Recent content by JayH

Bob & any other ALCers,   I changed many years ago to UBP and just boxed my ALC.  If anyone is interested, I'll get a full list together, but I'd rather find someone that needs them than drop them in electronics recycling.   Summary: 18-20 switches, a few relays.  Some new in box, about 8...

I'm also interested but with limited device support right now and no way for me to do my own drivers, I'll be watching for a while.  Elk, UPB, Aprilaire, Brultech and some other odds and ends.   For the USB side take a look at Silex.  You completely bypass the motherboard and it emulates the USB...

Work2Play, I'm 100% with you on using the communicating zoning controller. All the resasons you listed plus very fine control over purge times, outside ventilation and numerous other features. I used RCS for 10 years. Until the ZCV dies and you find out they stopped making them 2 years ago...

Cocooners, I have found myself in need of a replacement RCS ZCV4 zoning control panel. Through storms in the DFW area earlier this week I didn't have any problems, until I realized that the zone control panel was only communicating with 1 thermostat. RCS discontinued this product last year...

You made me go look since I now have a TR60 that replaced a TR36. I am running mine off the furnace transformer though you will have to choose connections carefully to get both sides of the transformer unswitched. Also, you could power them all from from probably a 40VA or smaller 24VAC...

While I haven't tried, I would find it highly unlikely that it would work. The coax cable also provides DC power to the LNB and switches between 13V and 18V to select the polarization of the received signals to switch between them (odd/even in DirecTV terms). Without this you lose half the...

I'm jealous. Though, in reality, there probably hasn't been more than 8 times in the last 10 years I would have needed it for more than a couple hours but it would have been nice for the 3-day outage. You have the real deal and the install documents on this are one of the ones I actually...

Ira, Did some digging since I haven't had to quote "typical" specs in a long time. First, at 60hz a full "cycle" is 1000ms/60 = 16.66ms and consider this when looking at transfer times. Stolen from Wikipedia, but in line with what I remember: - Make-before-break/closed transition typically...

After reading BSR's comment I re-read what you are trying to accomplish - don't do it. When I answered with suggested relays I was contemplating a different scenario and not "hot" switching between power sources. If there is any load on the circuit at all, you run big risks unless the...

I've needed external relays several times in the last few years, controlled via an Elk M1, for sprinkler pumps and an HVAC fresh air duct fan. I chose the G7L series from Omron with DIN rail mount, covers and a test button. 2 are DIN mounted in a NEMA box by the pumps...

Your are looking for the 'ps' command (PLC Status) and its response PS. All lighting interfaces are mapped on top of the X-10 PLC commands. It is a block read for 64 addresses at a time and will return a value that translates into off/on/dim levels 2-99. Jay

For the device you are using (without digging into the manual): - You shouldn't need the Gnd/+12, only the A/B since it is a differential signal; - Drivers probably need to be loaded to set it into 485 mode others the transmit lines are enabled, which will kill the bus. If you want this...

The TR36 and TS36+Zone Controllers are from the same generation, and while they had no time schedules in them I spent over a year figuring out why they randomly reset to specific temperatures - at times running the AC all day in a Texas summer. Even more baffling was the zones all went to...

Two quick observations: 1) 2 wires in a single 110 punch usually doesn't work well. I see you have them stripped & twisted but you still have the risk of them being broken; 2) Positions 8 & 9 have the aux switch leads bridged (parallel across both) for where you need to connect more than 1 aux...

I've spent some time decoding 232/485 (and network) protocols over the years, most recently a number of messages on the Elk M1 485 bus to create my own devices, and have some questions for consideration: 1) Does the SAM connect to the ABCD bus or a different point? '485 half-duplex runs...