Wire dimmers available?

[Codeblack]

Great, it looks like you really spend a lot of time on perfecting the electronics and software of your X10 devices. Let us know when you finish it , with the Zigbee update of course . I've decided not to get into X10 myself or any other powerline communication. I'm currently working out my order list of Zigbee components. Since no ready-to-install components are available yet in the EU (right?), I'm planning on making some components myself. Maybe this justifies a new forum... Not for the Zigbee part (or other way of communication) of the devices, but the more electronic DIY part of it.

Could you tell me what kind of special devices you ordered to make the power supply smaller? Or any other tricks to make the device as small as a wire dimmer? Like I said, I'm really interested in small scale design of power supplies, dimmers, switches, etc. I've already cracked open 2 KAKU dimmers to reverse engineer the schematics .

[Han]

Hello,

The current way of getting a 5V power supply which can handle about 10ma (for a X10 transmitter you need about 40mA), is by using the principle as described in an application not from MicroChip (AN954). For 40 mA this means a 1uF capacitor that is able to handle 350V. Which means it is large. You can see it on the photograph of the sensor units. By using a chip from Supertex (SR087) this can be done in a much smaller space.

I have been in contact with a Swiss company which sells some Zigbee products. The Alhoco.s2 should conform to the Zigbee HA profile adhoco.com/produkte/aktoren/universaldi ... adhoco.s2/. At least that is what I was told.

[Han]

Hi,
Just for those who are interested in the hardware part:
I have changed the code in my X10 receive unit in such a way that it reacts (transmits) to a status request and also as a result of a button push.
It transmits the data on one of the PIC 16F630 pins, just as ones and zeros. The data is picked up by a second PIC (8 pin 12F683) which only has the task to translate these ones and zeros to the 120kHz puls bursts required by X10 units. Actually, the transmitted X10 data is picked up by the unit and results in the light to go on or off (so the buttons are no longer controlling the light directly).
One of the important things is to have a transmit burst frequency that is as close as possible to 120kHz. Using a Xtal to accomplish this is making the design expensive and bigger. I used a startup routine to calibrate the clockfrequency of the PIC12F683 (this frequency can be changed in the firmware). I used the 50Hz netfrequency as a reference (the net frequency is very accurate!!). This results in an output frequency that is within 2% of the desired 120kHz.
Another impovement is the output driver. I changed the bipolar transistor driver with an integrated one that uses mosfets: Microchip TC1413.

I did some testing and the bidirectional set up works fine. I only have to add the dim-bright transmissions.
Unfortunately I do not have the possibility to do SMD boards, otherwise it would have fitted in the same space as the "receive only" unit.

[Han]

Hello,
I added the dim/bright transmisions and the unit is fully operational now. One of the things I notice now is the slower reaction to the button commands. Transmission of an X10 On command takes about 900ms (2 times 22 cycles for the address and 2 times 22 cycles for the function, 6 cycles in between). My units react already when the first function is received, so this means a reaction time of about 700ms.
I'm wondering how the Xanura units are doing this. These units are also transmitting button pushes. But I do not know if the transmitted X10 functions are also used as an input for the units to react on. Can somebody tell me if also the local dim and bright commands are transmitted? And how long does it take fo those units to react to a button push?
I added the additional hardware for the X10 transmit function to an existing "receive only" unit. It doesn't look very nice, but I managed to build it in the same space:

X10_transceiver.JPG

You can see the additional PIC, the driver and the additional 330nF capacitor for delivering enough power during the transmit cycles.

[CaptNemo]

Ordered two Qees Dimmers (~65 euros each). I'll post a small review when I get them.