Hello,

Apologies in advance if this is not the right place to ask this question.

I recently bought a Belkin Conserve Socket for personal use with 30 minutes, 3 hours & 6 hours options to time the socket after which it automatically shuts off switching off the power supply.

I wanted to build a similar socket from scratch with my own pre-set timers (2,5,10 - hours) for my home use. Problem is I can't quite figure out where to start from and how to go ahead. I thought it must be using a step down transformer for starters but could not find one inside. If someone can just guide me (not asking for schematics or anything) or point me to a resource that will help me understand the working & circuit and help me design something similar, I'll be grateful! Pictures attached of the insides of the socket.

Thanks!


The blue one is a 24 volt relay. The gray one is a 0.33uF cap.

 

That device uses a LIVE regulator using a capacitor, resistor, bridge rectifier and zener to regulate the supply, very crude and DANGEROUS! , i suggest you use a switchmode psu type like a phone charger, and build a timer using a microcontroller or cmos chip CD4060 ,

Or you could modify it by changing the resistors from the slide switch, not recommended,



probably cheaper to buy an off the shelf ready made one on the Internet.

 

Guidance: electrotechonline

The basic power supply in that is forbidden on this site because it is so unsafe for beginners. When you get that information, you will need to program your microprocessor for the correct timing(s). Are you prepared for that?

 

Wow, didn't know that was a dangerous device. You would assume a corporation like Belkin to be using top of the line safety regulations. Thanks for your comments.

Let me figure out the rest of the circuit and when it comes to the microcontroller or the PIC, will cross that bridge when I come to it. Probably will have to dust off some of my old books to see what did they teach me back then.

Cheers

 

You would assume a corporation like Belkin to be using top of the line safety regulations.

They did. Then you opened it and exposed all the dangerous goodies that were so properly protected.

 

My bad. Forgot to mention that I took apart the socket for pictures of the inside. Sorry for the confusion.