[JimE]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I'd like to change a motion activated relay on one of my animatronic halloween props to a remote control switch. Is this pretty easy to do? Are there any tutorials you can point me to? I found a 1 Channel Wireless Controller (On/Off) switch on amazon that I'm thinking I could maybe use to do this.

Thanks!

Jim
San Jose, CA

 

[J-Man]

If your prop had a "try me" connection, you could use the remote by connecting the relay to it.

 

[JimE]

Thanks, it has a step pad input. maybe I could rig something up using that. I guess I'd have to wire the controller so that it has a male connector that would plug into the female port.

 

[J-Man]

Thanks, it has a step pad input. maybe I could rig something up using that. I guess I'd have to wire the controller so that it has a male connector that would plug into the female port.

Yeah, that would work. Those connectors are typically 3.5mm (1/8") phono jacks. Just connect the two wires to the N.O. contacts of the relay.

 

[JimE]

Yeah, that would work. Those connectors are typically 3.5mm (1/8") phono jacks. Just connect the two wires to the N.O. contacts of the relay.

Okay, great! Thanks for your quick reply! So, I was just going to purchase one of these:

.amazon.com/AC110V-Wireless-Channel-Remote-Control/dp/B00Z5YJ412/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&qid=1444741139&sr=8-41&keywords=remote+control+relay

and then I'd attach the connector you mentioned above, correct? Is that the best approach? Sorry, can't post links yet because I only have two posts under my belt. Just add the http www

 

[J-Man]

Honestly, I think you'd be better off with something like this.
It's 12vdc instead of 120v.http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12v-1-C...tary-Switch-/150980877986?hash=item2327295ea2

 

[JimE]

Honestly, I think you'd be better off with something like this.
It's 12vdc instead of 120v.http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12v-1-C...tary-Switch-/150980877986?hash=item2327295ea2

hmm... not sure how to wire that one up. Would I just attach the two wires from the connector cable to any of those contacts on that circuit board? I'm an electronics neophyte. Which ones are the normally open N.O. contacts?

 

[J-Man]

The terminal block next to the relay will have 3 connections, NO, C, NC. You would connect to C and NO. The "C" is common, the "NO" is normally open, the NC is normally closed.

 

[JimE]

The terminal block next to the relay will have 3 connections, NO, C, NC. You would connect to C and NO. The "C" is common, the "NO" is normally open, the NC is normally closed.

Okay, i think I'll be able to figure it out (as long as they're marked)!

 

[J-Man]

Yeah, they'll be labeled.

 

[JimE]

Yeah, they'll be labeled.

I found this post from a guy who did it:

http://buttonbanger.com/?page_id=49

He said he had to desolder something on the board which I'd prefer to avoid. Is this something I'm probably going to have to do too?

 

[JimE]

I found this post from a guy who did it:

http://buttonbanger.com/?page_id=49

He said he had to desolder something on the board which I'd prefer to avoid. Is this something I'm probably going to have to do too?

Actually, I posted before watching the video. He said some relays are in "latching" mode and some aren't. I guess it's just the luck of the draw whether you purchase one in the proper configuration. Looks like I'll also need to power it.

 

[J-Man]

The link I gave you says "Momentary" in the description which is what you want. That means as long as you're holding the button, the relay is active, when you release the button, the relay is off. That being said, most of these boards are mode selectable, usually with simple jumpers but I can't tell by the photos. You should be fine with this one. If you get it and you need help, someone's always here.

 

[JimE]

The link I gave you says "Momentary" in the description which is what you want. That means as long as you're holding the button, the relay is active, when you release the button, the relay is off. That being said, most of these boards are mode selectable, usually with simple jumpers but I can't tell by the photos. You should be fine with this one. If you get it and you need help, someone's always here.

haha. got it. you're ahead of the game!

 

[J-Man]

You can power it with 8 AA batteries (8 batteries in series = 12v)

 

[JimE]

so, I got the relay and am powering it with 12V dc adapter. However, the setup doesn't work the way I want it to. If I plug the male connector into the step pad port the prop activates even before I connect the wires to the relay. Then, if I connect the wires to the relay the prop doesn't activate. The little light on the relay flickers when I press either the A and B button, but nothing from the prop. If I disconnect the wires from the relay and then reattach them to the relay the prop activates once but then I can't get it to activate again when I click the A and B on the remote. What perplexes me is how the prop triggers when I first plug in the phono jack even though the two wires at the end aren't connect to anything. Any ideas?

The male plug was taken directly from a Spirit step pad that I snipped. The prop works correctly with the step pad (I have another step pad to test).

 

[J-Man]

With the jack plugged into the prop, simply touching the two bare wire ends together should trigger the prop. If that works, we'll go from there because something isn't right with the relay connections.

 

[JimE]

With the jack plugged into the prop, simply touching the two bare wire ends together should trigger the prop. If that works, we'll go from there because something isn't right with the relay connections.

yes, that works.

 

[J-Man]

OK, your connections to the relay terminals should be on C and NO.

 

[JimE]

Yes, that's what I have connected. I attached two images.