Re: Status Indicator System
- From: ehsjr <ehsjr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:30:03 GMT
jflash wrote:
OK, first of all, this is more a learning exercise for me (my
background is with computers, but I am wanting to acquire some
electronics skills), although it does have a practical use, so please
bear with me. In my house we have shelf-type-things where folded
clothes are placed after being washed. I am wanting a system where
there is a simple on-off switch either by each person's shelf or in a
group. Each switch would correspond with an indicator in the family
room, either a single light with the persons name beside it, or,
ideally, an airliner seatbelt-type sign with the persons name printed
on front and a light behind it that lit up the name when the
corresponding switch is activated. I would also like to have some way
for that person to reset the light at the shelf when they picked up
their clothes (I'm guessing this would be an argument for the original
switch to be near the shelf so the same switch can be used to both
activate and reset the indicator). One final thing that would be nice
but is not required would be a medium-volume buzzer that sounded
whenever anyone's light was activated.
As I said, this is more of a learning expereience for me than anything
else. I am wanting to know what parts I'd need, how best to go about
assembling the system itself, and anything else I need to know. Thanks
in advance for any help!
Simplest is running 2 wires for each family member
from the family room to the shelf location(s).
Purchase a 12 folt DC wall wart and n LEDs plus n 1K
resistors where n = the number of family members.
Wire up your LEDs and resistors like this:
|> |
---- | |
+V ---+---| 1K |---LED---o o---------+ Shelf 1
| ---- |
| |> | |
| ---- | | |
+---| 1K |---LED---o o-------+ | Shelf 2
| ---- | |
| |> | | |
| ---- | | | |
+---| 1K |---LED---o o-----+ | | Shelf 3
| ---- | | |
}}} |> | }}}}}
| ---- | | | | |
+---| 1K |---LED---o o---+ | | | Shelf n
---- | | | |
| | | |
Gnd -----------------------------+-+-+-+
Use normally open switches, one for each shelf.
Rig it so when the laundry is placed on the shelf,
the switch closes, and when removed, the switch
opens. You could adapt something like catalog
# SMS-196 from All Electronics.
http://www.allelectronics.com/
The LED and resistor will be in the family room near
the wall wart power supply, the switches will be at
the shelf location(s).
LEDs have a polarity - the longer lead goes to
the (+) side (the resistor in this case).+
I do not think you will enjoy a sounder - but if
you want to add it, use a Kobitone PB511, or you
could select something from Sonalert. The Kobitone
is part # 254-PB511 from Mouser for $2.18
http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=home
You'll need 1N4001 or 1N914 or 1N4148 diodes - one
for each family member. The banded end of each diode
connects to the side of each LED that is connected to
a switch. The other ends of the diodes are connected
together, and to the negative side of the sounder. The
other side of the sounder connects to +12.
The work is almost all in running the wiring from the
shelf location(s) to the family room. If the shelves
are all in the same location, you could use CAT5 or
some other multiconductor cable. You should start
with the basic setup - later on, you can add the
"airplane seat belt" kind of light if you want, by
adding some transistors, a more robust power supply
and maybe car tail lights for illumination behind the
person's name. To do that, you would wire the emitters
of the NPN power transistors to ground, and connect
the wires that are going to ground now instead to the
bases of the transistors - 1 wire to 1 transistor.
The collectors would be wired to the tail lights -
1 collector to 1 tail light, and the other side of
each taillight would be wired to + 12. The diodes
that now connect to the LEDs would be moved to the
respective collectors.
Ed
.
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