yet another question on siren :-)

[leo]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows how much
current does internal siren of Radio shack
49-1000 deliver to the buzzer. I am thinking
of removing the buzzer and extend a wire to
external siren which runs off 12VDC source.
I have tried this but the unit does not
deliver enough power to fully sound the
horn. The horn works fine because I
connected it to 12V battery and it sounded
perfect (better than ADT :-)... I am
not sure what to do. Maybe I can add
a relay switch and connect it to external
horn. Anyone knows what kind of relay
to use? I just wish X10 did better job
with these horns...

thank you
leo

[Brian H]

Do you know if the internal sounder is like
a speaker or a piezo transducer? Piezo's
like the ones in the SH10A and PH508 are run
by a high voltage with almost no current. I
am trying to get a SH10A to drive a
sensative relay as I have drawn a sketch
from tracing components in one. Relay
arrived today and I maybe playing soon. I
have not looked into a DS7000 or 49-1000 but
may also give them a look also.

[Brian H]

I looked at the rear of my 49-1000 and it
looks like a piezo transducer where the
siren sound is coming from. The chime
speaker is on the top cover.

[leo]

Hi Brian,

Thanks ofr the reply. What kind of relay
did  u order? Please let me know what
you find out. Thanks

leo

[leo]

Hi Brian,

Thanks ofr the reply. What kind of relay
did  u order? Please let me know what
you find out. Thanks

leo

[Brian H]

You are welcome. Have two relays that I
wnted to try. Both the PH508 and SH10A
should be tested shortly. I may pop the
cover on the 49-1000 to see how they did it
in that model.

[Brian H]

Oh the question on relay. I am trying two
sensative type relays as they take very
little power as we where trying to drive it
from the transducer. I got 24 volt ones as
the SH10A has a 29-30 volt supply on the
transducers drive transistor and there is
Pulsing DC on the transducer. The PH508
actually has places for the relay and has
about a +28 volt to -15 volt connection and
resistor R30 that can be used to drop the
voltages. So also a 24 volt one there.
Preliminary on the 49-1000 it has NO DC on
the piezo transducer and is driven by a
transformer with no DC supply to help drive
a relay. Even my high input resistance meter
seems to load down the sound from it. I may
try a few high speed switching diodes and a
capacitor to see what voltage I can get and
maybe a sensative relay may work there also.
More tests this afternoon.

[leo]

Hi Brian, So if I understand you right,
the wire which is attached to buzzer does
not deliver enough amps to trigger a relay?
Do u know how much amps and Volts is
going through that wire/ I am refering to
the wire which is attached to the Buzzer.


Thanks
leo

[Brian H]

It is a high impedance circuit and even
loads down with my meter. My scope shows
maybe 40 to 50 volt AC spikes. I put a
diode; capacitor and resistor of about the
value coil resistance my relays are and the
voltage was about 20 volts. NO Amps on that
output. Maybe a few miliamps at best. It was
not designed to drive any power device like
a relay coil. Just a piezo transduccer. I
was using an Omron sensative relay that took
4.3ma but have found a NEC one that is even
less a load. On the 49-1000 it maybe needed
to use a sensative relay soldered to the
input side of the transformer and that would
also need a blocking diode and a capacitor
to smooth it out. The SH10A and PH508 that
we know the 49-1000 can't use have a small
DC on the transducers and I maybe able to
drive them. I may get a NEC relay to try
anyway.

[leo]

WOW, thanks for the valuable info. Good Job !

I can not believe why X10/Radioshack did not
add external siren as the option. So many
people would benefit with such a feature.
My best hope is to wait till Radio shack
comes with the external siren
similiar to Powehorn.

For now, I have moved the internal siren to
an outside location in my house where siren
is loud enough to notify my next door
neighbour :-)

Pls let me know what you find out.

Thank you,
Leo (and many others who are reading
this thread)

[Brian H]

You are welcome. I ordered the NEC ED2-24NJ
[24 Volt] and ED2-12NJ [12 Volt] today from
Mouser Electronics today. Missed the
Priority Mail deadline for today. Will ship
tomorrow and be here by weeks end.
They are both a very low power high
sensativity relay and have 1 amp contacts
for the output. Will have to add a diode and
capacitor to it to hope and get it to work.

[Brian H]

I think that R.S.; still thinks the PH508
and SH10A work correctly with their 49-1000?
Will post anything else I can find out. If
the thing didn't send the Light Codes and
used the All Units OFF; All Lights ON like
the DS7000 then all would be slightly better.

[leo]

Hi Brian,

This is the siren which I baught and it works
great but ofcourse not with my Radio Shack
(yet)... This is a nice online store and
have good electronics stuff.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?
&DID=7&Partnumber=260-060

Looking to forward to hear back from you.

ps. yes, radio shack still believe Powerhorn
works with their products. Very clueless
folks..

[leo]

Hi Brian,

This is the siren which I baught and it works
great but ofcourse not with my Radio Shack
(yet)... This is a nice online store and
have good electronics stuff.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?
&DID=7&Partnumber=260-060

Looking to forward to hear back from you.

ps. yes, radio shack still believe Powerhorn
works with their products. Very clueless
folks..

[Brian H]

Took a look at the siren you have. Says 12
volts 200Ma. The relay I am looking at is 1
amp resistive so it may have enough to
handle the siren. Since it is a double pole
one both switches could be connected in
parallel for better results. Will post
findings when I have them. Even this high
sensativity relay may load down the internal
sirens output volume. Time will tell.