Could it be they know the quality of their product?

[Robert Green]

http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Setup_Slimeline_Switch

Slime line, indeed!

I've taken the switch apart - it's remarkably simple inside - a single,
sparsely populated circuit board with a single user adjustable component
that appears to be a screw-adjusted slug in a tuning coil. Now I want to
see if I can wire it to a standard 110VAC toggle switch (not using 110, of
course) so that I can have an RF switch with a positive tactile feel. The
issue facing me is how to easily convert an SPST wall switch to operate as a
momentary push button switch.

--
Bobby G.

[Dan Lanciani]

In article <R--dna573YkYTwTYnZ2dnUVZ_oernZ2d@rcn.net>, ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM (Robert Green) writes:
| http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Setup_Slimeline_Switch
|
| Slime line, indeed!
|
| I've taken the switch apart - it's remarkably simple inside - a single,
| sparsely populated circuit board with a single user adjustable component
| that appears to be a screw-adjusted slug in a tuning coil. Now I want to
| see if I can wire it to a standard 110VAC toggle switch (not using 110, of
| course) so that I can have an RF switch with a positive tactile feel. The
| issue facing me is how to easily convert an SPST wall switch to operate as a
| momentary push button switch.

You might find it easier to use a SPDT (aka three-way) switch and some
series capacitors.

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com

[sylvan butler]

On Mon, 1 Jan 2007 22:31:17 -0500, Robert Green <ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM> wrote:
> issue facing me is how to easily convert an SPST wall switch to operate as a
> momentary push button switch.

Leviton (and probably others) have momentary versions of standard SPST
wall switches. Be prepared for the sticker shock. :(

Some standard wall switches can be converted to momentary operation by
adding a spring which was omitted during manufacturing.

sdb

--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

[Robert Green]

"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message

> | http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Setup_Slimeline_Switch
> |
> | Slime line, indeed!
> |
> | I've taken the switch apart - it's remarkably simple inside - a single,
> | sparsely populated circuit board with a single user adjustable component
> | that appears to be a screw-adjusted slug in a tuning coil. Now I want
to
> | see if I can wire it to a standard 110VAC toggle switch (not using 110,
of
> | course) so that I can have an RF switch with a positive tactile feel.
The
> | issue facing me is how to easily convert an SPST wall switch to operate
as a
> | momentary push button switch.
>
> You might find it easier to use a SPDT (aka three-way) switch and some
> series capacitors.

Not quite sure I follow without a circuit diagram since I'm such an
electro-tyro. )-: I took some photos of the circuit board so that I could
trace out the circuit, but I seem to have momentarily lost track of that CF
card. When I find it (or decide to take one apart again and rephotograph)
I'll ASCII diagram the switch.

Am I correct in assuming the capacitor will allow it to fire once and then
not again until the switch is toggled once more?

BTW, did Santa manage to get that binocular magnifier to you?

--
Bobby G.

[Dan Lanciani]

In article <HuKdnVWJx5hwuTrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@rcn.net>, ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM (Robert Green) writes:
| "Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
|
| > | http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Setup_Slimeline_Switch
| > |
| > | Slime line, indeed!
| > |
| > | I've taken the switch apart - it's remarkably simple inside - a single,
| > | sparsely populated circuit board with a single user adjustable component
| > | that appears to be a screw-adjusted slug in a tuning coil. Now I want
| to
| > | see if I can wire it to a standard 110VAC toggle switch (not using 110,
| of
| > | course) so that I can have an RF switch with a positive tactile feel.
| The
| > | issue facing me is how to easily convert an SPST wall switch to operate
| as a
| > | momentary push button switch.
| >
| > You might find it easier to use a SPDT (aka three-way) switch and some
| > series capacitors.
|
| Not quite sure I follow without a circuit diagram since I'm such an
| electro-tyro. )-: I took some photos of the circuit board so that I could
| trace out the circuit, but I seem to have momentarily lost track of that CF
| card. When I find it (or decide to take one apart again and rephotograph)
| I'll ASCII diagram the switch.

I'm afraid I'm not very good with ASCII diagrams. :(

| Am I correct in assuming the capacitor will allow it to fire once and then
| not again until the switch is toggled once more?

That would be my hope, though of course it may be impossible to select a
capacitor (possibly with a shunt resistor) with a value that operates the
device reliably and has a quick enough discharge to allow the switch to
be operated frequently. Still, it's a simple thing to try and it might
save a lot of complication.

Note that if you want the switch to do the same thing independent of
which way it is flipped (e.g., to activate something that toggles)
you can wire one capacitor between each contact and the pole. That
way the switch shorts one capacitor as it brings the other across the
circuit you are trying to control, eliminating the discharge time from
consideration.

None of these tricks will work if the devices is using some multiplex
scanning approach to read the switches, so the first thing to check
when you trace the circuit is whether one side of the buttons is connected
to ground of a fixed voltage source.

| BTW, did Santa manage to get that binocular magnifier to you?

Yes, thanks. It actually gave me a bit of a start because a few days
before eBay had sent me mail (for real) saying that my account had been
compromised and they were resetting my password...

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com

[Robert Green]

"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> | When I find it (or decide to take one apart again and rephotograph)
> | I'll ASCII diagram the switch.
>
> I'm afraid I'm not very good with ASCII diagrams. :(

That makes two of us! Saves me some trouble trying to do it.

> | Am I correct in assuming the capacitor will allow it to fire once and
then
> | not again until the switch is toggled once more?
>
> That would be my hope, though of course it may be impossible to select a
> capacitor (possibly with a shunt resistor) with a value that operates the
> device reliably and has a quick enough discharge to allow the switch to
> be operated frequently. Still, it's a simple thing to try and it might
> save a lot of complication.

Yes, it should be pretty simple to test the next time I take one apart.

> Note that if you want the switch to do the same thing independent of
> which way it is flipped (e.g., to activate something that toggles)
> you can wire one capacitor between each contact and the pole. That
> way the switch shorts one capacitor as it brings the other across the
> circuit you are trying to control, eliminating the discharge time from
> consideration.

That's an interesting concept. Do you think it would significantly increase
the drain on the coin cell battery?

> | BTW, did Santa manage to get that binocular magnifier to you?
>
> Yes, thanks. It actually gave me a bit of a start because a few days
> before eBay had sent me mail (for real) saying that my account had been
> compromised and they were resetting my password...

Proof positive that no good deed goes unpunished! Did they say how it
happened?

--
Bobby G.

[Dan Lanciani]

In article <zPudne5nm62gBjPYnZ2dnUVZ_veinZ2d@rcn.net>, ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM (Robert Green) writes:
| "Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message

| > Note that if you want the switch to do the same thing independent of
| > which way it is flipped (e.g., to activate something that toggles)
| > you can wire one capacitor between each contact and the pole. That
| > way the switch shorts one capacitor as it brings the other across the
| > circuit you are trying to control, eliminating the discharge time from
| > consideration.
|
| That's an interesting concept. Do you think it would significantly increase
| the drain on the coin cell battery?

I wouldn't think so.

| > | BTW, did Santa manage to get that binocular magnifier to you?
| >
| > Yes, thanks. It actually gave me a bit of a start because a few days
| > before eBay had sent me mail (for real) saying that my account had been
| > compromised and they were resetting my password...
|
| Proof positive that no good deed goes unpunished! Did they say how it
| happened?

Of course not. They didn't even say what had actually happened.

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com

[Robert Green]

"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
news:1338466@news1.IPSWITCHS.CMM...
> In article <zPudne5nm62gBjPYnZ2dnUVZ_veinZ2d@rcn.net>,
ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM (Robert Green) writes:
> | "Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
>
> | > Note that if you want the switch to do the same thing independent of
> | > which way it is flipped (e.g., to activate something that toggles)
> | > you can wire one capacitor between each contact and the pole. That
> | > way the switch shorts one capacitor as it brings the other across the
> | > circuit you are trying to control, eliminating the discharge time from
> | > consideration.
> |
> | That's an interesting concept. Do you think it would significantly
increase
> | the drain on the coin cell battery?
>
> I wouldn't think so.

Good. It will be a while before I get to it. I'm finally getting around to
installing the MUX units. I found out via another Ebay listing that the GVC
units were used by Walmart. Did you ever figure out if you could daisy
chain the units via the VCR inputs and outputs?


> | > | BTW, did Santa manage to get that binocular magnifier to you?
> | >
> | > Yes, thanks. It actually gave me a bit of a start because a few days
> | > before eBay had sent me mail (for real) saying that my account had
been
> | > compromised and they were resetting my password...
> |
> | Proof positive that no good deed goes unpunished! Did they say how it
> | happened?
>
> Of course not. They didn't even say what had actually happened.

Great. That means we can all learn and take appropriate security
precautions. )-:

--
Bobby G.