Hi, I am new to the hardware side of things here. Last year we purchased our first 16 channel kit. While my husband handled the unit itself, setting it up, etc. I was in charge of sequences. Worked well, until I decided I want to add another 16, and a snow machine.
My question is:
Can I just use an empty channel on my system to plug in my snow machine? The snow machine will be set to 'always on' and in theory will just 'blow snow' when that channel is turned on.
You do not want to directly control anything that has a motor with LOR. You could control a relay with LOR and then use the relay to turn the snow machine on and off.
I'll second that you do not want to put a motor on the LOR controller directly. The use of a relay is highly recommended. But also keep this in mind. You can kill the Triac that is used as the output of the controller if you connect anything that is inductive such as the coil of a relay or solenoid like a valve. What you want to do is buy a MOV that is rated for either 130VAC or 150VAC. A coil when the power is removed generates a spike. The MOV will on purpose become a short when voltages exceed its rating. So the spike will cause the MOV to short circuit and kill the spike before it kills the Triac.
In a nutshell, install the MOV across the coil of the relay and then wire this to the output of the controller. Then run a hot lead to one of the contacts of the relay and then out of the other N.O. contact to the snow machine. Also run a nuetral out to the snow machine. Remember only ON and OFF commands to that output. And you should be GTG.
Max-Paul wrote: I'll second that you do not want to put a motor on the LOR controller directly. The use of a relay is highly recommended. But also keep this in mind. You can kill the Triac that is used as the output of the controller if you connect anything that is inductive such as the coil of a relay or solenoid like a valve. What you want to do is buy a MOV that is rated for either 130VAC or 150VAC. A coil when the power is removed generates a spike. The MOV will on purpose become a short when voltages exceed its rating. So the spike will cause the MOV to short circuit and kill the spike before it kills the Triac.
In a nutshell, install the MOV across the coil of the relay and then wire this to the output of the controller. Then run a hot lead to one of the contacts of the relay and then out of the other N.O. contact to the snow machine. Also run a nuetral out to the snow machine. Remember only ON and OFF commands to that output. And you should be GTG.
So, Evan,
the X10 system somehow replace needing a MOV and a relay?
Thanks, Ron
P.S. I loved you're daytime halloween walk through!
Last edited on Sat Nov 7th, 2009 01:44 am by rstately
OK, I admit it...I'm stupid .. I've read the above posts, but am still way way lost. Can someone draw me a map in English?
I'm using the MP3 director so I guess I'm going to have to go with a relay / MOV setup to work the snow machines that I bought. What's an MOV? for that matter, what (exactly) do I need to buy? And how do I wire it up from the LOR controller to the snow machine. It's all greek to me.
THANKS
(hangs head in shame)
Mike
Last edited on Sun Nov 8th, 2009 10:30 pm by stonemik
I figured it was a surge suppressor of some sort (via google) but it's the wiring that I don't understand (the relay part) I did install a relay in a sprinkler system on the lake pump but I just had to unsolder and then re-solder it into place the same way. Should I use a solid state relay...SPST or DPDT...
The MOV is installed across the relay coil or if you can find a way that works better for you, across the terminals at the LOR controller.
Does this help?
Yes, that helps,
I did not understand why when you answered this question correctly, the thread went to X10?
I thought maybe X10 acted as a relay or a MOV. but now I'm back on track.
Thanks again for your patients
While X-10 is an OK work around for things you don't want to use up LOR channels on, LOR does have options. Now that the DIO 32 has been released, that's probably the best thing for a tinkerer. You'd have to come up with a case for the board and any daughter cards (and it's a little pricy) but what you get is immediate control directly from the LOR network. I wish LOR would create a single 8 channel controller with the same relays as the 8 channel relay daughter card for the DIO 32. The ServoDog could be used as an alternative as it's 8 channels can be used for Digital Outputs.
The jist of this is, the relay daughtercard is exactly what is needed to control the motors in puffers, fog machines, snow machines etc. A DIO 32, or a ServoDog can be configured for Digital Output to provide on/off function to the Relay Daughtercard.
I'm not bashing X-10 here, but some things need to be considered. These LOR controllers are native and will respond when the command is issued in a sequence. X-10's design takes serial commands from LOR, converts them into a series of repeated RF pulses that travel a short distance over household wiring. The reciever units then eventually respond to one of those sets of pulses. They almost always respond (if they can hear them) eventually. Anywhere from immediately... to 2 seconds after the command is sent. Another thing to keep in mind is, there's currently one controller compatable with LOR. The CM-11A. They are getting harder and harder to find. It had been rumored before it's release that S-2 would have an additional X-10 controller. S-2 has been out for 2 years now...
These LOR controllers aren't the only alternative to X-10 either. People all over the place have switched electromechanical relays using an LOR channel to isolate the controller from a motor or inductive load. While I've never had any trouble using a puffer motor on an LOR channel, I did move my motors and strobes etc to DIO channels just for the safety of knowing I couldn't possibly dim them. I've read that's an easy way to damage strobes, but I take all these stories and fears with a grain of salt. I don't know if it will harm things or not, as I've never mistakenly dimmed them.
I have some X-10. I use it for window candles, the yard light (it's CFL) that little street light cheater I used the first year (don't ask, that's another thread altogether) and the neighbor's tree across the street I decorate every year in Honor of Tim's bad neighbor... It has it's uses... but there are LOR alternatives.
Jeff
____________________ Evan... Are you at home resting yet? I'm very glad you're feeling better!
