What is a photoelectric switch? how does it work and what is it used for?

Question

What is a photoelectric switch? how does it work and what is it used for?

Answer 1

Photoelectric switch is a light actuated switch. It may be used for opening garage doors or switching on and off street lights during the day and off during the night.

Answer 2

Very handy device.

                              When I worked night shift we had a little cabin up a flight of steps, tucked out of the way!

                                    It is as you say just a switch, it consists of a sender, and a receiver , The sender we fitted to the bottom of our stairs, on the opposite side of the same stair was the receiver.

                                  The sender emitted a beam of light to the sender, not a visible beam , but it was seen by the receiver!

                                     If any one broke this beam by climbing up the stairs an alarm was sounded, and we switched off the hidden TV and all looked very busy.

                                         It has lots of other uses of course, but is slowly becoming obsolete.

Answer 3

An automatic light sensing switch able to turn ON and OFF the light or other device. The key electronic parts is a light sensing transistor.

Answer 4

I use one with my second flash gun.Its a small unit that when a light hits it it closes a switch to control some thing else. In my case, another flash gun.