The Minecraft Daylight Sensor

The Minecraft daylight sensor is a wondrous little thing. And it’s time we celebrate its first decade as a useful part of the game. So, here we go: What is the Minecraft daylight detector and why is it so fantastic? Pretty easy to explain but where would be the fun in that? Exactly! So, we basically have to be cryptic at first. Let’s just say this for now: The Minecraft daylight sensor is pretty useful, has been around since 2013 when it was introduced in the 1.5 update and it is a crucial part of the ultimate anti-mob-security system.

A Good Night's Sleep with the Minecraft Daylight Sensor!

Of course we knew you would be curious and read more! The Minecraft daylight sensor is actually pretty easy to describe: the height of half a block; crafted with wooden slabs, nether quartz and glass; and it gives a modern touch due to its design. The detector will send out a signal when met by daylight. This process can also be inverted so that you will get a signal when night falls. Now, why is this going to guarantee a good night's sleep? Said signal is a redstone signal. Now you understand, right? Redstone can do some awesome tricks. And if you aren’t familiar with this special material yet, you should definitely check out our redstone guide as well! However, if connected with the right objects via redstone, the Minecraft daylight sensor can manage to close all doors to your headquarter, no matter if it’s a hut in a village or a tiny house somewhere in the jungle. The doors will only open during the day and no mobs will attack you. Or you could play electrician and cause nearby lanterns to turn on once the Minecraft daylight sensor detects nightfall. Keep your place lit and keep the big bad monsters away. Another useful feature? Why don’t you try connecting it to a note block that makes a sound when the next day starts so that you will be notified that it is safe to go outside again, even underground in your base? As we said: it is amazing!

A Daylight Detector – Minecraft’s Ultimate Defense!

You see, useful was the right word to describe the daylight detector. Minecraft is a game full of dangerous creatures that come out at night. Of course you have to be prepared! So, closed doors and lighted villages are nice. But if you want your house to be really mob-proof, you should consider these creative uses of the Minecraft daylight sensor.

To craft a daylight detector you need:

• 3 glass
• 3 nether quartz
• 3 wooden slab (dark oak, cherry, etc. ...)

Let the Minecraft Daylight Sensor Fill that Moat!

Imagine you have a big castle. Great so far. Now, what if you want to protect it at night but it should still give the spooky castle vibes? Easy! Put the Minecraft daylight sensor somewhere where no one can see it directly (but where it still has a direct connection to the sky) and connect it to a moat! Yes, a moat! Dig a moat around your castle and place dispensers filled with water buckets in intervals along the moat. Connect the dispensers via redstone with the Minecraft daylight sensor and set it to regular mode. Now, when night falls, the dispensers are triggered and start releasing water filling the moat. This forbids many mobs from crossing and entering. Another version is the lava moat which is basically the same thing with lava buckets instead of water buckets. However, this can get quite dangerous for players too, so be careful.

Oh, and remember that, while the Minecraft daylight sensor provides a way to automate defenses based on the day-night cycle, it's crucial to have backup defenses and safe zones, as some mobs (like creepers) can survive and roam during the daytime.

No Unwanted Visitors!

It’s a classic. Who doesn’t love a good old trap? Using the Minecraft daylight sensor to build automatic traps is pretty easy, too. All you have to do is place a Minecraft daylight sensor and connect it to a trap mechanism of your choice. It can be dispensers filled with arrows or traps that use pistons. Then, set the sensor to its regular mode. All that’s left to do is wait for the sun to set. At night, when mobs are likely to roam, the traps activate, dealing with potential threats. Of course, whether this is useful depends on where you place these traps and how many you place. If you want your place to be a minefield, we suggest using multiple instead of just one Minecraft daylight sensor.

We can’t Move Mountains but the Minecraft Daylight Sensor can Move Walls!

To be fair, this one sounds a bit weird at first. The Minecraft daylight sensor allows you to raise walls higher automatically. Just build a wall around your house. At the base of the wall, place pistons facing upwards. Use redstone to connect the pistons to a Minecraft daylight sensor and set it to regular mode. Now you have to wait. As night approaches, the pistons are activated and raise a portion of the ground or another set of blocks, making the wall taller and harder for mobs to breach.

Connecting the Minecraft daylight sensor with the right items makes the possibilities seem to be endless. Funny, huh? How such a small item can make such a change. And hey, even during daytime it does at least look quite modern. A bit like a solar panel, isn't it? Gives some kind of touch to your in-game infrastructure. Well, and if you are wondering what other shenanigans are possible with the Minecraft daylight sensor, you can easily try it yourself on a Minecraft server from G-Portal. Hop on a server and get creative. But most of all: have fun!