Re: Looking at how to use the DS10A with other devices

["wkearney99" <wkearney99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> My first project is to monitor the mailbox. I was thinking of replacing
> the magnetic contact switch/magnet pair with a tilt switch... maybe not.

Or how about a light sensor?  The box ought to be dark enough when closed to
make one useful.  A light sensor won't have any physical alignment issues
like a mechanical swtich might.  Or you could use a magnetic reed switch
with the magnet glued to the door of the box; even using two to cover the
opening of either side.  Just wire 'em up in parallel.

> When I cut the sidewalk, before I pour the cement, I plan to tunnel
> underneath, and provide a way to hardwire this in the future. Anyway...

I've tunneled underneath sidewalks, it's easy.  Just dig a hole on each side
and then use a stiff piece of something like 3/4" outdoor PVC conduit
attached to a garden hose.  I found the threads on a garden hose fit
reasonably well into the PVC.  I also purchased a male brass hose repair
fitting and screwed it into the 'business' end of the PVC.  It helped
increase the boring pressure of the flow.  It was a messy job, what with
boring through dirt with a pressurized water flow, but went right under a 4'
walk in about 10 minutes.  The trick is in making sure your holes are deep
enough to go under the gravel base of the walk.  That and that the pushing
end is wide enough to allow pushing the conduit.  I was lucky that the lawn
sloped down along that side but I still had to 'bend' the conduit a little
bit to keep it carving a level channel.

> Mister House is awesome software! It not only supports the W800RF32A,
> but it also supports the extended codes. Written in Perl, for both
> Windoze and Linux... Open source, and free.

To each his own, I found Homeseer well worth the price.  Their new 2.0
version is having some 'rev dot oh' growing pains but looks like it'll
settle down soon.  Meanwhile I have v1.7 chugging right along.

> I'm thinking to wire both doors to the regular switch, and the min/max
> switch would be in "min" when the street-door is triggered and in "max"
> when the sidewalk-side door is opened. Probably a second switch on 1
> door only. I have to think about how to pull this off...

Resistance?  Does it base the min/max on an analog value?  If so a resistor
in series with each switch would work.