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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Lightswitch wakes up imac

Lightswitch wakes up imac
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kamina
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Mar 20, 2007, 11:33 AM
 
I have a strange problem with my imac. When I turn the lights in the room on or off (either the light in the ceiling or a separate light) the computer starts from sleep! Any idea what's going on?
     
imitchellg5
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Mar 20, 2007, 11:36 AM
 
That's the wierdest thing ever. Try plugging it in to another outlet.
     
beetleboy
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Mar 20, 2007, 02:00 PM
 
I suspect there could be some sort of surge/spike in the electrical line. Is your iMac plugged in directly to an outlet or a power strip?
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kamina  (op)
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Mar 20, 2007, 03:11 PM
 
A powerstrip which should cut out spikes (don't know how well though). One lamp is plugged in the same strip.
     
Voch
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Mar 20, 2007, 03:12 PM
 
Maybe it's setting off the IR port thinking you pressed a button on the remote?
( Last edited by Voch; Mar 20, 2007 at 03:13 PM. Reason: Typo fix)
     
kamina  (op)
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Mar 20, 2007, 04:33 PM
 
Good catch, it does seem to do it more in the dark

I'll try turning infra-red off.
     
Goldfinger
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Mar 20, 2007, 08:17 PM
 
Has nothing to do with IR. It's because of powerspikes that either wakes your computer or that gives a spike to a USB device that wakes up the imac via USB.

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Xarthan
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Mar 20, 2007, 08:33 PM
 
is your lightswitch tied into the outlet the AC Adaptor is plugged into?
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crashovrride
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Mar 20, 2007, 10:24 PM
 
My TV remote wakes mine up. Kill two birds with one stone when I wake up in the morning.
     
brokenjago
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Mar 20, 2007, 10:49 PM
 
Perhaps the Ambient Light Sensors are freaking out?
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Big Mac
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Mar 21, 2007, 03:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by brokenjago View Post
Perhaps the Ambient Light Sensors are freaking out?
That would be my guess, but I don't know much about contemporary iMacs.

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Calli46
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Mar 24, 2007, 08:37 PM
 
Just try a little experiment : next morning, use a long plastic or wooden dry stick to switch the light on and see what happens (besides the light coming on, that is).

I guess your problem is someway related to static electricity...
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Flagheimer
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Mar 25, 2007, 06:24 AM
 
Not Mac related, but I have a similar problem with my television and my closet light switch. Whenever I turn off my closet light while the television is on, the T.V. blacks out and then returns. It's an HD television, so the blue "on" light switches to an orange color and then returns to blue and the picture comes back on. The orange light comes on as if I unplugged the component cables and no signal is reaching the inputs. It's weird, but doesn't bother me. I read this thread and it reminded me of my "problem", if you can call it a problem (doesn't really bother me).
     
applgeek
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Apr 1, 2007, 03:38 AM
 
what kind of light bulbs are you using? a flourescent bulb could be causing the tv problem.

imac probably has an ambient light sensor problem, or you have wierd flourescent bulbs.

Flourescents have a small pcb in them and they also have a tendency to let out wierd levels of sound.... some floursecents have an audible hum.
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Danny boy
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Apr 12, 2007, 08:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by kamina View Post
I have a strange problem with my imac. When I turn the lights in the room on or off (either the light in the ceiling or a separate light) the computer starts from sleep! Any idea what's going on?
I also have this same issue (it is s ceiling fan light that does it). However, My intel iMac is plugged into a UPS surge protector battery backup. Go figure that!
It must have something to do with other sensors or connections in the iMac? iSight? USB from my printer? Bluetooth?

it makes me concerned that it will turn on by it self.
any thoughts? Thanks.
     
kamina  (op)
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Apr 20, 2007, 01:52 PM
 
Funny, but since I had to reinstall the machine (due to other problems) this has not occurred again.

So may be a bug in the ambient light detection, or something else mysterious. Definitely not a feature though.
     
   
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