program it a la X10). Additionally since the timer would cut off power to the dimmer I'd need it not only to be programmed to increase in brightness, but also to remember that in the absence of a power source, which I don't imagine is non-trivial.

Thanks to all.
posted by leotrotsky at 2:40 PM on September 5, 2006

Response by poster: Number 9: that's why I'd get a full spectrum bulb.
posted by leotrotsky at 2:40 PM on September 5, 2006