door bell , detect activation

Hello all

here I come with my very low skills in electronics, to learn stuff that my brain can't compute ;)

I have installed a doorbell downstair, but it doesnt ring loud enought. So I taugh I would make a clever doorbell chime/lights with a PIC brain for upstair, as I don't really wan't to hear a loud thing all the time.

So I extended a wire upstair, thinking I could tap into to signal serially just adding a resistor(it's 12v). uhhh.

http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/atta...1&d=1201800699

But then I realized I would never get anything from that setup, unless I would tap into the line serially with a relays.

So I wonder know, is there a *simple*, electronic way(else than a relay) to get a 5v signal from that setup??
Some kind of ghost current detection? :)

thanks to the knowedgeables!

Dom

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flipper_md

Hello all
here I come with my very low skills in electronics, to learn stuff that my brain can't compute ;)
I have installed a doorbell downstair, but it doesnt ring loud enought. So I taugh I would make a clever doorbell chime/lights with a PIC brain for upstair, as I don't really wan't to hear a loud thing all the time.
So I extended a wire upstair, thinking I could tap into to signal serially just adding a resistor(it's 12v). uhhh.
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/atta...1&d=1201800699
But then I realized I would never get anything from that setup, unless I would tap into the line serially with a relays.
So I wonder know, is there a *simple*, electronic way(else than a relay) to get a 5v signal from that setup??
Some kind of ghost current detection? :)
thanks to the knowedgeables!
Dom

---

Wireless doorbell from Walmart or something... $10, runs for a couple of years off 2 AA's, range of a 100 feet or so. Mine was a bit loud, muffled it with duct tape internally (after all, what CAN'T duct tape do). And it has an on/off switch when I just don't want to listen to it.
Now THAT is simple.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skimask

Wireless doorbell from Walmart or something... $10, runs for a couple of years off 2 AA's, range of a 100 feet or so. Mine was a bit loud, muffled it with duct tape internally (after all, what CAN'T duct tape do). And it has an on/off switch when I just don't want to listen to it.
Now THAT is simple.

---

But if you want to learn electronics, try a voltage divider.
http://www.pbpgroup.com/modules/wfse...p?articleid=25

Hi,

Try that.

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/2532/doorbpj4.th.png
(Click to enlarge the picture)

Optocoupler Datasheet:
http://www.vishay.com/docs/83675/sfh620.pdf

Best regards,

Luciano

Great,

I'll see what I can do with opto or voltage divider(Once I grab components to try)


and skimask, it's just a personnal choice but my life rule is away from wireless ;)




thanks guys for ur time!


Dom

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flipper_md

and skimask, it's just a personnal choice but my life rule is away from wireless ;)
Dom

---

Don't get me wrong...I'm all about over-designing, over-engineering something, anything :D But some things...a guy just has to go out and buy...

Hi flipper_md,
Here is a trick I learned here, cheap, simple, in a word elegant: use an LM78L05 regulator.
the input goes to your 12v+ wire ground to 12v - and output is your 5V +. It is a TO92 case device, perfect as an input reducer for a PIC . Must rectify to use,not for A/C

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skimask

(after all, what CAN'T duct tape do).

---

I read somewhere that almost all problems can be fixed by either duct tape or a helping of WD40. Now if things were really that simple.....

JF

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jerson

I read somewhere that almost all problems can be fixed by either duct tape or a helping of WD40. Now if things were really that simple.....

JF

---

Of course it's not always that simple...You forgot the 48oz drill hammer!

AHah

i'm a big fan of duct tape too. Two in the car, one in the trailer, one in the house...just so handy and easy to understand ;)


Hey Joe S, I'll give a try to your idea, but actually I'd like to be able to tap in the signal like a spy, not having access to the ground signal.
Rectifying the current sound interresting doh! If I tap 2 diodes to the thing, maybe I can get some DC current trace thru a wire??


I'm really not a big fan of AC =)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flipper_md

AHah



I'm really not a big fan of AC =)

---

Yeah, neither was Edison . . .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flipper_md
I'm really not a big fan of AC =)

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Joe S.

Yeah, neither was Edison . . .

---

Please don't kill an elephant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topsy_(elephant)

Best regards,

Luciano