X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => User Modified Devices => Topic started by: Brandt on February 19, 2010, 02:33:21 PM

Title: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Brandt on February 19, 2010, 02:33:21 PM
Is there anyway to modify a TW523 to provide 5vdc on the transmit line?

I only need an X-10 receiver and 5vdc.
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: JeffVolp on February 19, 2010, 02:49:36 PM
No, that is an opto-isolated interface.

Jeff
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: Brandt on February 19, 2010, 04:22:35 PM
I found one from Smarthome that provides 12vdc:
http://www.smarthome.com/1132B/PowerLinc-Serial-TW523-X10-Interface-with-12VDC-Output/p.aspx

But now we're getting sort of pricey!

I just need an x10 receiver and 5vdc to feed my circuit!!

I read the pic microchip app note, but I don't know If I have the ability to move from 'kit assembler' to pcb designer  ??? ???
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: Brian H on February 19, 2010, 04:32:59 PM
I have a few of the 1132B units myself. Where part of the TesterLinc kits and the Smarthome version of the WGL V572A where you didn't need the wall wart power supply. As the 1132B supplied the 12 volts.

One note here. The 12 volts is filtered but not regulated. It maybe closer to 20 volts with no or light loads. Depending on the current you need at five volts. You maybe able to use a small linear regulator IC and a few capacitors.

Part of the extra cost is the fact it also can be accessed using serial protocol and software that knows its commands.

I had one fail after maybe five years. The Zero Crossing Signal has extra pulses on it and made my TesterLinc give all kinds of bogus messages on bad X10 protocol.  ::)
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: Brandt on February 19, 2010, 04:45:54 PM
Well I was looking at the X10 library that Arduino has available....I'm familiar with programming AVR's and have a few programmers laying around, just never programmed a PIC.

Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: Brandt on February 20, 2010, 01:48:43 AM
I think the Universal Module would be perfect for my needs if it provided some VDC at the terminals during the 1.5sec momentary closure.
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Brian H on February 20, 2010, 06:00:54 AM
The Universal Module has NO voltage on the terminals.
It is a dry switch.
The DC rating shown on the sales sheet. Is the maximum safe voltage and current the contacts can handle.
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: dbemowsk on February 21, 2010, 12:40:18 PM
I think the Universal Module would be perfect for my needs if it provided some VDC at the terminals during the 1.5sec momentary closure.
Use a 5 volt wall wort with the universal module to switch the power on and off.  The newer universal modules can handle up to 24 volts on the switch contacts. When using a wall wort though you may want to use a filter on it especially if used right next to your UM.

Dan B.
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: Brandt on February 21, 2010, 01:06:26 PM
I think the Universal Module would be perfect for my needs if it provided some VDC at the terminals during the 1.5sec momentary closure.
Use a 5 volt wall wort with the universal module to switch the power on and off.  The newer universal modules can handle up to 24 volts on the switch contacts. When using a wall wort though you may want to use a filter on it especially if used right next to your UM.

Dan B.


Thats the obvious solution, but thats not the point. The point is I only want to have to plug in one thing.
Title: Re: Modifying a TW523 to provide 5vdc
Post by: HA Dave on February 21, 2010, 01:45:21 PM
Is there anyway to modify a TW523 to provide 5vdc on the transmit line? I only need an X-10 receiver and 5vdc.

Thats the obvious solution, but thats not the point. The point is I only want to have to plug in one thing.

When experimenting with R.E.D. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cUA6LaXTs) I used a 12V to USB power (5.5V) adapter. It was a el cheapie thingy I bought at a dollar store... meant I think for charging MP3 players in a car. It looked like a cigarette lighter plug... but on the back end.. had a USB port. Taken apart it was little more than a mini circuitboard with a few parts. I don't know it you could cram such a device inside the TW523 or not. Maybe mounted to the outside... with wires tapping the 12V power... then grabbing the 5.5V from the USB plug.
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: JeffVolp on February 21, 2010, 03:15:50 PM
I think you guys are missing the point that the TW523 has a transformerless power supply that is NOT isolated from the powerline.  Even if that supply had some extra capacity (which it doesn't) it would be dangerous to steal any power from it.  The TW523 does not have a polarized plug.  If plugged in the wrong way, the internal power supply "ground" could be floating on top of 120VAC.

The TW523 has an opto-isolated interface to the digital port, which also isolates that signal ground from the powerline.

Jeff
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Brian H on February 21, 2010, 03:20:34 PM
Depending on the current needed and exact voltage you need.
What about an X10 replacement power supply for a camera?
It is addressable but the output will vary quite a bit with the load on the supply.
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: HA Dave on February 21, 2010, 04:31:13 PM
I think you guys are missing the point

I certainly was! Thanks for pointing that out. Like it or not... looks like pomprocker is stuck with a second plug-in.
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Tuicemen on February 21, 2010, 04:39:30 PM
Depending on the current needed and exact voltage you need.
What about an X10 replacement power supply for a camera?
It is addressable but the output will vary quite a bit with the load on the supply.
Good idea BrianH, combine that with Dave_x10_L's idea, and that might be the winner! ;)
 >!
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Brandt on February 21, 2010, 05:22:46 PM
Wow good idea...I don't own any X10 cameras so I was not aware of this:

http://www.thex10shop.com/product/0/X10-X-10-Extra-XM13A-XCam-Addressable-Power-Supply_733286.html

Looks like it can be powered on by an x10 command and puts out 12vdc which I could easily reduce...

The pinout looks good to enable local control as well as x-10 control:
Tip 12V (always on, powers camera optics), middle 12V (switched, powers 2.4GHz video sender), base ground.

Does anyone know the difference between these: (XM10A, XM13A, XM16A, or XM17A)?
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: Brian H on February 21, 2010, 06:21:54 PM
A few points.

As a camera supply it is normally in a group of four Unit Codes 1-4;5-8;9-12 and 13-16 and the same House Code.
So if you are using C1 for the supply. An On to C2;C3 or C4 will automatically turn off the C1 supplies switched voltage.

Also the output of the supplies are not regulated. If my memory is correct. A Ninja XM14A lightly loaded was almost 17 volts.

Only one of the supplies you mentioned that I know about has more current capacity for the Ninja Mount the XM14A.
Some of the cameras didn't have instant on where part of the camera is live all the time and the RF is turned on and off. The older 3 second for picture ones maybe some of the supplies you mentioned. They also had a different connector for the camera power.

Specfications of many X10 units here includuing the XM series supplies.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Category:Specifications
Title: Re: Need X10 powerline receive and vdc in same module
Post by: dbemowsk on February 21, 2010, 08:19:50 PM
Here is a simple 5 volt regulator schematic (http://stuff.nekhbet.ro/2006/06/18/how-to-build-a-5v-regulator-using-78l05-7805.html) that can be easily wired up on a small piece of pre-drilled PC board from rat shack and point to point wired to give you the  regulated 5 volts needed.  It can be built with 4 components (a 5 volt regulator,2 capacitors and a diode).  If you don't feel like soldering this together, you can just wire in something like Dave_x10_L suggested in his previous post with the USB car adapter thing.

Dan B.