RF Remote Control Switch DC 12V 10A relay 1CH Wireless Transmitter + Receiver

[Lollie]

RF Remote Control Switch DC 12V 10A relay 1CH Wireless Transmitter + Receiver

I am an artist. My latest project involves some electronic circuitry challenges, which I hope you can help me with. I am not very educated in the electronics field but have worked with basic circuitry and am very comfortable with a soldering iron.

Here is the description of my project:

I am suspending a piece of sculpture high up on the ceiling of a room. The main electronic part of this sculpture consists of:

1 A few LED illuminating fiber optics lamps (Chinese made fiber optic table lamp) powered by 3 x 1.5v AA batteries.

2 To be able to switch the lights on and off remotely, from below, I wired a 12v DC single channel switch relay and powered it by a 9v battery.

The whole set up works wonderfully except, I did not realize that the relay is constantly awake, listening for a signal. It draws a small current of around 10mA, while in the off mode, and drains my 9v power supply, in about 2 days. At this point, this set up, does not suit the purpose of being able to leave the sculpture suspended from the ceiling for a long period of time, as the battery drains too quickly. Ideally, I just want to be able to (remotely) switch the lights on at night for a few minutes at a time.

Being in Arizona, with plenty of sunshine, I thought of using a small solar collector panel (1”x2”) to trickle charge a rechargeable battery of some type to replace the 9V in the remote switch circuit. This way I would have enough reserve power to power the remote switch at will. The only time that I need to lower the sculpture down is to replace the 3AA batteries for the lights. The cavity of the sculpture, where the switch and battery are located, is about a 2” x 2” x 6”. I am hoping that you could advise me on the type of battery and solar collector, diode, converters, etc., to use. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[k7elp60]

Welcome to this forum Lollie. I think I can help you with this project. First let me tell you I think you will need a larger solar panel. I need you to give me the specifications of the 12v single channel switch. I need to know the current required from the battery. Better yet if you can give me a manufacturer and at link so I can study the specifications. I can think of a possible change to your remote control system. This could be an option: That is a infared LED transmitter and a infared remote receiver running on the 3 x 1.5v AA batteries.

 

[Lollie]

Dear K7elp60,

Thank you so much for your response. I was very excited to get your reply and feel reassured that it’s possible for me to finish this project.

Details on the switch:

Specification:

· Input Voltage: DC10-14V

· Working Voltage: DC 12V

· Output Current: 10A

· Rated Load: 10A 250V AC/ 10A 125V AC; 10A 30V DC/ 10A 28V DC

· Standby Current: ＜5MA

· RF Frequency: 433MHZ

· RF Working Mode: Super heterodyne receiver

· Receiver Sensitivity: >90dBm

· Remote Control Distance: >100 meter (In open environment)

· Decoding Way: MCU Software decoding

· Can Store The Number Of Remote Control: 50

· Support Remote Control Type: Fixed code, learning code

· Channel: 1CH

· Multiple Working Modes: (Jog/Non-Latched ,inter-lock/Latched ,self-lock /Self-Latched,Delay off)

· Wiring Method: Fixed wiring terminal

· Output: Normally open, Common, Normally closed

· Size: approx. 3.5 x 3 x 1.6cm


Link to Ebay seller of the switch with photos and full description

**broken link removed**

I am not familiar with infrared LED transmitter and an infrared remote receiver other than a TV remote. The battery in the TV remote lasts forever! If the receiver’s battery lasts for a good while, I would settle for that. Forget the solar panel route. Going up a ladder to change batteries once in a while is not a problem. Looking forward to more details on this infrared LED transmitter and an infrared remote receiver. Is the receiver actually doing the switching?

 

[jpanhalt]

Look for a "latching" relay. It will go to one position and stay without the need to keep powered. On the next signal, it goes off, and so forth.

 

[k7elp60]

RF Remote Control Switch DC 12V 10A relay 1CH Wireless Transmitter + Receiver

I am an artist. My latest project involves some electronic circuitry challenges, which I hope you can help me with. I am not very educated in the electronics field but have worked with basic circuitry and am very comfortable with a soldering iron.

Here is the description of my project:

I am suspending a piece of sculpture high up on the ceiling of a room. The main electronic part of this sculpture consists of:

1 A few LED illuminating fiber optics lamps (Chinese made fiber optic table lamp) powered by 3 x 1.5v AA batteries.

2 To be able to switch the lights on and off remotely, from below, I wired a 12v DC single channel switch relay and powered it by a 9v battery.

The whole set up works wonderfully except, I did not realize that the relay is constantly awake, listening for a signal. It draws a small current of around 10mA, while in the off mode, and drains my 9v power supply, in about 2 days. At this point, this set up, does not suit the purpose of being able to leave the sculpture suspended from the ceiling for a long period of time, as the battery drains too quickly. Ideally, I just want to be able to (remotely) switch the lights on at night for a few minutes at a time.

Being in Arizona, with plenty of sunshine, I thought of using a small solar collector panel (1”x2”) to trickle charge a rechargeable battery of some type to replace the 9V in the remote switch circuit. This way I would have enough reserve power to power the remote switch at will. The only time that I need to lower the sculpture down is to replace the 3AA batteries for the lights. The cavity of the sculpture, where the switch and battery are located, is about a 2” x 2” x 6”. I am hoping that you could advise me on the type of battery and solar collector, diode, converters, etc., to use. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[k7elp60]

After looking at your remote control receiving unit, the device that is discharging your battery is the Relay (Square blue with white writing) To energize the coil at 9V I calculate the current to be about 25Ma of current. At this point don't even consider replacing your remote control system with a different type like the infared I mentioned.
There are three solutions:1 like Jpanhalt mentioned a latching relay. That means you need to change the relay I first mentioned with a latching relay. I will search for one. 2. Replace the relay with a transistor to be the on/off switch for the lighting. 3. Get a bigger battery, on that has more of an AH (amp-hour) rating.
In the first two solutions, it will require modifications to the circuit board that is doing the current switching. If you are able to do desoldering and soldering that with work. If you can't do that let me know and we can work something out.

 

[Pommie]

I'd go with your original idea of using a solar panel. A 6V 100mA panel can be had on ebay for $1. Use that to charge three 1.2V rechargeable batteries. Try the relay and see if it still works on the 3.6V - unlikely but you never know. If it doesn't work then use on of **broken link removed** to step up to 12V.

Mike.
Edit you could use 4 batteries to give 4,8V which is nearer your current 4.5V.

 

[Lollie]

Thank you everyone for your help.

K7elp60, your suggestion of replacing my current relay with a transistor to do the switching,

I found this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1097

Is it a “transistor” type? They offer 4 types of switches 1. the M4 momentary, 2. theT4 Toggle and 3. the L4 Latch.

I think the toggle is the one suitable for this job. The main concern is: does it draw power while in the off position? I do have room for a bigger battery. The LED uses very little power, maybe I can combine the switch and light and use a single power source. I will need to get a different remote as this one, from adafruit, requires a different frequency. It’s still an RF remote. I was incorrect to assume that it was the receiver that was draining the battery.

I am game on the re-soldering too. The blue box has 4 pins. I assume we are going to replace it with a switching transistor. That way I can keep the existing receiver and use it with the existing remote.

The solar route: the old relay, that I have now, the blue box with white writing, I thought it was a latching relay. When energized I can hear a switching action within and I have a choice on the wiring with NO,NC,COM

This relay needs at lease 9V (rated at 12V) to trigger the coil, if we go with solar, I could use 2 x 5.54V rechargeable batteries and 2 of those 6V 100 mA panels. The panels will be permanently attached to the batteries. Dose that pose an overheating problem?

 

[k7elp60]

Thank you everyone for your help.

K7elp60, your suggestion of replacing my current relay with a transistor to do the switching,

I found this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1097

Is it a “transistor” type? They offer 4 types of switches 1. the M4 momentary, 2. theT4 Toggle and 3. the L4 Latch.

I think the toggle is the one suitable for this job. The main concern is: does it draw power while in the off position? I do have room for a bigger battery. The LED uses very little power, maybe I can combine the switch and light and use a single power source. I will need to get a different remote as this one, from adafruit, requires a different frequency. It’s still an RF remote. I was incorrect to assume that it was the receiver that was draining the battery.

I am game on the re-soldering too. The blue box has 4 pins. I assume we are going to replace it with a switching transistor. That way I can keep the existing receiver and use it with the existing remote.

The solar route: the old relay, that I have now, the blue box with white writing, I thought it was a latching relay. When energized I can hear a switching action within and I have a choice on the wiring with NO,NC,COM

This relay needs at lease 9V (rated at 12V) to trigger the coil, if we go with solar, I could use 2 x 5.54V rechargeable batteries and 2 of those 6V 100 mA panels. The panels will be permanently attached to the batteries. Dose that pose an overheating problem?

The relay would be removed from the board and be replaced with the mosfet transistor. The remote receiver would turn on the mosfet and it would turn on/off the LED lights. My idea is to keep the existing remotes, replace the current relay in the receive remote with a mosfet transistor to replace or substitute for the on/off switch on the LED lights. I have uploaded a file with a schematic of a IRF4905

 

[Pommie]

Replacing the relay with a MOSFET will not achieve anything. It's the receiver that is drawing the power when it is off - note off means the relay isn't activated.

Just use four 1.2V nimh cells with a solar panel and **broken link removed** to produce the 12V.

Mike.

 

[k7elp60]

It is my understanding when the lights are on the relay is energized and that is the cause of the battery being dischared the most. I did some research from the receiver and the control relay and a typical 12V relay has a resistance of 400 ohms, at 9V the current drops to about 20mA. The regualar 9V battery won't last long on that current.

 

[Lollie]

I found this "Simple RF T4 Receiver Control on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Simple-RF-...~QAAOSwoi1X87~l:sc:USPSFirstClass!85749!US!-1

Is this the answer to my project? The manufacture description:

" These Simple RF receivers are the easiest way possible to add wireless control, painlessly! There's no programming, configuring or addressing - simply power the receiver with ~5 VDC and press the buttons on our matching RF keyfob remote. When the A button is pressed, it activates the first pin, when the B button is pressed, it activates the second one, and so forth for all four buttons. There's no microcontroller required, its just a simple one-to-one link.

These modules make it easy to control your project once its in an enclosure or from across the room, but there are some things to watch out for. One is that they do not have 'addressing' - if you have multiple receivers in a room, they'll all work at the same time with a single remote. Another is that there's no error checking or bi-directional link - that means the remote doesn't know if the module received the message or not. Third, there are a few different types of receivers and each one looks identical but they're act differently!"

 

[jpanhalt]

Looks good. The eBay description indicated that it was a latching/toggling type.

 

[Lollie]

OK great! now how to hook this up?

Do I need to use a separate power source to power the receiver, using the 2 right hand pins +5V and GRN and wire my lights circuit thru VT and one of the D with another batteries pack?
Or, only power source needed is the 5V and I just connect the VT and aD to my light circuit?

 

[Pommie]

That will probably work but will still flatten your batteries as it draws continuous current due to the fact it is a radio receiver and continually listening for a signal. You will also still need a relay or MOSFET as the output will only be a logic level.

Mike.