Traffic light
- Thread starter domnic
- Start date
- Status
gar
Senior Member
- Location
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Occupation
- EE
160101-2433 EST
domnic:
Talk to the traffic engineer.
I don't know the details of the traffic inductive sensor systems. However, these may simply measure change in inductance, or simply a change in losses (resistive component), or a combination of the two.
In an all steel F150 I have had times when I did not activate some local inductive sensors. We also have some intersections that use video cameras as the sensors. Obviously this is a visual means. These I believed were developed here in town.
An inductive sensor measuring only a change in inductance will not be influenced much by an aluminum object. An aluminum object will produce some resistance change. For standard vehicles a resistive sensing is probably less sensitive than an inductive sensing for a mostly steel object. In all cases sensing is poorer on small objects.
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domnic:
Talk to the traffic engineer.
I don't know the details of the traffic inductive sensor systems. However, these may simply measure change in inductance, or simply a change in losses (resistive component), or a combination of the two.
In an all steel F150 I have had times when I did not activate some local inductive sensors. We also have some intersections that use video cameras as the sensors. Obviously this is a visual means. These I believed were developed here in town.
An inductive sensor measuring only a change in inductance will not be influenced much by an aluminum object. An aluminum object will produce some resistance change. For standard vehicles a resistive sensing is probably less sensitive than an inductive sensing for a mostly steel object. In all cases sensing is poorer on small objects.
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dfmischler
Senior Member
- Location
- Western NY
- Occupation
- Facilities Manager
Loop basics. More technical information: Traffic Detector Handbook
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
If the traffic engineer can be persuaded to switch to quadrupole loops the detection of motorcycles will be greatly improved without increasing spill to adjacent lanes.
A well designed quadrupole loop will easily even defect most bicycles.
If you have a lightweight cycle and really need to trip the loop, laying the bike down to one side as far as you can will help trip the loop.
A well designed quadrupole loop will easily even defect most bicycles.
If you have a lightweight cycle and really need to trip the loop, laying the bike down to one side as far as you can will help trip the loop.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Press the pedestrian crossing button if your bike isn't detected
Won't do much good for getting a left turn lane signal though.
Won't do much good for getting a left turn lane signal though.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Would gluing a metal plate to the bottom of one of your boots work? Then stomp it up and down over the loop or drag it as you approach. Just trying to be helpful.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
A bike with higher steel content should work better then one with less steel content for activating inductive detection loops.
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
There are some products on the market which create a magnetic field. They have mixed reviews.
gar
Senior Member
- Location
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Occupation
- EE
160102-12113 EST
dfmischler's government reference is very good and indicates that resistive loading of the road coil (Eddy currents) in the secondary of a transformer (the secondary is the conductive vehicle) is the dominate factor in detection.
Sensitivity to a motorcycle relative to a vehicle is shown about midway thru the report under the title Loop System Sensisitivity. Class 1 is a small motorcycle, and class 3 is typical automobile. A very large difference in sensitivity.
Do talk to the traffic engineer about testing your motorcycle and their loop sensors.
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dfmischler's government reference is very good and indicates that resistive loading of the road coil (Eddy currents) in the secondary of a transformer (the secondary is the conductive vehicle) is the dominate factor in detection.
Sensitivity to a motorcycle relative to a vehicle is shown about midway thru the report under the title Loop System Sensisitivity. Class 1 is a small motorcycle, and class 3 is typical automobile. A very large difference in sensitivity.
Do talk to the traffic engineer about testing your motorcycle and their loop sensors.
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zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
Speaking someone who rides (Triumph Daytona) and has to deal with this-
Yes, talk to the traffic engineers/public works departments. Some states have a place online to report signal problems; it's worked for me the couple of times I've reported problems.
Check the local laws about going through a red signal, often it's allowed after either a couple of cycles without being detected or 2-3 minutes (and only when actually safe, of course).
For me, sometimes just putting down the sidestand will trip the detector, but the bike has to be in neutral so it doesn't cut off.
I've seen some instructions to make a coil of wire and hang it under the frame, but I'm not sure that will actually work. OTOH a coil with a capacitor at the end to make maybe a 20kHz resonator might do the trick, too.
Yes, talk to the traffic engineers/public works departments. Some states have a place online to report signal problems; it's worked for me the couple of times I've reported problems.
Check the local laws about going through a red signal, often it's allowed after either a couple of cycles without being detected or 2-3 minutes (and only when actually safe, of course).
For me, sometimes just putting down the sidestand will trip the detector, but the bike has to be in neutral so it doesn't cut off.
I've seen some instructions to make a coil of wire and hang it under the frame, but I'm not sure that will actually work. OTOH a coil with a capacitor at the end to make maybe a 20kHz resonator might do the trick, too.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Like the magnetic source for MRI scanners
If you never got the green light how do you know when a "cycle" is ended?
If your direction of traffic gets a green but you never get a left turn signal - I guess that is easier to say a couple cycles passed.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Trail a manhole cover behind your scooter?
- Status