How Do Clap-on Lights Work?

Basics

Clap-on lights have been popular ever since the catchy television commercial hit the airwaves. These lights turn on when a person claps and can be turned off when the person claps again. While the device may seem magical, it is really not that complicated. Clap-on lights are made possible by a small box that contains a plug that fits into a wall, an outlet into which the lights or lamp is plugged and a special circuit board.

Circuit Board

The magic ingredient in clap-on lights is the sound-activated circuit board. These boards need some type of electric current, which it obtains when you plug it into the wall. The circuit is activated, allowing electricity to flow from the wall to the lights, once the target sound is detected. In the case of clap-on lights, the target sound is two short, solid claps.

Activation

Weak claps, claps that are too long, too far apart or not loud enough to register on the circuit board will not work to turn on the lights. Some clap-on light devices realize some people may need help getting the claps exactly right, so the device comes with indicator lights. These little, red lights flash to indicate if the claps were adequate to activate the circuit board.

Resources

• Clap-on lights as seen on TV