Fibreoptic archway

ShellNZ

ShellNZ

Senior elf
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
892
Location
Karaka, Auckland, NZ
Hi all

I got this free....
http://www.gardensandhomesdirect.co.uk/Garden/Arches-and-Obelisks/9ft-Fibre-Optic-Outdoor-Archway.html

I plugged the 2 x 4.5VDC-240VAC transformers (one for each side of the arch) into my 240v LOR machine. Unfortunately it wouldnt go unless I pushed a little on/off button.

So I cut out the button expecting it to be easy peasy, just wire up the 3 internal wires, Red/Yellow/White.

Unfortunately that wasnt the case. I had to get help in chat this morning and BarnabyBear helped me out, figured out which wires did what.

He thinks that hooking it up to the DC48 is the best bet as opposed to the 240v LOR which is what I originally wanted to do.

Following various test we have established the following:

* It is powered by a 4.5V DC supply.
* The arch has a 3 wire connection – Red live – White ground – Yellow momentary switch on/off.

Can I connect the 4.5V Yellow switch wire to an input and the White ground to a DC48 to control the arch? This will be powered from an independent power supply.

Which, if possible, terminals would I hook this up? I also have a LOR 16-chan DC board as an option as well.

It will have to be sequenced differently to others in that one filled square will turn it on....the next filled square will turn it off (LOR S3).

Here is the arch and plugs etc.

IMG_0985.jpg


The original on/off button that was approx 20cm from the adaptor/plug.
IMG_0971.jpg


Video of the tree at night in the garage
http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/Toby3_photo/?action=view&current=IMG_0923.mp4

I should also mention that each side of the archway has 2 boxes on it with the wiring connected. In the box is this board.
IMG_0981.jpg


Any and all help would be much appreciated.
 
Hmmm.... hard to get an overall picture of how this unit works.

Before it was hacked, what did the button do? Did it just turn the sequence on and off? Are there any controls on the PCB in the photo?

If so, you could use a set of relay contacts in place of the button. The relay coil would be fed from the DC48. You will also need a diode across the relay coil. We can talk more about how to do that once you've gotten a little further.
 
OK, Shell has confirmed (in chat) that the button just toggled the unit on and off.

A simple relay driven from the DC48 channel will work for this:

davidavd Relay.png

You'll need a 12V relay with a SPDT (single pole, double throw) contact. You could also use one with a SPST (single pole, single throw) contact as we won't be using the normally closed (pin 4 in the diagram) pin anyway.

The relay can be something like the Jaycar SY4061. It's bigger than you need, but the terminals are sturdier so less likely to snap off when you're wiring it up. You'll also need a 1N4004 diode. Jaycar sell those in a pack of 4.

The diode can be soldered directly across the relay coil. The stripe on the diode corresponds to the top of the diagram (towards the A terminal). Using a multimeter (set to Ohms), we can work out which relay pin is which once you have it.

Connect A to the channel V+ on the DC48 and B to the channel that you want to use to trigger the archway.

The C and D terminals will wire to where the current push button switch is/was.

Make sure you program that new relay channel to be either fully on or off, not dimmed or faded.
 
Just to clarify, you'll be using the original plugpacks to power the arches. The DC48 and the relay circuit are simply triggering them on and off.

Also, you could use two relay circuits to independently control the two halves of the arch, or change the relay to a "double pole" type so the same relay controls both sections together.
 
Just coming back to this David, still not sure whether I will be doing it for this year but....

Will this thing do the above? I dont think Im quite up to building a relay/diode thingamebobby so was just looking for a complete "thing" to do what I want (excellent jargon eh).

Electronic Switching relay board, Single
connect momentary / latching switch to 12 volt controll side, and controll 240 volt mains up to 20 amps on the output side. optional controll status lamp can be installed too. Great value, awesome quality. Limited stock
RLY0050.jpg


This is the site I was looking at - http://www.surplustronics.co.nz/shop/product-RLY0050.html
 
It may do what you want, but now you're introducing 240V (to power this relay board) into the mix. Seems like a step backwards to me.
 
If its only 12v on the control side and 4.5v on the load side - would a simple automotive (car) relay with a diode be all that is needed (asuming the contacts dont bounce)?
 
Yes, all Shell needs is a simple relay and a diode. I've detailed that above, but she's not able (or doesn't want) to solder them together.
 
David_AVD said:
OK, Shell has confirmed (in chat) that the button just toggled the unit on and off.

A simple relay driven from the DC48 channel will work for this:

View attachment 17293

You'll need a 12V relay with a SPDT (single pole, double throw) contact. You could also use one with a SPST (single pole, single throw) contact as we won't be using the normally closed (pin 4 in the diagram) pin anyway.

The relay can be something like the Jaycar SY4061. It's bigger than you need, but the terminals are sturdier so less likely to snap off when you're wiring it up. You'll also need a 1N4004 diode. Jaycar sell those in a pack of 4.

The diode can be soldered directly across the relay coil. The stripe on the diode corresponds to the top of the diagram (towards the A terminal). Using a multimeter (set to Ohms), we can work out which relay pin is which once you have it.

Connect A to the channel V+ on the DC48 and B to the channel that you want to use to trigger the archway.

The C and D terminals will wire to where the current push button switch is/was.

Make sure you program that new relay channel to be either fully on or off, not dimmed or faded.
Click to expand...

Electronics 101 question - why the need for the diode?

For my ACL Strobes, I was going to use 27V from one of my DC controller boards to switch a 24-32v relay on, to switch the 135 strobes @ 5V.. Should I be putting a diode on the 27V side as per your diagram?
 
Kane said:
Electronics 101 question - why the need for the diode?
Click to expand...
Okay, should have googled before asking.... The diode is to protect the electronics on the controller side of things... So next question - how do you determine which type of Diode to use - would the one you posted be sufficient for my situation, or does it depend on the parameters of the relay?
 
Kane said:
Okay, should have googled before asking.... The diode is to protect the electronics on the controller side of things... So next question - how do you determine which type of Diode to use - would the one you posted be sufficient for my situation, or does it depend on the parameters of the relay?
Click to expand...

When you remove power from the relay coil, it actually gives a big (reverse polarity) pulse of power back down the wires. The diode is there to short out this unwanted spike. Without the diode, the transistor (in the controller) would be damaged by the spike.

Most relay coils just need a diode rated for at least 50V and a couple of hundred milliamps. The 1N400x series of diodes are a popular choice as they are cheap and common.
 
@ Kane. For my ACL Strobes, I was going to use 27V from one of my DC controller boards to switch a 24-32v relay on, to switch the 135 strobes @ 5V.. Should I be putting a diode on the 27V side as per your diagram?

kane you don't need to switch a relay necessarily. You can just use an output of the DC48 to switch the strobes on. The +ve from the 5V supply would go to the +ve of the strobes. The negative of the strobes would go to an output and the negative of the 5V power supply would get joined to the -ve power input of the dc48. The +ve of the 5V supply would not get connected to the DC48 unless 24 channels of 5V were being controlled.
 
Thanks to David for suggesting a relay to get my archway going.

A huge thanks to Barnaby Bear for spending the time in chat and walking me through it! Its all going now and running off a single channel on the DC48 board :)
 
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