X10 Mini Timer Model MT10A Schematic?

[Terry]

Anybody out there have a schematic for this wonderbox?

I am particularly interested in the board that carries the dimple
switches (front-panel controls). I want to interface relay closures
with the unit to simulate manually turning ON/OFF several functions. I
don't want to remove the dimple switches unless I absolutely must to
trace the tracks that run under some of the switches.

Google drew a blank. Help?

Thanks--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[John Fields]

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 20:08:01 GMT, katamasouth@hotmail.com (Terry)
wrote:

>
>Anybody out there have a schematic for this wonderbox?
>
>I am particularly interested in the board that carries the dimple
>switches (front-panel controls). I want to interface relay closures
>with the unit to simulate manually turning ON/OFF several functions. I
>don't want to remove the dimple switches unless I absolutely must to
>trace the tracks that run under some of the switches.
>
>Google drew a blank. Help?

---
Tried X10?^)

--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer

[Terry]

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 15:36:04 -0500, John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

=>Tried X10?^)

Not yet. I guess it wouldn't hurt to give 'er a go! I have a feeling
what the answer may be, however.

Cheers and thanks--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[John Fields]

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 20:43:12 GMT, katamasouth@hotmail.com (Terry)
wrote:

>On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 15:36:04 -0500, John Fields
><jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:
>
>=>Tried X10?^)
>
>Not yet. I guess it wouldn't hurt to give 'er a go! I have a feeling
>what the answer may be, however.

---
Yeah, that was kinda tongue-in-cheek... Their patents ran out last
year or thereabouts, so they're prob'ly not too well disposed to just
give it away, even though their codes for this-and-that are freely
available on their web site.

--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer

[Terry]

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 16:44:14 -0500, John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

=>Yeah, that was kinda tongue-in-cheek...

I saw that! :() )

I filed a request with them. Ya never know! I see exactly what needs
to be done, but the tracks to the various switches I'm interested in
(1-4) dive under the dimple-switch disc (halloween-clicker affair) and
exit the other side--or maybe not! The only way to really tell is to
remove the switch, and I don't want to do that. Ringing it out with an
ohmmeter ain't the smartest thing either! El schemo would tell me in
an instant! Oh well.

Cheers--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[Lord Garth]

"Terry" <katamasouth@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42586110.267795@netnews.mchsi.com...
> On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 16:44:14 -0500, John Fields
> <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:
>
> =>Yeah, that was kinda tongue-in-cheek...
>
> I saw that! :() )
>
> I filed a request with them. Ya never know! I see exactly what needs
> to be done, but the tracks to the various switches I'm interested in
> (1-4) dive under the dimple-switch disc (halloween-clicker affair) and
> exit the other side--or maybe not! The only way to really tell is to
> remove the switch, and I don't want to do that. Ringing it out with an
> ohmmeter ain't the smartest thing either! El schemo would tell me in
> an instant! Oh well.
>
> Cheers--
> Terry--WB4FXD
> Edenton, NC

I've removed and reinstalled this type of switch on another X10 controller,
it was no trouble.

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

"Terry" <katamasouth@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4258348c.7922986@netnews.mchsi.com...
>
> Anybody out there have a schematic for this wonderbox?
>
> I am particularly interested in the board that carries the dimple
> switches (front-panel controls). I want to interface relay closures

Nowadays, with CMOS chips, the current thru the button switches is very
low. So using something like a relay colsure is not necessary. You may
be able to get by with photodiodes, phototransistors, or CdS photocells,
activated by LEDs. The idea is to get the isolation of the relay
contacts without all the noise and hundreds of mW needed to close the
contacts.

> with the unit to simulate manually turning ON/OFF several functions. I
> don't want to remove the dimple switches unless I absolutely must to
> trace the tracks that run under some of the switches.
>
> Google drew a blank. Help?
>
> Thanks--
> Terry--WB4FXD
> Edenton, NC

[Terry]

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 04:08:41 GMT, "Lord Garth" <LGarth@Tantalus.net>
wrote:

=>I've removed and reinstalled this type of switch on another X10
controller, it was no trouble.

Thanks for the info. That's my course of last resort.

I have two of these little wonders, one in use as a controller for
house ligts, and the other is planned for use in the station to handle
functions transmitted from a remote location.

I'll post results when I get it working.

Always, repeat, always tune for minimum smoke!

Cheers--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[Terry]

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 03:15:15 -0700, "Watson A.Name - \"Watt Sun, the
Dark Remover\"" <NOSPAM@dslextreme.com> wrote:


=>Nowadays, with CMOS chips, the current thru the button switches is
very low....

Yes, and I have a drawer full of optoisolators that would fill the
bill. I used the term "relay closure" to impart simplicity. (I also
have a handful of reeds.)

Thanks--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

"Terry" <katamasouth@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42592457.3014528@netnews.mchsi.com...
> On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 03:15:15 -0700, "Watson A.Name - \"Watt Sun, the
> Dark Remover\"" <NOSPAM@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>
>
> =>Nowadays, with CMOS chips, the current thru the button switches is
> very low....
>
> Yes, and I have a drawer full of optoisolators that would fill the
> bill. I used the term "relay closure" to impart simplicity. (I also
> have a handful of reeds.)

Optoiso;atyors might work, but there is one thing to consider. If the
opto uses a diode and transistor or two transistors (darlington), the V
drop across both could be a volt or more when fully saturated. That may
not be a problem when the supply V of the control is 5V, but if it's
only 3V, then the lowest you can pull the button down to is 1/3 of the
supply V. Add to that the rest of the circuit and it might be closer to
half the supply V. That could be really unreliable or not work at all.

That's why I suggested the CdS photocell (or an opto that uses same, but
do they even make such a thing?). CdS photocells are slow, but then a
button press doesn't have to be fast. And they're a resistance, not a
diode, so they can pull the button down to nearly zero V drop.

One thought is that Hammamatsu (sp?) used to make a cylindrical
component that was essentially a CdS photcell on one end and a submini
lamp on the other. They were used in stereo receivers to control the
volume remotely, but because they used lamps, they burned out after
thousands of hours. Good for the repairman, but left the couch potato
without his remote control. Nowadays they have probably replaced the
lamp with a LEd so it should last much longer.


> Thanks--
> Terry--WB4FXD
> Edenton, NC

[Terry]

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:51:56 -0700, "Watson A.Name - \"Watt Sun, the
Dark Remover\"" <NOSPAM@dslextreme.com> wrote:

=>Optoiso;atyors might work, but there is one thing to consider....

That is worth looking into. I'll check Vcc before continuing.

I guess that's why they pay you the big bucks? To bring up items like
this? :() )

Cheers--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[Terry]

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 16:44:14 -0500, John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:


=>>=>Tried X10?^)

John--X10 blew me off, as we expected. However, after a tip from
Watson A. Name I peeked under the dimple switch and now see how they
do it. Too simple!

And that reminds me of a good "male" story. A friend was painting his
porch lastweekend. When it came time to attack the ceiling, he
couldn't find his roller. "Last time I used it, I think it was on an
extension pole. I'll look again--this time for ling, thin things with
a roller attached!"

Same with electronics!

Thanks--
Terry--WB4FXD
Edenton, NC

[John Woodgate]

I read in alt.binaries.schematics.electronic that Terry
<katamasouth@hotmail.com> wrote (in
<425d3ea2.11968853@netnews.mchsi.com>) about 'X10 Mini Timer Model MT10A
Schematic?', on Wed, 13 Apr 2005:

>ling, thin things

Or even long, thin, thongs.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk