Subject: From: Date:

RE: [ECS] micro-redac and relays gbailey Tue, 5 Jan 1999 18:55:35 -0700

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You definitely have a DC power pak. It has a filtering capacitor in it and
that accounts for the long delay when powered off. Either:
1) put a load on it as suggested to drain the charge off the capacitor, or
2) use an AC power pak and rectify it to DC yourself without such a big
filter cap, or
3) swap the existing filter cap out for a smaller one, or
4) do the powered relay thing suggested in other messages, or
5) just use the AC power pak and use a few event lines to filter out the
constantly changing on / offs, or
6) use a light sensor on an analog input over the pilot LED, or
7) use a commercial current sense unit to sense when the unit is drawing
power, or
8) any combination of the above, or
.... well, whatever you feel comfortable with :-)

(For the record, the Redac inputs have a small series resistor already in
them to prevent against accidental damage. As I recall it is about 33 ohms.
Each resistor from each respective input is connected to the Anode of the
diode of an opto-isolator. The Cathodes of all the diodes are connected
together to the common pins.)

-----Original Message-----
From: David Mccoll [mailto:dmccoll@intergate.bc.ca]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 1999 2:51 AM
To: ecs-list@netbloc.com
Subject: Re: [ECS] micro-redac and relays


Mark, Dan,
The Redac's inputs are optically isolated and better not "co-mingle".  I use
more than one power source with the ground wires connected in common to pins
9-10 on the Redac and have no trouble.

I'm concerned about the lag and basically want to put a small "load" on the
plug-pak. That is why I recommended the resistor.  "Load" the plug-pak with
a very small lightbulb like a mini-Xmas tree bulb somewhere before the fuse,
resistor and Redac. A bulb from a cars dashboard could be used. The bulb
would be on when the receiver is on. If this works then we can simulate the
bulb with a resistor.

                                        Resistor    Fuse
                +  --------\--------/\/\/\/-------~~-----Input on Redac 1-8
Plug-Pak             (o) Light
                -   --------/-----------------------------Pin 9 or 10 on
Redac

Are you certain the plug-pak has a DC output ?

DAvid M


-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Sekelsky <Mark@sekelsky.com>
To: ecs-list@netbloc.com <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
Date: Monday, January 04, 1999 4:57 PM
Subject: RE: [ECS] micro-redac and relays


>David & Dan,
>
>Sorry to take so long to get back regarding your continued suggestions on
my
>Redac and receiver.  Spent the weekend shoveling out from all the snow and
>had no phone service at all on Sunday (:  A couple more questions (I don't
>promise that they are the last <g>) if I may.  Both of the most recent
>suggestions are a little over my head, although I am sure I could
eventually
>figure it out.  So question number one is:
>
>What if I just leave everything the way it is?  While not excited about the
>9" delay in changing the state to HIGH it is not a big deal.  The big
reason
>that I want to check power is that neither the IR Master nor a HV that I
>played with have been able to control my receiver 100%.  My event already
>incorporates a delay on and off timer so that I can resend the signal if
the
>state of the receiver isn't changed.  I was using a 6" delay to test for
OFF
>but all I have done now is increase it to 12."  Even if my response time is
>instantaneous I will incorporate some type of delay check.
>
>Question number two.  Could I take the diode that Dan recommends and attach
>that to the Redac in my existing system?
>
>Mark S
>

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