120v outlet controlled by Elk directly for < $20

[AceCannon]

I know this has been done before, but I didn't see anything recent, and maybe this will help someone. .

Also, I am not an electrician, so I certainly am not recommending anyone attempt this.

Problem:
DirecTv's STB's have some sort of memory leak such that after 24-48hrs of using their USB ports for control (I am using CQC), they get so slow as to be unusable. I have been manually rebooting these boxen every day or so, but when I forget it is a PITA since they take 5-10 minutes to reboot. I can wait no longer for DirecTv to release a software update. X10 appliance modules did not work since my STB's are plugged into an industrial UPS that apparently filters X10 signals.

Solution:
The 1-gang box is not intended to be mounted behind drywall. I used it because it made a good enclosure and was cheap at Lowe's. The relay (SPDT) is connected such that the outlet is hot when the coil is not energized. (normally closed). Basically, I use one of the Elk relays to send 12v to the relay inside this box to switch the 120v hot wire (at 4AM daily for 10 seconds). The socket for the relay is excellent - the connections are all recessed, no bare wire or terminal screw is exposed anywhere, either HV or LV.

The relay came from a local radio / electronic place, $7 plus another $7 for the socket.

They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so I will stop typing:

 

[Steve]

That's a nice solution. Another similar method that imho is a little cleaner wrt wiring is to just use a RIB. You would use a metal box and the RIB would snap into a knockout. The LV wires can loop out through another knockout and strain relief. I just like the RIBs because they are fully enclosed and read to go, just connect the wires. They also have an LED indicator for on/off status. I have several like this. Just another option...

 

[Ira]

That's a nice solution. Another similar method that imho is a little cleaner wrt wiring is to just use a RIB. You would use a metal box and the RIB would snap into a knockout. The LV wires can loop out through another knockout and strain relief. I just like the RIBs because they are fully enclosed and read to go, just connect the wires. They also have an LED indicator for on/off status. I have several like this. Just another option...

I like the RIBs with the manual switch. The switch is good for testing, and good for emergencies. I wish they had more models with manual switches.

 

[SteveQ]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but why not just use a simple mechanical light timer (around $6) and set it to turn off at 2AM and back On 10-15 minutes later?

Steve Q

 

[AceCannon]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but why not just use a simple mechanical light timer (around $6) and set it to turn off at 2AM and back On 10-15 minutes later?

Steve Q

1. When the clock in the timer gets fast/slow, or the power is off for a bit, the clock gets fouled up.

2. I can't control a light timer from my Elk, and hence the automation system. For instance, if I wanted to cycle the boxes manually at some other time of the day.

3. The light timer is not nearly as cool.

 

[johnny]

i needed to do a similar thing except control on and off times on an attic fan. i ordered a $7 x10 controlled inline module and a $12 x10 transceiver for my Elk M1. i could also use a x10 controlled outlet for lights and other appliances if needed. Originally i was going to use zwave but the inline module hasnt been in stock for months and decided to go with this cheap fix for now.

 

[AceCannon]

i needed to do a similar thing except control on and off times on an attic fan. i ordered a $7 x10 controlled inline module and a $12 x10 transceiver for my Elk M1. i could also use a x10 controlled outlet for lights and other appliances if needed. Originally i was going to use zwave but the inline module hasnt been in stock for months and decided to go with this cheap fix for now.

Tried that but my UPS blocked X10 signals.

 

[SteveQ]

i needed to do a similar thing except control on and off times on an attic fan. i ordered a $7 x10 controlled inline module and a $12 x10 transceiver for my Elk M1. i could also use a x10 controlled outlet for lights and other appliances if needed. Originally i was going to use zwave but the inline module hasnt been in stock for months and decided to go with this cheap fix for now.

Tried that but my UPS blocked X10 signals.

Plug your x10 transciever into a non-UPS outlet. It won't work anyway if there is no power.

Steve Q

 

[AceCannon]

Plug your x10 transciever into a non-UPS outlet. It won't work anyway if there is no power.

Steve Q

Nah, that defeats the purpose of the UPS. My whole point in using the UPS was to avoid the painfully long reboot process whenever the power just blinks.

At any rate, the relay-controlled outlet is done and works great. When and if DirecTv gets their software to play well with others, I'm sure I can re-purpose the outlet.

 

[apostolakisl]

Plug your x10 transciever into a non-UPS outlet. It won't work anyway if there is no power.

Steve Q

Nah, that defeats the purpose of the UPS. My whole point in using the UPS was to avoid the painfully long reboot process whenever the power just blinks.

At any rate, the relay-controlled outlet is done and works great. When and if DirecTv gets their software to play well with others, I'm sure I can re-purpose the outlet.

Plus the direct tv box should still be able to record during a power failure so you can watch it later. Of course if it is a long power outage you are hosed.

And why can't you just buy a gizmo like you built? Seems like someone should run those on an assembly line in China and sell them on ebay.

 

[AceCannon]

Plus the direct tv box should still be able to record during a power failure so you can watch it later. Of course if it is a long power outage you are hosed.

And why can't you just buy a gizmo like you built? Seems like someone should run those on an assembly line in China and sell them on ebay.

In my case, the UPS just needs to keep the DirecTv box on until the generator kicks in.

And I doubt there is a huge demand for the gizmo I built, or else the Chinese would already be cranking them out.

 

[apostolakisl]

Plus the direct tv box should still be able to record during a power failure so you can watch it later. Of course if it is a long power outage you are hosed.

And why can't you just buy a gizmo like you built? Seems like someone should run those on an assembly line in China and sell them on ebay.

In my case, the UPS just needs to keep the DirecTv box on until the generator kicks in.

And I doubt there is a huge demand for the gizmo I built, or else the Chinese would already be cranking them out.

I don't know, I bet if Elk, and other hardware based HA companies branded them they would move since they would fit in so nicely with the low voltage outputs their units have built-in. They would have to look a little nicer than yours (no offense), maybe if it looked like an insteon lamplinc. Of course, you could just use an insteon lamplinc to do the same thing but at a higher cost. The advantage to your gizmo is that the reliability would approach 100% where insteon is quite a bit less.

 

[SteveQ]

Plug your x10 transciever into a non-UPS outlet. It won't work anyway if there is no power.

Steve Q

Nah, that defeats the purpose of the UPS. My whole point in using the UPS was to avoid the painfully long reboot process whenever the power just blinks.

At any rate, the relay-controlled outlet is done and works great. When and if DirecTv gets their software to play well with others, I'm sure I can re-purpose the outlet.

OK, I understand now. You have the direct tV plugged into the UPS and you want to disconnect the power to the Direct TV box downstream of the UPS. Got it. But don't you have to run wires to the box you built to control it? I could not do this. I would use an x10 appliance module (plugged in to a nonUPS outlet) connected to a 12V wall wart connected to a 12V relay. This would allow you to reset the Direct TV via x10. Not the cleanest or most relaible approach, but it avoids running more wires to your home theater system.

Steve Q

 

[AceCannon]

Of course, you could just use an insteon lamplinc to do the same thing but at a higher cost. The advantage to your gizmo is that the reliability would approach 100% where insteon is quite a bit less.

Insteon will likely not work for the same reason that X10 will not (the UPS filters the signals).

 

[AceCannon]

OK, I understand now. You have the direct tV plugged into the UPS and you want to disconnect the power to the Direct TV box downstream of the UPS. Got it. But don't you have to run wires to the box you built to control it? I could not do this.

Well, all my equipment is in a central closet. Running 18/2 from the Elk relay to the DirecTv boxes only took a couple minutes.

I must say, things are much more usable now that the boxen are getting reliably rebooted daily.