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[Francey]

Uh Oh!  What does your 3rd item mean... Input type B and output mode 3?
and
Remember?  Uh Oh!  Jumpers?  Ummm...Where do I find them? 
By the way, the Powerflash has an All Units Off button, which I assume means if the Lamp is lit or Robodog is barking, this switch will shut
them both off...  ?

What is NC used for?
Thanks, Frances

[Brian H]

Look at Reply #37 of this thread.
It shows the PSC01 with the Input Switch set to B and the Mode Switch set to 3.
Here is the manual link though it probably is in a sheet in the PSC01 box.
http://www.authinx.com/manuals/X10/PSC01.pdf

#37 also shows the Dakota Alert board. With 4 rows of jumpers. Marked 1-2-3-4.
Each relay 1-2-3-4. Has a set of timeout settings.
If you are using relay#1 use the relay 1 timer jumpers. The settings are 1-10-60 seconds or 10 Minutes.

I believe the Robo Dog has a default time out of 30 seconds. Selecting 10 seconds for the relay will give you a 10 second bark and light. 1 second would be too short. 60 second would give you 30 seconds of bark and a 60 second light.

The relays in the Dakota Alert have a NO {normally open} and NC {normally closed} contact with reference to the COM common connection. When the relay is not active NC is connected and NO is not connected to common. When activated NC is open and NO is closed to Common. You want the PSC01 to see the closure when activated. So you use the NO contacts that close when activated. In your application NC is not used.

[Brian H]

The All Units Off button on the PSC01 will turn off all the X10 modules set on its House Code Dial. Unit 1 through Unit 16.
So lets say you have it on the default A1. When the All Units Off button is pushed.
Any module on House Code A will go off. Possibly including things you didn't expect. Like a fan or other device on a addressed A10 Appliance Module.

[Francey]

OK..
I just set the PSC01 to B and Mode 3.  Both units are connected and plugged in.
  Now I have the Alert's schematic in front of me.
I have no idea what Jumper my unit is set on.  Assuming I have ONLY one outdoor Transmitter, then am I already set on J1?


J1, J2, J3 & J4 must be the Jumpers you are describing.
As I understand your directions:
Observe vertical choice of J1: Select Ch1   
Observe vertical choice of J4: Select 10 secs.
Is that the correct procedure?


The Schematic doesn't title Relay on anything shown.
I don't know what your instruction of Relay indicates, unless J1, J2, J3, J4 (Jumpers) are also titled Relays...Yes?
(Please be patient, I'm learning...-smile-)  Frances

[Brian H]

I have no idea on the Alert Transmitter and Receiver.
I have never used one and only have the users manuals for them.

Someone with one maybe able to give you a much clearer designation of the Jumpers and what each does.
I see some of the switches select the code used and both have to match. Some of the switches also select which melody it plays.

I also noticed the labels on the time jumpers are not called out the way I described them. yes they do set how long the relay stays on after being triggered. They look confusing and maybe mislabeled in the uses manual I downloaded.

Why don't you do some tests to see how it is presently set up.

On the PSC01 is a TEST button. If you push and hold it. If the X10 address and communications between the PSC01 and the Robo Dog are OK. It should start barking when you hold the test button and stop when you release it. If the Lamp Module is also in the setup. It should go On and Off with the test Button on the PSC01.

If you trip the Dakota Alert Transmitter. You can see if it is receiving and may hear one of the melodies playing.
You may also see the Robo Dog and lights go On then back Off. That may give you a sense of the time set. Also any changes you make in the switches or jumpers do not take effect until the receiver power is turned off then back on again.

[dhouston]

I think the DCR-2500 User Manual is the worst I've ever seen.

The text indicates there are 10 switches on Fig 1-3 (upper left) but the drawing only shows 8. From the text, setting switches 9 & 10 ON selects Channel 1 which is the channel I assumed in my earlier schematic. 

[Francey]

Good Morning everyone...
After spending last night studying the Alert manual and discovering how BADLY written it is and using the advice here, I finally
understand the operation of the Alert and the usage of the Powerflash.
For such a nice little Driveway Alert System to be muddied up by such an idiotic Instruction Manual defies logic...However, it is known
that some inventors can invent a remarkable item, but have no idea how to teach it to someone else.  Some big thinker said and has
been quoted by many.."If what you are teaching can't be understood by a ten year old, then you need to let someone else do the teaching."
(or something to that effect.) -smile- 
Thank you everyone for the kind help.

[Brian H]

Thank you for the progress update.
Keep us in the loop if you have further questions or issues.

The Alert Manual reads almost like an experiment. Set a jumper or switch. Cycle the power so it is found. Then test and see what the changes did.

[Francey]

Good Morning, all...
Back to Square One.  The PSC01 does not communicate with the Alert 2500.  Both work perfectly by themselves.
I emailed Dakota and their replies are similar to the Instruction Book.

Email sent:     
Tony:  Should I change something in the J1, J2, or J3 columns to connect to the X10?
I have changed nothing to the inside of the Receiver or the Transmitter, except for
installing the batteries.

This is the reply I received:

You have to set your transmitter outside off to get the relays to work. The power button or the test button won't activate them.
He lost me here.  Can anyone translate this for me? .
There is no Test button.  I'm assuming by Power Button,  he means the On/Off switch, which does sound the TONE when I switch it on and off.
Any insight you can offer here will be appreciated.  Frances

[Brian H]

The reply you got was not for the Dakota Alert as it has no Test Button. The PSC01 has the Test Button.

If the PSC01 will not control the Robo Dog when the test button is pushed. In its normal location.
You may have a communications problem or an address issue.

If the Lamp Module is in the setup right now. Does the Test Button on the PSC01 control it?

As a test. Put the PSC01 in the same outlet as the Robo Dog and hold the Test Button. It should start barking and stop when you release the Test Button. If not verify the House Code Dial is on A and the Unit Cod Dial is on 1 and try again.
Let us know what happens. The Dakota Alert relay has no voltage on it. So you can disconnect it from the PSC01 and not worry about the bare wire ends.

I believe the Dakota Alert has a tone when tripped. If the transmitter is triggered. Does the tone sound on the receiver?
That is probably what the Dakota Alert support was asking. Does the Dakota Transmitter trigger the receiver?

[Francey]

PROBLEM SOLVED....

Just received a messaged from Tony.  This time I understood the message.

Went to the driveway entrance Dakota Alert TRANSMITTER BOX.
RESET the tone to what the instruction book labels as CHANNEL 1
(on, on, Classical)

Drove my car over the hose. 
Drove back to the house and checked the lamp, and EUREKA! the lamp was ON.
If the lamp is on then Robodog barked his 10 seconds.
The light stayed on for 60 seconds. 
I am delighted.  THANK YOU for you help.  Frances

[Brian H]

Good to see the Dakota Alert did work with a vehicle.
Just being cautious. Did you actually hear the Robo Dog?
Holding the Test Button on the PSC01 would verify the Robo Dog actually barked.

[dhouston]

In retrospect I should have looked at the transmitter manual (which does show all 10 switches) but also in retrospect I would have just used a real dog. 

[Francey]

-smile-  I do have a 'real' dog... but she's in her shady spot during the summer.  If car enters driveway 60' away, she barks but I cannot
hear her in the house...it's brick and deadens sound from outside.  When the lawnmower man comes, I always bring her in, knowing how
mowers can throw rocks and such.  However, 2 weeks ago....I did not hear the man arrive and he had mown half the lawn before I knew he was there.  That is when I decided to install the Driveway Alert hose and utilize the Lamp Module & Robodog. 

Most folks have great hearing, but I do not.  With the 2 second Alert in the living room, it is heard clearly...while in the room.  But, around the corner into the
kitchen or the Laundry room... I was unable to hear the 2 second tone... Thus, Robodog came into mind.  I can hear Robodog down the hallway because he barks
for a longer period of time.  I can SEE the lamp in the dinette when it lights, even if I were to miss Robo and and the driveway Alert.
It's tough being hearing impaired, but that's life...-smile-

The TEST button does trigger Robodog for 10 seconds and the light for 60 seconds.  Went out today & on return when entering house, light was
on for it's designated time.  As soon as someone enters my driveway, I'll be able to verify that Robodog is indeed barking...

You'd be surprised
at what a wonderful feeling it is 'knowing' what's going on outside & who might be there.  This Springtime, two 'uninvited' logging
men stopped by and thought no one was home, looked in windows, etc., and were coming around the back of the house when I just happened
to be outside and 'met' them...a surprise, for both.  I'm sure they meant no harm, but it was alarming to me.  Simple security is great!
Thank you all for your kind input.  Frances

[Brian H]

I just wanted to verify the Robo Dog and the Lamp Module both triggered.
If the Dakota Alert turned the Lamp Module on for 60 seconds and the Test Button triggered both.
I am sure a car triggering an alarm will also sound the Robo Dog. When it triggered the PSC01.