Making a Fright Light?

[crazybob]

I've been looking into the "Fright Light" remote controlled flashlight from Monstertronics. Basically, it's a flashlight that your guests would carry through your haunted house, but your actors can remotly cause the lights to "flicker" or "go dead".
I'm trying to find a way to build these myself, as they are quite expensive and I would need MANY of them. I'd also like to have the trigger for them to go out built into the hallways so that they would automatically go out in the right part of the haunt.
Even if this couldn't be achieved, I am looking for a TON of cheap flashlights. If I could find some dim ones with only one LED that would be preferable. I have done some experimenting with an amber LED and loved the dim results of that.
Anyone have any input, suggestions, or ideas that could help?

[rwrussom]

No one will, or atleast should, straight up tell you how to make one. Monstertonics spent time and money creating a product and its just wrong to detail the construction so some one can knock it off.
That being said it should not be all that complex using readily availible RF transmitter and receivers. A few voltage and switching issues to work out, but pretty easy. The idea of controlling it in a spot will be more difficult. Because of the line of site, RF is the way to go. In a closed in "maze type" attraction, the signals will overlap and cause inconsistancies. If you are doing a trail type attraction, it should probably work.
I suppose if the light had a normally on function and effects were occassionally triggered, then you may be able to space them out enough to work.

I investigated this myself for a design , but shelved the project when control in close quarters got difficult.

Yeah, the're pricey, but a cool product. Have fun.

[crazybob]

Yeah, I talked to an electronic control expert this morning and he said overlapping commands would be a huge problem. I wasn't expecting anyone to tell me how to make it... I just wanted to know if anyone has experience building anything similar. the idea I had for the usage varies from the one commercially available, so I wouldn't be making a "Knock off", and definitely wouldn't be making them to sell.
That being said, I think we will be using flashlights still, but they will not be triggered... just on the whole time.
I'm now trying to gather information on costs... would it be more cost effective to use regular flashlights and replace batteries more often, or to modify some flashlights to use 1 led and change the batteries less often. I like the look of an amber LED, but don't know if the cost of modifying the flashlights would offset the costs of replacing batteries and regular light bulbs whenever someone drops them.