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From: Tim Wescott on 6 Apr 2010 12:28 Jon wrote: > "Ecnerwal" <MyNameForward(a)ReplaceWithMyVices.Com.invalid> wrote in message > news:MyNameForward-E56363.11092306042010(a)h1744866.stratoserver.net... >> In article <RJKdnXzc5ulc1CbWnZ2dnUVZ_s6unZ2d(a)web-ster.com>, >> Tim Wescott <tim(a)seemywebsite.now> wrote: >> > <snip> >> If you live in stately Wayne manor, you can have Albert listen and call >> you on the bat communicator when the radio turns off. >> > <snip> >> -- >> Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by > > Great except that the butler is named Alfred!!! :-) He expired from old age, and was replaced by his nephew. -- Tim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com
From: Tim Wescott on 6 Apr 2010 12:32 Dave wrote: > "Dave" <db5151(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:ZLGdnb6RZtCI2CbWnZ2dnUVZ_vCdnZ2d(a)posted.internetamerica... >> Need to rewire (to add a ground) several outlets in my house, which will >> require that I locate the breaker serving each outlet. Wondering if I >> couldn't build my own circuit breaker identifier out of a 9VDC wall-wart >> and some junkbox parts. Am thinking I could just use the wall-wart to run >> a 10kHz oscillator, whose output would be picked up by the transformer in >> the wall-wart and injected into the line thereby. A simple receiver with >> a small coil antenna could be used at the breaker box to locate the >> breaker with the signal going through it. The breaker with the loudest >> signal would be the most likely one to shut off, to see if the signal >> stops. Bingo. Leave that breaker off, test the outlet (just to make sure) >> and then unhook the old wires and hook up the new wires to it before >> putting it back in the wall. Sounds simple. Any obvious holes in my >> reasoning? I'm all ears... >> >> And yes, I could buy a breaker identifier, but all the reasonably priced >> ones seem to have questionable results with some people, or are cheaply >> made. >> >> Thanks, >> >> Dave >> >> > > Fox & hound, stately Wayne Manor? I cannot respond seriously to THIS > foolishness. I asked a reasonable question. Anyone who has serious input > is welcome to reply. Others will be happily ignored. I'm off to get my Op > Amp Cookook and my IC Timer cookbook out and raid my junkbox. I'll let you > know how it turns out. The gizmo (pair of gizmos, actually) that you're proposing to build are known in the trade as a "Fox and Hound". I believe there's even one bnand that's named that. The transmit side is the fox, the sniffer side is the hound. Building them for one house's worth of work, particularly on the mains wiring, is -- quite seriously -- a total waste of time. They're exceedingly handy if you're a telephone technician, though. So if you want to engage in foolishness from a time management perspective, get out your op-amp cookbook and have fun -- just remember that you're wasting time, and enjoy yourself. -- Tim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com
From: Michael A. Terrell on 6 Apr 2010 12:39 Dave wrote: > > "Dave" <db5151(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:ZLGdnb6RZtCI2CbWnZ2dnUVZ_vCdnZ2d(a)posted.internetamerica... > > Need to rewire (to add a ground) several outlets in my house, which will > > require that I locate the breaker serving each outlet. Wondering if I > > couldn't build my own circuit breaker identifier out of a 9VDC wall-wart > > and some junkbox parts. Am thinking I could just use the wall-wart to run > > a 10kHz oscillator, whose output would be picked up by the transformer in > > the wall-wart and injected into the line thereby. A simple receiver with > > a small coil antenna could be used at the breaker box to locate the > > breaker with the signal going through it. The breaker with the loudest > > signal would be the most likely one to shut off, to see if the signal > > stops. Bingo. Leave that breaker off, test the outlet (just to make sure) > > and then unhook the old wires and hook up the new wires to it before > > putting it back in the wall. Sounds simple. Any obvious holes in my > > reasoning? I'm all ears... > > > > And yes, I could buy a breaker identifier, but all the reasonably priced > > ones seem to have questionable results with some people, or are cheaply > > made. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Dave > > > > > > Fox & hound, stately Wayne Manor? I cannot respond seriously to THIS > foolishness. I asked a reasonable question. Anyone who has serious input > is welcome to reply. Others will be happily ignored. I'm off to get my Op > Amp Cookook and my IC Timer cookbook out and raid my junkbox. I'll let you > know how it turns out. > > Take it easy... Make sure to tell your family where to bury you before you start. Obviously your sense of humor is long dead. -- Lead free solder is Belgium's version of 'Hold my beer and watch this!'
From: Jon on 6 Apr 2010 12:42 "Tim Wescott" <tim(a)seemywebsite.now> wrote in message news:X8mdnWzAveJt_SbWnZ2dnUVZ_t6dnZ2d(a)web-ster.com... > Jon wrote: >> "Ecnerwal" <MyNameForward(a)ReplaceWithMyVices.Com.invalid> wrote in >> message >> news:MyNameForward-E56363.11092306042010(a)h1744866.stratoserver.net... >>> In article <RJKdnXzc5ulc1CbWnZ2dnUVZ_s6unZ2d(a)web-ster.com>, >>> Tim Wescott <tim(a)seemywebsite.now> wrote: >>> >> <snip> >>> If you live in stately Wayne manor, you can have Albert listen and call >>> you on the bat communicator when the radio turns off. >>> >> <snip> >>> -- >>> Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by >> >> Great except that the butler is named Alfred!!! :-) > > He expired from old age, and was replaced by his nephew. > Oh, in the film version...I stand corrected Tim. Dave, don't be so serious, we just having some fun. Tim's advice to use a radio is how many of us go about labeling the breaker box. As Tim stated, you can label the outlet end as well, I do so with a sharpie permanent marker on the inside of the plate. If you opt to build your own oscillator, you can inject the signal onto the hot lead and if you can still find an A.M. radio, use that as the detector. Obviously, you should also set the oscillator for the frequency of the A.M. broadcast band. > -- > Tim Wescott > Control system and signal processing consulting > www.wescottdesign.com --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news(a)netfront.net ---
From: Dave on 6 Apr 2010 13:59
"Tim Wescott" <tim(a)seemywebsite.now> wrote in message news:2NKdnQjvaq5L_CbWnZ2dnUVZ_qCdnZ2d(a)web-ster.com... > Dave wrote: >> "Dave" <db5151(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message >> news:ZLGdnb6RZtCI2CbWnZ2dnUVZ_vCdnZ2d(a)posted.internetamerica... >>> Need to rewire (to add a ground) several outlets in my house, which will >>> require that I locate the breaker serving each outlet. Wondering if I >>> couldn't build my own circuit breaker identifier out of a 9VDC wall-wart >>> and some junkbox parts. Am thinking I could just use the wall-wart to >>> run a 10kHz oscillator, whose output would be picked up by the >>> transformer in the wall-wart and injected into the line thereby. A >>> simple receiver with a small coil antenna could be used at the breaker >>> box to locate the breaker with the signal going through it. The breaker >>> with the loudest signal would be the most likely one to shut off, to see >>> if the signal stops. Bingo. Leave that breaker off, test the outlet >>> (just to make sure) and then unhook the old wires and hook up the new >>> wires to it before putting it back in the wall. Sounds simple. Any >>> obvious holes in my reasoning? I'm all ears... >>> >>> And yes, I could buy a breaker identifier, but all the reasonably priced >>> ones seem to have questionable results with some people, or are cheaply >>> made. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Dave >>> >>> >> >> Fox & hound, stately Wayne Manor? I cannot respond seriously to THIS >> foolishness. I asked a reasonable question. Anyone who has serious >> input is welcome to reply. Others will be happily ignored. I'm off to >> get my Op Amp Cookook and my IC Timer cookbook out and raid my junkbox. >> I'll let you know how it turns out. > > The gizmo (pair of gizmos, actually) that you're proposing to build are > known in the trade as a "Fox and Hound". I believe there's even one bnand > that's named that. The transmit side is the fox, the sniffer side is the > hound. > > Building them for one house's worth of work, particularly on the mains > wiring, is -- quite seriously -- a total waste of time. They're > exceedingly handy if you're a telephone technician, though. > > So if you want to engage in foolishness from a time management > perspective, get out your op-amp cookbook and have fun -- just remember > that you're wasting time, and enjoy yourself. > > -- > Tim Wescott > Control system and signal processing consulting > www.wescottdesign.com Haaaaah. Okay, my apologies. I thought the Fox and Hound reference was an attempt at some sort of off humor. My mistake. I do apologize for jumping to conclusions. I have been checking these devices out on Amazon.com and the local hardware outlets, and decided that the only decent ones were $50.00 or more, which I have a hard time justifying for the sole purpose of labeling my breaker box. And I am not afraid of wasting time, as time is all I have (along with an overflowing junk box.). Besides, saving money is not a waste of time to me. I still have my toolbox and most of my equipment, and regularly fix things for family and friends. So I figured this would merely be an addition to the repertoire, and would be fun to build. So anyway, do any of you see any holes in the logic of what I suggested (besides the time factor)? I have a ton of wall-warts, several 741s and 555s, as well as transistors off all types galore. Not sure what I *don't* have (besides the appropriately tuned sense of humor.) Open to suggestions (that don't involve bodily orifices.) Thanks for the reality check, and again I am sorry I jumped so easily to conclusions. Dave |