Vibration sensor ideas

[BraveSirRobbin]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification.

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

Do you have a light that goes on when the washer cycle is completed? If so take a gander at THIS thread.

 

[smee]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification.

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

So you're afraid you won't be around long enough to wait those extra 10 minutes?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification. 

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

So you're afraid you won't be around long enough to wait those extra 10 minutes?

HEhe, yea, I guess my reply above didn't make all that much sense!

Actually, the way we go through wash on the weekend ten minutes waiting per load would be a noticable chunk of time that would influence the number of loads we could do whenever we are on a laundry mission for the day.

 

[TonyNo]

the forward voltage needed to "turn on" a diode is about 0.7 volts

You could always use Schottky diodes (Vf of 0.15V to 0.45 V each).

Schottky Info

 

[Rupp]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification.

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

Do you have a light that goes on when the washer cycle is completed? If so take a gander at THIS thread.

Are you really? I'm 45 so I'm catching up quickly.

No light on my new Maytag. I wish there was but my current setup is working really well. Deep down I want that instant notifications as well.

 

[The Pod]

Several people have asked me lately if I know of a way to monitor appliances without any invasive surgery. In this case, the person didn't have any status lights, and CR magnetics current sensors seem to generate mixed results. So I started thinking maybe there is a noise or vibration sensor out there that can help with this, and found this:

http://www.signalquest.com/product_SEN_003P.html

I requested a quote, and it looks like they are around $4-$5 for 1 sensor (when ordering less than 250). Does anyone know if this kind of sensor would pick up the small vibrations appliance would create?

Here's a closed contact vibration sensor from SmartHome.

The Pod

 

[smee]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification.

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

Do you have a light that goes on when the washer cycle is completed? If so take a gander at THIS thread.

Are you really? I'm 45 so I'm catching up quickly.

By your age, one would think that you'd have learned to buy appliances with lights on them.



By the way, I'm following close behind.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I'm ashamed to admit how old my appliances are!

 

[Rupp]

Ahhh that new age immediate gratification. 

Rupp;

I'm 47 years old!

Do you have a light that goes on when the washer cycle is completed? If so take a gander at THIS thread.

Are you really? I'm 45 so I'm catching up quickly.

By your age, one would think that you'd have learned to buy appliances with lights on them.



By the way, I'm following close behind.

Smee,
You can discuss this with the wife. I stay as far from the washer and drier as I can.

 

[rocco]

The thing about using a bridge rectifier is that the forward voltage needed to "turn on" a diode is about 0.7 volts.

Actually, that was an original worry, but it turned out that it is not a problem.

I put the resistor LAST, because it changes the circuit from operating in current-mode to operating in voltage-mode. The bridge rectifier is in the portion of the circuit that operates in current mode.

Since the transformer is a current transformer, and not a voltage transformer, it will output whatever voltage is necessary (within reason) to produce the requisite mirror current. That voltage will overcome the 1.4 volts of the diodes, and the voltage across the burden resistor will indeed be correct and linear.

If you look closely at the schematic, you will notice that I did specify Schottky diodes. It was only after I got into simulation that I realized it was unnecessary.

About the 10k input impedance of the Ocelot, it's a shame. Not much we can do about it, except add a buffer, which is less trivial since there is no power for it.