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Re: Making an X-10 lamp module immune to dimming



"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
news:1348343@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <upJ1k.19034$102.546@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
JeffVolp@xxxxxxx (Jeff Volp) writes:
> | "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> | news:hOWdnZPUEpdFotrVnZ2dnUVZ_jWdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx
> |
> | > I believe the first test will just be to simply disconnect pin 8 from
the
> | > control line.  Hopefully it will be easy to rebridge if that turns out
not
> | > to work.  Also, hopefully, it won't incinerate itself after snipping
that
> | > line.  I guess I can trot out the old 20mm ammo box I have for
containment
> | > of explosive experiments - well, maybe just leave it on a fireproof
> | > surface
> | > to test . . .
> |
> | Whoops, that was a typo before.  Pin 8 is used for the local control.
> | Snipping that will only disable local control.  Pin 6 drives the triac.
> | That line is essential.  If snipped there will be no on/off control at
all.
> | The dimming phase control is inside the IC.
> |
> | It might be possible to extend the pulse coming out of the IC so that if
> | there is ANY pulse at all, the transistor will remain on through the
> | beginning of the next cycle so the unit will switch on right after the
zero
> | crossing.
>
> How much current does the triac's gate draw?  I'd be worried that the
> module's power supply can't handle leaving the transistor on for long.
> These supplies are always by design near their limit.
>
> The $1 modification avoids the power problem by getting the gate drive
> directly from the line/load.  The author appears to know what he is doing
> so I think if there were a simpler way he would have found it.  And it's
> already pretty simple...

But it also pretty clearly states that advanced soldering skills are
required.  )-:


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