Did I just waste $13.95?

[Yellow Jacket]

Originally Posted by bobzinger

I think the wires in the pavement sense a change in inductance when metal is over them.

Bobzinger is correct. The wire grids in the pavement are inductive loops, not capacitative as I stated in an earlier post. Therefore they sense a change in inductance not capacitance.

Of course, if you're not into electrical engineering, you probably don't care.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Yellow Jacket

Actually, it's not weight that trips the lights. The grid of wires that is in the pavement senses a change in capacitance when a vehicle moves over the grid. You can usually see where they have placed the wires into the pavement. I've never had any problems here in Georgia but one thing you can try is to just put the kickstand down right on top of one of the grid wires.

When I started riding, there were a lot of left turn lanes that my bike would not trip. I would contact the city's highway department. Everyone I reported, they'd come out and adjust the sensor. Now the work.

[pj000101]

When my wife took the safety course up here in NH a few years back her instructor told her a trick to try was to shut the bike off and restart it. Maybe the electrical engineers here would know why but I tried it a few times at lights that've given me trouble and whether or not it was just coincidence, the light changed!

[Yellow Jacket]

That makes sense. When the starter motor is energized it does give off a magnetic field.

[dogdoc]

You can also add some very strong neo-magnets under the frame and it will trigger the light too.

[dhomoney]

Just get the magnet out of an old speaker and you will have the same thing.

[bosko]

Just get a large industrial electromagnet.

[dogdoc]

or out of a old computer also.