Modded Siren stop communicating to sc1200

[desi77]

My modded siren worked grate, but today it won't trip when my alarm goes off.  So i took to my brother's place since he has same system,it works there
Is it possible that my sc1200 some how not communicating with mini modded power horn.
any suggestions?
maybe my wifi getting in the way?

[dave w]

My modded siren worked grate, but today it won't trip when my alarm goes off.  So i took to my brother's place since he has same system,it works there
Is it possible that my sc1200 some how not communicating with mini modded power horn.
any suggestions?
maybe my wifi getting in the way?

No. power line noise is likely getting in the way. The siren is triggered by signals on the powerline from the 1200, not RF signals.

http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

[desi77]

thanks for your replay
so wires in my house getting the way? i try to put my modded power horn and main unit but still didn't work, i tried 20 times and out of 20 about 3 times it actually worked.
my back around not in electric so when i read provide info it just doesn't make sense to me lol sorry...what is the solution for it
or all i got to do is buy PSC04? maybe i should relocating upstairs or something

[Brian H]

Is the SC1200s House Code and Light Code Correct?
Do you have any other X10 modules you can control with the SC1200s keypad and do they still work?

If no X10 modules can be controlled by the SC1200. You may have power line problems as pointed out or the SC1200s power line transmitter has failed.

[desi77]

Is the SC1200s House Code and Light Code Correct?
Do you have any other X10 modules you can control with the SC1200s keypad and do they still work?

If no X10 modules can be controlled by the SC1200. You may have power line problems as pointed out or the SC1200s power line transmitter has failed.

Yes House and Light code correct, cause it works 1 out of 15 try and it also worked on first try at my brother's house.

I have key chain pad and black pad(forgot the name of it) but they all works from anywhere inside of my home.
i have try to put sc1200 and minipower horn beside eachother too, so it can't be range thing.

[Brian H]

Is it possible your power company has reduced you line voltage for added summer loads?
If your relay is getting lower than 12 volts and was marginal. Lowering the line voltage may just push it over the edge of working or not.
I know the relay you are using used more power than the one the original modifications used.

I will look at your thread and see if I can determine if your white wires where the way I found gave a higher voltage.
Yes which white wire in my tests was on the diode made a difference in the voltage on the relay.

[desi77]

If diode is the reason i can always try the otherway around.  But i thought relay only needs .5amp to energize coils.
I do have my ac on in my house, maybe that something, eatiing up most of power

over this weekend i will try new relay too, like you said maybe its not getting enough power to trip.

[pseeker]

I looked at your R44-1D2-12  relay spec, it says at 12VDC nominal it consumes 360mw power so this translates to 30ma of nominal current to switch the relay.  COmparing this to the radioshack reed relay part#275-0233 (suggested by other forum thread and the one I used) requires 10ma nominal and finally comparing this to the ELK-924 relay which requires 1ma to switch.   If power line noise is not your problem then, you might be in at hairy edge barely supplying enough current to your relay as suggested by Brian.  A lower AC voltage at your house would produce a lower current output for your relay

[Brian H]

You could try the white wires reversed and see if anything changes.
Don't reverse the diodes band to the relay.

[desi77]

Both of you guys got "Helpful Post"" from me...
i got another relay which i will try , but before that i will try to switching my white wires.
new relay is Remtech PRMA2A12, it should require less power to trip.

[Brian H]

PRMA2A12 has a typical coil resistance of 500 Ohms. That is 24 ma at 12 volts {288 mw}. Not much less than the relay you are now using.

[desi77]

yes i did test at my work, it is less but like you said not much.  But if this doesn't work than i have head to closest radioshack and find that relay.
so i need relay with less resistance  (100-200 Ohms)?

[Brian H]

No more resistance for its voltage rating.

[desi77]

No more resistance for its voltage rating.

Bro not sure what you meant? But keep in mind I read this after having few beers lol

[Brian H]

You want a more sensitive relay. That uses less power to activate.
You want a 12 volt relay with a higher resistance so it uses less current that translates to less power to activate it.

I used a few surplus 12 volt reed relays I got from Allelectronics.
A DUNCO MRR1AD130 that has a coil of 1400 Ohms.
A Magnecraft 107DIP-3 that has a coil of 1200 Ohms.
Unfortunately both seem to be no longer listed on the Allelectronics site.

The Radio Shack 275-233 pointed out in the construction thread has a 1050 Ohm Coil.