Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Other Stuff => Solid State => Topic started by: G._Hoffman on March 17, 2009, 04:13:56 pm
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I made an open door alert for the shop (so the guys in the back know when a customer comes in), and they are finding the buzzer annoying. I'm getting sick of the passive-aggressive comments every the door opens, and so I'm looking for something cheep to take the place of the buzzer. Any ideas? Some kind of a chime sound would be good.
Gabriel
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door bell
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> door bell
Exactly. That's what it IS. An automatic non-voluntary doorbell.
And people don't jump if the doorbell rings as they enter. Odd (hey, I'm already entering!), but not distressing like BZZZZZZZ!
Only, call it "door chime" when hunting. Somehow "doorbell" is the button, you want the ding-dong.
The Heath-Zenith brand (http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/Heath-Zenith-101-Basic-Series-Wired-Door-Chime-Contractor-Kit-with-Two-Unlighted-Push-Buttons-White/101914/Cat/237?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=63&cvsfe=2&cvsfp=101914) is widely stocked like at Home Depot. "2-Note chime" seems to be code for the classic two Xylophone bars, instead of the totally-electronic jobs which whistle/buzz Big Ben or Dixie or 69 other annoyances. "2 note" chimes often have a "back door" input which rings one chime. ("Ding-dong" = Fuller Brush Man, "Ding" = ice-man at the back door.) The basic DING may be even better than Ding-Dong for this purpose.
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Don't use a magnetic switch with a door chime. The door opens DING buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz door closes DONG. About 3 weeks later (depending on traffic) you're replacing the chime or transformer. There's a little flapper switch that works quite well. Another alternative is a light instead of a sounder. Can be more annoying (strobe) or easily missed (pilot lamp) depending. I don't like normal BUZZZZ buzzers and Piezo's high pitch hurt my brain.
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Don't use a magnetic switch with a door chime. The door opens DING buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz door closes DONG. About 3 weeks later (depending on traffic) you're replacing the chime or transformer. There's a little flapper switch that works quite well. Another alternative is a light instead of a sounder. Can be more annoying (strobe) or easily missed (pilot lamp) depending. I don't like normal BUZZZZ buzzers and Piezo's high pitch hurt my brain.
I'm using the magnetic switch, but I've already got a little circuit to deal with that issue. It's the same one I was using so the buzzer didn't stay on the whole time the door was open (basically), except I need to make it with a transistor that can handle the door bell's current. I'm also adding a rectifier so I don't have to worry about a battery, which is nice.
My only real worry is that the door bell is kind of quiet in a noisy shop. We will see.
Gabriel
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Mike it up... ;D
Regards,
Dyna
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They make a small timer, for HVAC usage, and that, once initiated, will not close again until an adjustable or preset, depending on model, time limit has passed. It's design is to keep a compressor from restarting when someone turns the thermostat up and down. These run in AC or DC, and are relatively cheap, and ready made, a possible down side here ;D
You can use one of these, and after a single ring, the bell would not ring again for a few seconds or minutes, depending on how you set it.
Check at Johnstone supply, supposed to be wholesale only, but they will usually sell to any walkin. They also have many types of relays that can be handy, and can carry loads of current. There are also delay on make, and delay on break types of timers too.
Later,
Jim
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Use a light bulb. Wire it to the back room. Like when at the radio station and the microphone goes on, the red light outside the sound room is on red!
Russ.
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I wired it up with a little 555 based timer circuit driving a relay, on a door bell. It was kind of expensive, but it works great, and the guys in the back room come out every time the door opens, which makes us in the front room MUCH happier!
Gabriel