BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
hehe, I just hope this W800 is everything it is cracked up to be. Just placed on order with Martin for the W800 and some DSA-10s.
A new idea?
- Thread starter JohnWPB
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BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
OH GREAT! That's just what I need, another addiction!smee said:
BSR, Thats the main and VERY best thing about the DS10's! They have t external screw contact on them. With the magnets that come with it, they just open and close the circuit. You can wire anythig up to them dirrectly, on the provided terminals to get open or closure on anything. I also read somewhere that water is enough to work to close the circuit on the DS10a.
EDIT
The infor I read was from a link that electron posted in this thread. Here is a quote from it:
"As far as interfacing the units to different things I have had great luck
with opto-coulplers and direct sensors. Water can be sensed directly from
the contacts, a resistor and thermistor in-line can make a high or low temp
sensor. "
As you can see these devices are VERY flexible, cheap and have a great range in combination with the W800. The speed is also fantastic when you take the powerline out of the question for transmitting to the computer. I have a DS10 in my closet. When I open the closet door, the light comes on within a 1/2 second, and back off when the door is closed.
The possibilities are ENDLESS on what you can hook them up to / do with them:
- Pressure sensor in a floorboard or door mat
- A contact that will open/close when the AC/Heat kicks on based on the air pressure.
- One on the "Chemical cabinet" to monitor of the kids are where they arent supposed to be.
- On the pool gate to tell when it has been opened.
- Pressure sensor in the mattress to let HS know not to disturb you with unimportant things.
- Hooked to a current sensing coil to tell if a device is on or off (Washer and dryer come to mind).
- In conjunction with a relay to tell if there is voltage present or not in a device.
and the best part, no need to have an electric outlet available for a power flash, or any wires run whatsoever back to the computer or another input device.
On one last note, I LOVE Automated Outlet, and get everything that I can there. However, and Martin will admit it himself, that his cost is above what X10 blows the DS10's out for every now and then. Frequently they have them buy one, get 3 free. Now and then they have Buy one ger 4 free. When that happens you get 4 of em for around $25 with the shipping!
Here is my screen for my doors in the house. You will see one is blank, as that DS10 is in the mail as I type, and should be here in a day or 2 now.
EDIT
The infor I read was from a link that electron posted in this thread. Here is a quote from it:
"As far as interfacing the units to different things I have had great luck
with opto-coulplers and direct sensors. Water can be sensed directly from
the contacts, a resistor and thermistor in-line can make a high or low temp
sensor. "
As you can see these devices are VERY flexible, cheap and have a great range in combination with the W800. The speed is also fantastic when you take the powerline out of the question for transmitting to the computer. I have a DS10 in my closet. When I open the closet door, the light comes on within a 1/2 second, and back off when the door is closed.
The possibilities are ENDLESS on what you can hook them up to / do with them:
- Pressure sensor in a floorboard or door mat
- A contact that will open/close when the AC/Heat kicks on based on the air pressure.
- One on the "Chemical cabinet" to monitor of the kids are where they arent supposed to be.
- On the pool gate to tell when it has been opened.
- Pressure sensor in the mattress to let HS know not to disturb you with unimportant things.
- Hooked to a current sensing coil to tell if a device is on or off (Washer and dryer come to mind).
- In conjunction with a relay to tell if there is voltage present or not in a device.
and the best part, no need to have an electric outlet available for a power flash, or any wires run whatsoever back to the computer or another input device.
On one last note, I LOVE Automated Outlet, and get everything that I can there. However, and Martin will admit it himself, that his cost is above what X10 blows the DS10's out for every now and then. Frequently they have them buy one, get 3 free. Now and then they have Buy one ger 4 free. When that happens you get 4 of em for around $25 with the shipping!
Here is my screen for my doors in the house. You will see one is blank, as that DS10 is in the mail as I type, and should be here in a day or 2 now.
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BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Well, two reasons I purchased the DSA-10's from Martin instead of X-10 is Martin has taken GREAT care of me in the past and the second reason is pure principle:
X-10 has a distribution center here in Las Vegas (as does Worthingtons) so I have to pay STATE SALES TAX plus shipping!! They will NOT let you do walk in sales at this place so I am stuck paying sales tax for NO BENEFIT!! I can't see being penalized for them having a distribution center in my home state, especially since they will not let anyone do walk in sales.
Now I have the same situation with Worthingtons BUT they will let you do walk in sales there. If they don't have it in stock they will get it from their main warehouse, but still I DO NOT pay shipping (just sales tax) as I can pick up the item there.
OK, enough ranting for one day
X-10 has a distribution center here in Las Vegas (as does Worthingtons) so I have to pay STATE SALES TAX plus shipping!! They will NOT let you do walk in sales at this place so I am stuck paying sales tax for NO BENEFIT!! I can't see being penalized for them having a distribution center in my home state, especially since they will not let anyone do walk in sales.
Now I have the same situation with Worthingtons BUT they will let you do walk in sales there. If they don't have it in stock they will get it from their main warehouse, but still I DO NOT pay shipping (just sales tax) as I can pick up the item there.
OK, enough ranting for one day
Oh, and BSR, It is VERY funny that you asked "Whats in the Florida water?" ! ! ! ! !
We are having the WORST case of city water known in the history of man right now! And its add due to those hurricanes 6 months ago we had! It really is funny you mentioned this, as it is the talk of the town right now. I went out drinking with friends over the weekend, and all of the mixed drinks tasted like mud! (Due to the Ice being made from the city water). We all switched to beer. When you go to a restaurant, all you see on tables is either beer or bottled water. No Iced tea or sodas, well some places have started carrying canned sodas that dont require ice! I had a can of coke in TGI Fridays night before last!
Check this out as you can see it has made the news. They are REALLY playing down the problem in that article, as it is much worse than they make it sound. When I take a shower, I come out smelling like I was playing in a mud puddle! Do a google news search for bad tasting water west palm beach, and you are also sure to find it
We are having the WORST case of city water known in the history of man right now! And its add due to those hurricanes 6 months ago we had! It really is funny you mentioned this, as it is the talk of the town right now. I went out drinking with friends over the weekend, and all of the mixed drinks tasted like mud! (Due to the Ice being made from the city water). We all switched to beer. When you go to a restaurant, all you see on tables is either beer or bottled water. No Iced tea or sodas, well some places have started carrying canned sodas that dont require ice! I had a can of coke in TGI Fridays night before last!
Check this out as you can see it has made the news. They are REALLY playing down the problem in that article, as it is much worse than they make it sound. When I take a shower, I come out smelling like I was playing in a mud puddle! Do a google news search for bad tasting water west palm beach, and you are also sure to find it
Wouldn't it be hard to find the X10 place in Las Vegas, anyway, even if you were allowed to go there? If their building looks anything like the web pages, all the flashing lights would just blend in with the rest of the city.BraveSirRobbin said:Well, two reasons I purchased the DSA-10's from Martin instead of X-10 is Martin has taken GREAT care of me in the past and the second reason is pure principle:
X-10 has a distribution center here in Las Vegas (as does Worthingtons) so I have to pay STATE SALES TAX plus shipping!! They will NOT let you do walk in sales at this place so I am stuck paying sales tax for NO BENEFIT!! I can't see being penalized for them having a distribution center in my home state, especially since they will not let anyone do walk in sales.
Now I have the same situation with Worthingtons BUT they will let you do walk in sales there. If they don't have it in stock they will get it from their main warehouse, but still I DO NOT pay shipping (just sales tax) as I can pick up the item there.
OK, enough ranting for one day
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Funny you mentioned this smee, but their warehouse is less than five miles of one of my work locations (far from the Las Vegas Strip in North Las Vegas).smee said:Wouldn't it be hard to find the X10 place in Las Vegas, anyway, even if you were allowed to go there? If their building looks anything like the web pages, all the flashing lights would just blend in with the rest of the city.
Look on the side of an X-10 box and you will see it was shipped from North Las Vegas.
Now, getting this thread back on track...
What operating voltage do the DSA-10's use? Would it be worth putting in a voltage regulator like I did in my original Car Monitor so you would never have to worry about batteries?
When you first start or stop the car, I was thinking about maybe switching the relay two or three times to make sure the signal gets through. For the start you could detect the trigger with a "turned on" and the stop with "turned off".
Any other suggestions?
Just nitpicking, the DS10a's actually use 2 AA batteries, still 3v however. Just telling you so you don't run out and get AAA's before they get there
Rupp, I have done exactly as Electron mentioned. For my front door, and most traveled and looked at area, I ran 2 thin wires along the bottom of the baseboard, tucked into the carpet, to behind a plant, and stuck the sensor there where it can not be seen. For the bathrooms, I rant the wires along the baseboard again, and hid the DS10s in the vanity closets.
I have found the wires that they come with FAR to heavy of a guage wire for what is actually needed, and replace the wires on them. It's easy enough as both the sensor and the magnets have screw terminals on each.
If you really were concerned about the look of the magnets, you could use anything that will produuce a closed circuit. Such as a smaller magnet, another type of reed switch, or even the 1/4" recessed contacts that would require fishing the wire through a wall to where the sensor itself is located.
Rupp, I have done exactly as Electron mentioned. For my front door, and most traveled and looked at area, I ran 2 thin wires along the bottom of the baseboard, tucked into the carpet, to behind a plant, and stuck the sensor there where it can not be seen. For the bathrooms, I rant the wires along the baseboard again, and hid the DS10s in the vanity closets.
I have found the wires that they come with FAR to heavy of a guage wire for what is actually needed, and replace the wires on them. It's easy enough as both the sensor and the magnets have screw terminals on each.
If you really were concerned about the look of the magnets, you could use anything that will produuce a closed circuit. Such as a smaller magnet, another type of reed switch, or even the 1/4" recessed contacts that would require fishing the wire through a wall to where the sensor itself is located.
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