Need a Radio Controlled Relay

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SG-1

SG-1

Senior Member
Location
Ware Shoals, South Carolina
I need some help finding a radio controlled relay or contact.

The transmitter will be hand held.
The relay must have at least one normal open contact.
The relay contact is only closed while the operator presses on the transmitter button. (Dead Man Switch application)
A 50 ft range should be sufficient.
 
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gar

Senior Member
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Occupation
EE
130912-2218 EDT

SG-1:

See if a Sears garage door opener will work. The output contact remains closed the entire time the transmitter button is pushed on an old model I have.

My transmitter model is MBW1D3469 @ 139.53778 MHz.

.
 
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GoldDigger

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Retired PV System Designer
gar said:
130912-2218 EDT

SG-1:

See if a Sears garage door opener will work. The output contact remains closed the entire time the transmitter button is pushed on an old model I have.

My transmitter model is MBW1D3469 @ 139.53778 MHz.

.
Click to expand...

SG-1:
That would probably a lot less expensive than anything specifically designed for Dead Man use.
But I have three concerns.

1. The combination of range and use time on one battery typical of a garage door transmitter may not meet your needs. I assume that you need the transmitter to be have self-contained power or else you would not need wireless. Some aftermarket transmitter replacements may use larger batteries or be more accessible for adding external battery power.

2. The relay in a typical garage door opener receiver may not be rated for continuous use. Investigate this to be sure. Similarly, the transmitter may not be designed for continuous operation.

3. Depending on how you mount the receiver and hold the transmitter, you may not get the 50' range you need.
 
Jraef

Jraef

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SG-1

SG-1

Senior Member
Location
Ware Shoals, South Carolina
GoldDigger said:
SG-1:
That would probably a lot less expensive than anything specifically designed for Dead Man use.
But I have three concerns.

1. The combination of range and use time on one battery typical of a garage door transmitter may not meet your needs. I assume that you need the transmitter to be have self-contained power or else you would not need wireless. Some aftermarket transmitter replacements may use larger batteries or be more accessible for adding external battery power.

2. The relay in a typical garage door opener receiver may not be rated for continuous use. Investigate this to be sure. Similarly, the transmitter may not be designed for continuous operation.

3. Depending on how you mount the receiver and hold the transmitter, you may not get the 50' range you need.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the caveat. I found one other option that is even cheeper.
1.Dumpster dive for a cordless phone with a base that can ring the phone.
2.Use an OP Amp to boost the signal for your relay.
He claims the whole thing can come in under 2 bucks if you use your five finger discount for the OP amp.
 
SG-1

SG-1

Senior Member
Location
Ware Shoals, South Carolina
Jraef said:
Reliability might be a problem with the Sears unit, but I don't know the nature of your project. But if you want reliability, these two companies (and their predecessors) are ones that I have used in industrial crane controls (Catron) and Mining controls (Cervis).

http://www.cattron.com/dnn/Products...rollers/tabid/234/language/en-US/Default.aspx

http://cervisinc.com/products/wireless-controls/smart/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links. Plan to use the control as the interlock system for a 100KV dielectric test set.
 
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