Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.
Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.
Inevitably there is nothing as simple as a screw so you need to start
prising the cover off.
Inevitably little plastic ears snap off.

Damn things!

En el artículo 42,
DerbyBorn escribió:

Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.

Mains powered ones are a few quid from the bay of fleas. I got one with
two sounders, they just plug into a 13A socket. Choice of ring tones,
most of which are truly awful but there's an acceptable ding-dong one.

Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.

I put the wireless pushbutton on the *inside* of the door, drilled small
hole through, put standard bell push on outside. Passed wires through,
soldered to wireless sender pushbutton.

Wireless pushbutton protected from weather, battery terminals won't
corrode, battery easy to change without snapping bits of UV-embrittled
plastic, exterior pushbutton falls to bits, simple and cheap to change.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
18.142...

Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.
Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.
Inevitably there is nothing as simple as a screw so you need to start
prising the cover off.
Inevitably little plastic ears snap off.

Damn things!
-------------
FYI - Some models allow you to use a normal push-button outside, wired to a
transmitter inside. So you can have a "gold plated fish-head monstrosity"
outside with wireless function and avoid having one of those, frankly nasty
looking, wireless transmitters on your door frame.

That would solve the look and UV degradation - not sure about the quality of
construction though.

Paul DS

"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
18.142...

Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.
Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.
Inevitably there is nothing as simple as a screw so you need to start
prising the cover off.
Inevitably little plastic ears snap off.

Damn things!
-------------
FYI - Some models allow you to use a normal push-button outside, wired to a
transmitter inside. So you can have a "gold plated fish-head monstrosity"
outside with wireless function and avoid having one of those, frankly nasty
looking, wireless transmitters on your door frame.

That would solve the look and UV degradation - not sure about the quality of
construction though.

Paul DS

"Paul D Smith" wrote in message
...
"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
18.142...

Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.
Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.
Inevitably there is nothing as simple as a screw so you need to start
prising the cover off.
Inevitably little plastic ears snap off.

Damn things!
-------------
FYI - Some models allow you to use a normal push-button outside, wired to
a transmitter inside. So you can have a "gold plated fish-head
monstrosity" outside with wireless function and avoid having one of those,
frankly nasty looking, wireless transmitters on your door frame.

That would solve the look and UV degradation - not sure about the quality
of construction though.

Paul DS


I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair - any
suggestions for a detector switch?

On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?

Yes, there is a lot to be said for wires. Seems strange as bell pushes have
been made of plastic for many years, so why can they not use the same type
for the wireless bells? I suspect the answer is cost and china.
I'm not sure about temperature affecting batteries to that extent unless
there is a leakage due to damp or something. The same issue seems to dog
weather stations with remote sensors from the reports I hear, so it needs to
be solved.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
18.142...
Inevitably batteries in the door push fail in the cold weather.
Inevitably the plastic has become brittle due to the sun in the summer and
the cold of the winter.
Inevitably there is nothing as simple as a screw so you need to start
prising the cover off.
Inevitably little plastic ears snap off.

Damn things!

On Thursday, January 24, 2013 10:54:09 AM UTC, GB wrote:
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:



I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -

any suggestions for a detector switch?





Hang a bell on it?

We had an alarm once that worked from the sensor on an outside light. The alarm could be plugged into any 13 amp socket. Trouble was wild life set it off so swmbo threw it out.

Geoff Pearson wrote:
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 24/01/2013 11:47, John Williamson wrote:
Geoff Pearson wrote:
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

But would that only work if the gate is opened fully?

Besides that, people tend to leave garden gates open, which might mean
the home owner is driven mad by the buzzer sounding continuously, and it
won't then detect the next person. If the owners then fit a really
strong return spring to close the gate, people can get hurt.

GB wrote:
On 24/01/2013 11:47, John Williamson wrote:
Geoff Pearson wrote:
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

But would that only work if the gate is opened fully?

No, it would work as soon as the switch state is changed by the magnet
which is normally at a couple of centimetres from the magnet at most. If
the switch is on the latch side, then opening the gate even a fraction
will work it. Attach it to a stop which the gate hits when it's fuly
open, it will activate when the gate hits the stop. How this works,
depends on how it's fitted to the gate. You can even fit one so that it
works momentarily as the gate passes a certain angle.

Besides that, people tend to leave garden gates open, which might mean
the home owner is driven mad by the buzzer sounding continuously, and it
won't then detect the next person. If the owners then fit a really
strong return spring to close the gate, people can get hurt.

The buzzer can be on a short monostable drive circuit to give a beep as
the gate opens, with just a warning light to show when the gate is open.
The spring only needs to be strong enough to close the gate against
hinge friction and wind resistance, and if it's a wrought iron gate,
there's not a lot of wind resistance to overcome.

Failing that, point a webcam at it and use a motion sensor on a
computer, which only needs to be an old, obsolete one running Linux.
Even the 500 MHz Pentium laptop I've got sitting in a cupboard is
adequate for this application.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
Geoff Pearson wrote:
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair - any
suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

I was beginning to think along those lines.

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?



The front gate is too far from the back of the house to hear such a bell.

On 24/01/2013 16:58, Geoff Pearson wrote:

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?



The front gate is too far from the back of the house to hear such a bell.

Some bells can be heard many miles away...

--
Rod

GB wrote
John Williamson wrote
Geoff Pearson wrote
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

But would that only work if the gate is opened fully?

Nope. The worst you might have to do is put the magnet on a bit of a
block so it swings away from the switch quicker than it would otherwise do.

Besides that, people tend to leave garden gates open, which might mean the
home owner is driven mad by the buzzer sounding continuously, and it won't
then detect the next person.

Yeah, you do need something a bit better than just another switch
into a wireless doorbell that starts ringing on a contact closure.

If the owners then fit a really strong return spring to close the gate,
people can get hurt.

Its easy enough to have a return spring that's not powerful
enough to hurt anyone and which closes the gate auto.

"polygonum" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 16:58, Geoff Pearson wrote:

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?



The front gate is too far from the back of the house to hear such a bell.

Some bells can be heard many miles away...

Those bells don't fit on gates like that that well tho.

On 24/01/2013 16:58, Geoff Pearson wrote:

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?



The front gate is too far from the back of the house to hear such a bell.

Can I ask what the purpose is, please?

For example, will it be so that you know if someone enters? In that
case, you will need to ensure that the gate is closed beforehand. Is
that easily done?

How serious is it if someone get in unannounced?

How much annoyance are you prepared for from the bell ringing when it
shouldn't?

On 24/01/2013 12:26, John Williamson wrote:
GB wrote:
On 24/01/2013 11:47, John Williamson wrote:
Geoff Pearson wrote:
I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?

Wires to a reed switch potted in epoxy and a magnet on the gate?

But would that only work if the gate is opened fully?

No, it would work as soon as the switch state is changed by the magnet
which is normally at a couple of centimetres from the magnet at most. If
the switch is on the latch side, then opening the gate even a fraction
will work it. Attach it to a stop which the gate hits when it's fuly
open, it will activate when the gate hits the stop. How this works,
depends on how it's fitted to the gate. You can even fit one so that it
works momentarily as the gate passes a certain angle.

Besides that, people tend to leave garden gates open, which might mean
the home owner is driven mad by the buzzer sounding continuously, and
it won't then detect the next person. If the owners then fit a really
strong return spring to close the gate, people can get hurt.

The buzzer can be on a short monostable drive circuit to give a beep as
the gate opens, with just a warning light to show when the gate is open.
The spring only needs to be strong enough to close the gate against
hinge friction and wind resistance, and if it's a wrought iron gate,
there's not a lot of wind resistance to overcome.

The spring needs to close the gate even in autumn when there's a big
pile of leaves in the way, and even if someone hasn't oiled the hinges
for a while. Plus it would be damned annoying if the gate doesn't
quite swing completely shut, so the buzzer sounds the whole time or
doesn't sound next time someone comes in.






Failing that, point a webcam at it and use a motion sensor on a
computer, which only needs to be an old, obsolete one running Linux.
Even the 500 MHz Pentium laptop I've got sitting in a cupboard is
adequate for this application.

In article ,
says...

On 24/01/2013 16:58, Geoff Pearson wrote:

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 24/01/2013 08:34, Geoff Pearson wrote:

I want one to detect when my front gate opens - a heavy iron affair -
any suggestions for a detector switch?


Hang a bell on it?



The front gate is too far from the back of the house to hear such a bell.

Some bells can be heard many miles away...

But Quasimodo ended up deaf anyway & still overslept his alarm.

--
Sam