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[orcusomega]

OK, after reading through the forums before looking for something to wake me up in case of an emergency, I thought I would whip this up and share this VERY simple hack (I am NOT an electrician, but my EE buddy tells me I won't kill myself LOL)

SUPER simple thing to do to get a 102db siren working with X10.  In my case, I already have an X10 wall outlet (PA011), so it was REAL easy, but you could also run this through a universal module in-line...

Get a Radio Shack Piezo Siren, part # 273-0079 (~$5.00), and I had a 12v DC wall wart lying around.  Make sure that you know whether the tip of the plug is positive or negative, and solder it up.  Thats all there is to it.

Here's a video of it in action (lame, but a good example I suppose)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRanbIlRM2U

(Edit - I shortened it all up and made it all nice and neat.  It is about the same size as the X10 chime)

Bob

[Brian H]

Since the new SC1200A console sends out On and Off commands. To the addresses set in it.

Does your siren sound each time you arm the system?

I tried it with my SC1200A. Appliance Module, 12 volt wall wart and the Radio Shack Siren you used {yes it is very loud}.

Each time I armed it Home. It sounded for about two seconds.
Arm Away from the console. With the sixty second timeout delay. It sounded for the full sixty seconds.

[orcusomega]

No, this is just an annunciator - when you plug it into an X10 controlled outlet, it sounds off until the outlet is then turned off.

[Brian H]

OK. Thanks for the added information. I misread your application. 
With a security console it would announce everytime you armed the system.

[dave w]

All Electronics specs this at 100dB. But if you are within 10 feet of this when it goes off,  anything more than a three second exposure will cause your head to explode.

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/ES-11U/PAINFULLY-LOUD-MINI-SIREN-BLEMS/1.html

[aptalca]

I am going to try to hook this up to an x10 powerhorn next week.

Has anybody tried that yet? I could use tips if anybody has any.

**UPDATE**

I opened up the PSH01 and I see the wires that feed the four sirens on the face. They are easily accessible and there is plenty of room for a micro relay. the only question is, does anyone know the voltage across these when triggered? I don't have a voltage meter at the moment unfortunately.

Thanks

[Brian H]

PH508 Large Powerhorn or SH10A Small Powerhorn?
New or older hardware revision? As things have changed recently.
Did you get the siren of the Radio Shack ones or the one from All Electronics?

I doubt any of them will drive an external siren directly.

Maybe able to use the setup DWP used or modify it to better suit your needs.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=h266qtdpphu9porfs41ga0n422&topic=21998.0

[aptalca]

I have the large powerhorn (I am guessing PSH01 is the same as PH508?!? The picture sure looks the same)

I just purchased it so I am guessing it's a new revision. There is a sticker on there that says "10H32" (Could it be a date code of some sort?)

I have the radioshack siren that is 12V . It will be powered by a 12V AC-DC adapter.

I was planning to use a micro relay (radioshack possibly 12V? http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062481) that would control the power to the radioshack siren.

I want to use the the powerhorn for the alarm trigger from the SC1200. I was hoping the PH508 would supply 12V to the sirens, that way I could hook that up to the relay, so when power is applied to those wires, the relay would close the loop for the radioshack siren. But my plan would only work if the power applied is between 9V and 15.6V. That's why I asked about the voltage to powerhorn sirens.

Thanks


***UPDATE***

Ok I feel like an idiot. If the voltage is 12V, then I could probably hotwire the radioshack siren directly to the powerhorn's  siren wires. Right?? That little thing doesn't require too much power

[Brian H]

The piezo elements in the PH508/PSH01 {same except for logo} are not powered by 12 volts. They are a basic element and are driven by an AC waveform. From a driver circuit.
The driving voltage on a piezo element is usually a fairly high voltage and low current.

Your 10H32 is the later revision and I will see what I can find out. As I know they have a different driver circuit in them and are not nearly as loud as the older ones.

Took a PSH01 Date Code 10F25 and did some measurements.
Has a + and - power supply.
Idle: +27.8 V to Common and -29.4 V to Common.
Sounding: +20.8 V to Common and -21.3 V to Common.
Aproximately 27 VAC across the piezo elements when sounding.

[aptalca]

Thanks a lot for testing it Brian.

I guess I'll get a vom to confirm the voltage across the piezo.

And if it is 27V, I should be able to use a 24V relay, right? Sure it would generate more heat and reduced life of the coil, but %10 overvolt should be fine.

Thanks

[Brian H]

Remember it is either pulsing DC or an AC waveform. As I don't have the proper equipment to test surface mounted parts with out an Oops experience. 

I don't know how much the relay coil will load down the circuit as the sounders normally are a very high impedance.

[aptalca]

man I wish this powerhorn had an led that lit up when it was triggered

it would be so much easier to rig that

[Brian H]

Have you tried the Powerhorn to see how it acts with your SC1200?

Don't be surprised if it sounds for maybe four seconds. Then stops for maybe eight seconds. Then sounds again for four seconds.
My 2010 Date Code ones act that way.

Guess it could be worse. Some of the Date Code 2009 ones sound briefly each time you arm the system. When the security lights flash verifying armed OK.

Maybe you could use a diode or diode bridge along with a capacitor. Making some DC. Though tests would be needed to see exactly how much you got.

Maybe a optocoupler could be turned on by the DC and trigger the external siren. That way all you would have to do is pick a series resistor for the input current limiting regardless of the exact voltage generated. I will see if I can find any, but so far all I found could not handle the 150 ma the RS siren uses.

If you are using the Radio Shack 273-0079 Pizeo Siren. It uses about 150 ma at 12 volts DC.

[Brian H]

One more kicker.
The older Powerhorns with the older through hole parts. Has an empty area on the PC board where X10 planed on adding a relay output.
I have seen modifications to add the parts to the older ones. No such luck with the latest ones with surface mounted parts. The older ones where noticeably louder also.

Though if you look carefully. There are four pads on the new style board where external terminals could be soldered to it and a blank in the back cover over the same area.

[aptalca]

Have you tried the Powerhorn to see how it acts with your SC1200?

Don't be surprised if it sounds for maybe four seconds. Then stops for maybe eight seconds. Then sounds again for four seconds.
My 2010 Date Code ones act that way.

I did try it. It doesn't go off when arming or disarming. When the alarm is triggered, it goes off after about a 4 second delay. I didn't pay attention too much after it went off, because it went off when our guest opened the window without knowing in the morning. I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs to turn it off, I am not sure but I think it sounded longer than 4 seconds once it went off, until I turned it off.

I will test it properly at a decent time because I don't want to disturb my neighbors.