Need Simple and Cheap solution

Thread Starter

SpudMuffin

Joined Apr 3, 2018
5
I need a small timer relay that I can use a button to activate and will remain "on" for 10 minutes and then will not be able to be activated again for 5 minutes after the 10 has expired
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,839
Welcome to AAC!

We need to know:
  1. timing accuracy requirement
  2. power supply voltage
  3. size constraints
  4. cost constraints
  5. complexity constraints
  6. relay characteristics
  7. load characteristics
As implied by the first response, we're willing to help, but few will work for free.
 

Thread Starter

SpudMuffin

Joined Apr 3, 2018
5
Sorry, I must have missed something I did not realize this was for hire... Just looking for some suggestions. I was an electronics tech in the USAF... Thought maybe there was a cheap one I could buy... Need to activate a 12v solenoid. So, probably best to have both as 12v... If I need to go to a different forum category I can do that..Doesn't have to be very accurate.

OK, here is the deal. I am remodeling our second story bath. My daughters have a knack for taking super long showers. I am putting a solenoid normal off valve inline for the hot water in the shower and want a timer relay to function in the manner discussed above.. ;)
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,839
Just looking for some suggestions. I was an electronics tech in the USAF... Thought maybe there was a cheap one I could buy...
Don't know of any commercial solutions, but you could build it with a couple 555 timers. Accuracy would be dependent largely timing capacitor (which will need to be large to get 5-10 minutes) leakage.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
Ebay has lots of cheap timer modules.
You may have to use two, with the second timer wired to lockout a control pushbutton.
Thus when the pushbutton was pressed, the first would time for 10 minutes with its relay controlling the solenoid, and the second, with it's relay NC output in series with the pushbutton, would time for 15 minutes.
You may want to look for ones that maintain their settings after a power loss (if available).
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
I was more interested in your definition of cheap. I can, of course, build one for you, but I don't think it would meet your requirement for cheap. On the other hand, it would be programmable, so if 5 and 10 minutes needed to be adjusted, you could do that.
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,986
I need a small timer relay that I can use a button to activate and will remain "on" for 10 minutes and then will not be able to be activated again for 5 minutes after the 10 has expired
Buy: ebay
Build:
1 - CD4060
1 - CD4001 or 4011 - not sure yet
1 - power MOSFET
Pushbutton, decoupling, solenoid transient suppression, perf board, power source, etc.

ak
 
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WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
OK, here is the deal. I am remodeling our second story bath. My daughters have a knack for taking super long showers. I am putting a solenoid normal off valve inline for the hot water in the shower and want a timer relay to function in the manner discussed above.. ;)
Now THIS is helpful! Describe the problem you trying to solve, not the problem you are having with the solution you have in mind.

Here's a simple solution (don't know if it will meet your definition of cheap).

Use a suitable 120 V solenoid valve:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...rial&field-keywords=water+solenoid+value+120V

Use an off-the-shelf timer outlet. They used to make a simple one with a mechanical dial that you turned to the time you wanted. It had a max of one hour and could be set in one minute increments. So you would just modify the case with a screw that prevented it from being turned past ten minutes (or whatever). Then you mount that in a location that requires said daughters to get out of the shower and go over to the timer to set it again, the theory being that once they are out it will be easier to just stay out. Of course, you could put the timer physically outside the bathroom thereby increasing the odds that it will not be worth their while to stay in.

I can't find a similar timer on Amazon right now. But they have LOTS of WiFi programmable timer outlets that are real cheap. But I don't know if you have the kind of control over them to be able to make it so that your daughters can only activate the program you have set up.
 

Thread Starter

SpudMuffin

Joined Apr 3, 2018
5
All good stuff.. Looking at a couple of timer relays on amazon to work together as suggested... I had thought of putting the switch in a different location but figured the girls would work together to sabotage my idea ;)
 

danadak

Joined Mar 10, 2018
4,057
Using a PSOC 4 attached project uses a small amount of resources, two lines
of code, to start the PWM and the Debouncer.

A lot more resources left unused.

The board I would suggest you use ($4)



http://www.cypress.com/documentation/development-kitsboards/psoc-4-cy8ckit-049-4xxx-prototyping-kits

The project uses a debouncer component and a PWM configed for 15 min, the
first 10 light is on, next 5 off. PWM runs single shot mode, cannot be retriggered
until full 15 min cycle ended.

You need external SSR to switch light on and off, eg. handle the power and voltage.

The timing diagram shows continuous mode, not a single cycle which
you would use. The single shot multi trigger mode runs one cycle, then
rearms itself to wait for the next trigger.

If you used LED for light you could use another pwm to control its brightness.
And that would be based on using light sensor and A/..D that is onchip in a
control loop that controls PWM duty cycle. All onchip except power driver for
LED.

Google "PSOC 101 videos" watch the first 4 (I think there are 16) to see
how simple it is to get started.

Regards, Dana.
 

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Thread Starter

SpudMuffin

Joined Apr 3, 2018
5
Thanks, Dana... Been 30 years since my electronics experience in the Air Force, but I do get the idea. Will take some time this week and see what I can learn.

Russ
 

danadak

Joined Mar 10, 2018
4,057
PSOC Creator and the compiler free, download here -

http://www.cypress.com/products/psoc-creator-integrated-design-environment-ide

Tons of example projects to look at.

Little known is there is also a state machine wizard tool in it. But not a beginners
tool, a little more experience needed to use it.

The PSOC 4 board is the low end board, the high end low cost board with
all the features is $ 10

http://www.cypress.com/documentatio...oc-5lp-prototyping-kit-onboard-programmer-and

Regards, Dana.


Regards, Dana.
 
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