Daylight Detector

Daylight Detector

Regular

Inverted

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool
Blast resistance	0.2
Hardness	0.2
Luminous	No
Transparent	Yes
Waterloggable	JE: No BE: Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	Yes
Map color (Java)	13 WOOD

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A daylight detector is a block that outputs a redstone signal based on sunlight.

Using the detector inverts it, causing it instead to output a redstone signal based on the darkness of the sky.

Obtaining

Breaking

Daylight detectors can be mined by hand or with any tool, but axes are the quickest. Inverted daylight detectors cannot be collected directly; they drop a regular daylight detector. In Bedrock Edition, the inverted sensor may be obtained by using pick block in Creative mode, or via inventory editing or add-ons. This appears as tile.daylight_detector_inverted.name in the inventory.

Block	Daylight Detector
Hardness	0.2
Tool
Breaking time (sec)
Default	0.3
Wooden	0.15
Stone	0.1
Iron	0.05
Diamond	0.05
Netherite	0.05
Golden	0.05
Options
Efficiency	000
Haste	001 1JEBE

Legend

• incorrect tool, drops nothing
• correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
• correct tool, drops the block itself
• italicized can be instant mined

Crafting

Ingredients	[hide]Crafting recipe
Glass + Nether Quartz + Any Wooden Slab

Usage

Redstone component

Graphed daylight detector output in clear weather.

A daylight detector can be used to produce redstone power in proportion to the daylight cycle.

A daylight detector is 0.375 blocks high (3/8ths of a block). Daylight detectors can be moved by pistons.‌ Water and lava flow around daylight detectors without affecting them.

Placement

To place a daylight detector, use the "Use Item/Place Block" control.

A daylight detector can be "inverted", which reverses the power levels produced by the daylight detector. To invert a daylight detector, aim at the placed daylight detector and use the "Use Item/Place Block" control.

Activation

A daylight detector activates when exposed to sufficient daylight (daylight detector mode) or when exposure to daylight is low enough (inverted daylight detector mode).

Sources of block light (torches, glowstone, etc.) cannot activate a daylight detector.

Behavior

An active daylight detector:

• powers adjacent redstone dust, including below it, and redstone comparators facing away from the daylight detector, to a power level that depends on the time of day, the weather, and the internal sky light level (see tables below)
• powers adjacent redstone repeaters facing away from the daylight detector to power level 15
• activates adjacent redstone mechanisms, including above and below, such as pistons, redstone lamps, etc.

A daylight detector has no effect on other adjacent blocks (for example, it cannot power a block the way a repeater can).

The output signal of daylight detectors in the loaded chunk is updated every 20 gametime‌/daytime‌. Block updates have no effect on daylight detectors.

Daylight detector

The daylight detector power level depends on the time of day, the weather, and the internal sky light level.

Daylight detector power levels when sky light level is 15

Power	Clear		Rain or snowfall		Thunder
	Time ↓	Time ↑	Time ↓	Time ↑	Time ↓	Time ↑
0	13,670–(Midnight/18,000)-22,330 (8,660 Gtk/7:13)		13,670-(Midnight/18,000)–22,330 (8,660 Gtk/7:13)		13,670-(Midnight/18,000)–22,330 (8,660 Gtk/7:13)
1	22,331–22,781 (450 Gtk/22.5 sec)	13,219–13,669 (450 Gtk/22.5 sec)	22,331–22,798 (467 Gtk/23.35 sec)	13,203–13,669 (466 Gtk/23.3 sec)	22,331–22,943 (612 Gtk/30.6 sec)	13,058–13,669 (611 Gtk/30.55 sec)
2	22,782–23,069‌/23,070‌ J: (287 Gtk/14.35 sec) B: (288 Gtk/14.4 sec)	12,931–13,218 (287 Gtk/14.35 sec)	22,799–23,231 (432 Gtk/21.6 sec)	12,769‌/12,770‌-13,202 J: (433 Gtk/21.65 sec) B: (432 Gtk/21.6 sec)	22,944–23,352 (408 Gtk/20.4 sec)	12,648–13,057 (409 Gtk/20.45 sec)
3	23,070‌/23,071‌-23,296 J: (226 Gtk/11.3 sec) B: (225 Gtk/11.25 sec)	12,705–12,930 (225 Gtk/11.25 sec)	23,232–23,504 (272 Gtk/13.6 sec)	12,497–12,768‌/12,769‌ J: (271 Gtk/13.55 sec) B: (272 Gtk/13.6 sec)	23,353–23,700 (347 Gtk/17.35 sec)	12,300–12,647 (347 Gtk/17.35 sec)
4	23,297–23,529 (232 Gtk/11.6 sec)	12,471–12,704 (233 Gtk/11.65 sec)	23,505–23,745 (240 Gtk/12 sec)	12,256–12,496 (240 Gtk/12 sec)	23,701-(Dawn/24,000/0)–59 (240 Gtk/12 sec)	11,941‌/11,942‌-(Dusk/12,000)-12,299 J: (358 Gtk/17.9 sec) B: (357 Gtk/17.85 sec)
5	23,530–23,767 (237 Gtk/11.85 sec)	12,233–12,470 (237 Gtk/11.85 sec)	23,746–23,991 (245 Gtk/12.25 sec)	12,010–12,255 (245 Gtk/12.25 sec)	60–441 (381 Gtk/19.05 sec)	11,560–11,940‌/11,941‌ J:(380 Gtk/19 sec) B: (381 Gtk/19.05 sec)
6	23,768–23,960 (192 Gtk/9.6 sec)	12,041–12,232 (191 Gtk/9.55 sec)	23,992–(Dawn/24,000/0)-394 (386 Gtk/19.3 sec)	11,607–(Dusk/12,000)-12,009 (402 Gtk/20.1 sec)	442–1,039 (597 Gtk/29.85 sec)	10,962–11,559 (597 Gtk/29.85 sec)
7	23,961–(Dawn/24,000/0)-166 (127 Gtk/6.35 sec)	11,835–(Dusk/12,000)-12,040 (205 Gtk/10.25 sec)	395–882 (487 Gtk/24.35 sec)	11,119–11,606 (487 Gtk/24.35 sec)	1,040–1,735 (695 Gtk/34.75 sec)	10,266–10,961 (695 Gtk/34.75 sec)
8	167–535 (368/18.4 sec)	11,465‌/11,466‌-11,834 J: (369 Gtk/18.45 sec) B: (368 Gtk/18.4 sec)	883–1,429‌/1,430‌ J: (546 Gtk/27.3 sec) B: (547 Gtk/27.35 sec)	10,571–11,118 (547 Gtk/27.35 sec)	1,736–2,608 (872 Gtk/43.6 sec)	9,392–10,265 (873 Gtk/43.65 sec)
9	536–933 (397 Gtk/19.85 sec)	11,067–11,464‌/11,465‌ J: (397 Gtk/19.85 sec) B: (398 Gtk/19.9 sec)	1,430‌/1,431‌-2,069 J: (639 Gtk/31.95 sec) B: (638 Gtk/31.6 sec)	9,931–10,570 (639 Gtk/31.95 sec)	2,609–3,942 (1,333 Gtk/1:06.65 sec)	8,059–9,391 (1,332 Gtk/1:06.6 sec)
10	934–1,371 (437 Gtk/21.85 sec)	10,629–11,066 (737 Gtk/36.85 sec)	2,070–2,875 (805 Gtk/40.25 sec)	9,125‌/9,126‌-9,930 J: (805 Gtk/40.25 sec) B: (804 Gtk/40.2 sec)	3,943–(Noon/6,000)-8,058 (4115 Gtk/3:25)
11	1,372–1,865 (493 Gtk/24.65 sec)	10,136–10,628 (492 Gtk/24.6 sec)	2,876–4,108 (1,232 Gtk/1:01.6)	7,892–9,124‌/7,893–9,125‌ J: (1,232 Gtk/1:01.6) B: (1,232 Gtk/1:01.6)	N/A	N/A
12	1,866–2,444 (578 Gtk/28.9 sec)	9,557–10,135 (578 Gtk/28.9 sec)	4,109–(Noon/6,000)-7,891‌/7,892‌ J:(3,410 Gtk/2:50) B: (3,783 Gtk/3:9.15)		N/A	N/A
13	2,445–3,175 (730 Gtk/36.5 sec)	8,826–9,556 (730 Gtk/36.5 sec)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
14	3,176–4,294 (1,118 Gtk/55.9 sec)	7,706–8,825 (1,119 Gtk/55.95 sec)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
15	4,295–(Noon/6,000)-7,705 (3,410 Gtk/2:50)		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Inverted daylight detector

Using a daylight detector inverts it. However, the output of the inverted detector is not a simple inversion of the daylight detector's output; it uses a much simpler algorithm that depends only on the internal sky light level. Specifically, it outputs a signal strength of 15 minus the current internal sky light level, where values over 15 or below 0 are taken as 15 or 0 respectively. This means that an inverted daylight detector actually outputs a strength of 11 at midnight when it's clear weather, if it has line of sight with the sky. The effects of shade are applied before inverting, so shade increases the signal strength when it isn't already full, and prevents it from reaching zero.

Fuel

Daylight detectors can be used as a fuel in furnaces, smelting 1.5 items per block.

Note blocks

Daylight detectors can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass" sounds.

Sounds

Java Edition:

[hide] v t e wood sound type
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.wood.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.wood.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.wood.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.25	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.wood.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.wood.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide] v t e wood sound type
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.wood	1.0	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	dig.wood	1.0	0.8
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.wood	0.23	0.5
	Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.wood	0.4	1.0
	Players	Walking on the block	step.wood	0.3	1.0
	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.wood	0.12	1.0
	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.wood	0.18	1.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	[hide]Translation key
Daylight Detector	daylight_detector	Block & Item	block.minecraft.daylight_detector

Name	[hide]Identifier
Block entity	daylight_detector

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID	[hide]Translation key
Daylight Detector	daylight_detector	151	Block & Giveable Item	Identical	tile.daylight_detector.name
Inverted Daylight Detector	daylight_detector_inverted	178	Block & Ungiveable Item	Identical	tile.daylight_detector_inverted.name

Name	[hide]Savegame ID
Block entity	DaylightDetector

Block states

Java Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	[hide]Description
inverted	false	false true	If true, the daylight detector is inverted.
power	0	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15	The current redstone power level produced by the daylight sensor.

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	[hide]Description
redstone_signal	0x1 0x2 0x4 0x8	0	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15	The current redstone power level produced by the daylight sensor.

Block data

A daylight detector has a block entity associated with it which stores only its entity ID and position (the minimum data for a block entity). Although the daylight detector's block entity stores no additional data, the block entity ensures that the daylight detector is updated every game tick.

Java Edition:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Block entity data
  • Tags common to all block entities see Template:Nbt inherit/blockentity/template[show]

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Block entity format.

History

July 6, 2010							Notch suggests that he may implement daylight sensors (in the blog post mentioning Alpha 1.0.2_01).
November 24, 2012							Jeb stated that there may be a daylight sensor.
January 2, 2013							Jeb tweeted an image of the daylight sensor.
[hide]Java Edition
1.5			13w01a				Added daylight sensors.
1.8			14w31a				Daylight sensors can now be toggled between day and night by using them.
1.9			15w47a				Daylight sensors no longer emit signal during the night when sufficiently shaded.
							Inverted daylight sensors now emit a variable signal at night.
1.13			17w47a				"Daylight Sensor" has been renamed to "Daylight Detector".
[hide]Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.13.0			build 1				Added daylight sensors.
v0.15.0			build 1				Daylight sensors can now be moved by pistons.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.21.30			Preview 1.21.30.22				Changed name from "Daylight Sensor" to "Daylight Detector" to match Java Edition.
[hide]Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU19	CU7	1.12	1.12	1.12	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added daylight sensors.
TU25	CU14	1.17	1.17	1.17			Daylight sensors can now be toggled between day and night by using them.
TU57	CU49	1.57	1.56	1.56	Patch 27	1.0.7	Daylight detectors can now be moved by pistons.
[hide]New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0							Added daylight detectors.

​

Data history

[hide]Java Edition
1.11			16w32a				The block entity ID has now been changed from DLDetector to daylight_detector.
1.13			17w47a				The different block IDs for the daylight detector have now been merged into one ID.
							Added an inverted block state to daylight detectors.
							Prior to The Flattening, these blocks' numeral IDs were 151 and 178.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 

  A graph visualising the states of a Daylight Detector under different weather conditions (ends rounded to the nearest quarter of a thousand Game-ticks)

• 

  An example of lights being powered upon the sunrise.

• 

  Art made using both states of the daylight sensor.

• 

  One of the more common uses of the block, a simple street light using a redstone lamp.

Mojang screenshots

• 

  First image of a daylight detector.

• 

  The 13w01a snapshot image released by Mojang.

• 

Issues

Issues relating to "Daylight Sensor" or "Daylight Detector" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

External links

• Block of the Month: Daylight Detector – Minecraft.net on December 14, 2023