Remote control for a lamp - blinks but does not turn off

Thread Starter

N0t_S0_Sm4rt

Joined Apr 6, 2019
13
Hi,

I bought this remote control set, consisting of some transmitter and receiver (ZK1PA - comes with no instructions, scheme or what so ever)
Names of ports are (from diode downwards):
+ 12 V
- 12 V (GND)
NC - channel A
COM - channel A
NO - channel A

I'm trying to create a remote control for a lamp. The problem with current connection is, that when I plug the voltage source for receiver in, the lamp turns on too + when I press a button on remote control it only starts to blink unless I release the button. My goal is to make it work like this:
Plug in the voltage source for receiver
Press the button on remote control
The lamp turns on
Press the button on remote control again
The lamp turns off...
What is wrong?

For better reference of my connection, please see the picture I attached.
I would be more than grateful if someone can solve this mystery. I've been trying it myself for a week, but without any success.
 

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Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
We need to know more about the board in the picture and the power supply.

Without any more information, my first intuition is the lamp is too great a load for the supply and it is oscillating on and off.

But, that's really a guess.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
What is the rating of the lamp and the power supply?
The resistance of that lamp will much less when it is cold than when it is hot so it may be that the initial current surge when the lamp is turned on is sufficient to overload the supply and pull down the voltage and so reset the receiver. This process will then repeat => the lamp blinks.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
The filament of the bulb when cold will have a resistance of about one fifteenth of its resistance when hot. That means it will initially look like a 300W (15 * 20W) bulb when first switched on.

Is the supply intended for halogen bulbs?
 

KeithWalker

Joined Jul 10, 2017
3,063
Did you follow the instructions for programming it?
If not, did you search for instructions for programming it?
Here are the instructions for programming it:
 

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Thread Starter

N0t_S0_Sm4rt

Joined Apr 6, 2019
13
@AlbertHall
About the power supply - I honestly have no clue. It is not mentioned on the package it came in.

@KeithWalker
I did, there's no doubt about it being programmed correctly. The signaling diode flashes when I press the button + the lamp reacts to it, however not as I would expect it to perform. I also tried all methods, none of them works any different from each other for some reason...

I personally thought, I just have it wrong connected, because the lamp turns on without pressing any button. I can't even get it to turn off, it just keeps blinking as long as push the button. Although, it seems like I have 2 problems = wrong connection and wrong lamp...

Maybe I could solve the problem by using different load, and connecting it differently - perhaps connect one of the cables from lamp into NO instead of NC?
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
Others here may have a better understanding of your statement of what's happening. I'm sorry, I'm having difficulty understanding.

Let me try:
You plug it in - the lamp comes on.
You push (and hold) a button on the remote - the lamp flashes.
You release the push button and - - - what happens again? Have I missed something?
 

Thread Starter

N0t_S0_Sm4rt

Joined Apr 6, 2019
13
@AlbertHall
It has no branding nor model... I got it for $2 from a local electronics store. It is a transformer - 230 V to 12 V . I took a spare power cord what was not needed any more, cut it, soldered it together with the transformer and that's about it...

@Tonyr1084
When I release the push button, the lamp is still on - basically nothing happens... I can't turn it off unless I unplug the source...
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
OK, the next question is:

Which of the five screws is directly connected to the relay? One must be C (Common), one must be NO (Normally Open) and one must be NC (Normally Closed). Your condition may be a case of simple mis-wiring. Could be you're shorting the supply when you push the button, overloading the output and it is either shutting down for a moment OR you're short circuiting it enough to cause the power to drop enough to cause the board to stop seeing the remote control signal.

Is there ANYTHING that tells you which screw terminals are what?

[edit] when the board is powered does the little LED light up? Right next to the screw terminals? Does it blink too? [end edit]
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,807
perhaps connect one of the cables from lamp into NO instead of NC?
The connections to the lamp should be to the NO position, unless you want it to be on when you power up.

I suspect that you have wired it n such a way that the on position of the relay is shorting the power supply. This would make the light go out, and then cause the power supply to shut down due to over current. Then the cycle starts again.

Bob
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
@BobTPH yeah, I kind of already mentioned that exact condition. That's what I'm thinking is going on.

Obviously if the light is on at power up then at the very best the light is wired through the NC contact of the relay. @AlbertHall mentioned the question about whether the supply is strong enough to power the Halogen. It could be a simple case of over-powering the power supply.

@N0t_S0_Sm4rt Since this is a 12 volt system, can you substitute your supply with a 12 volt battery? Car or motorcycle type? If you have a gel cell 12 volt battery - big enough to drive the lamp, try that.

Word of caution when dealing with transportation type batteries (car / bike) they can leak acid which can cause severe burns to flesh and damage clothing or other fabrics as well. DON'T SPILL!
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
OH GEEZ! JUST REALIZED A BATTERY COULD POTENTIALLY DAMAGE THE BOARD OR RELAY. USE A FUSE. Start with a fuse just big enough to handle the Halogen bulb. We can't suggest a fuse without knowing the wattage of the bulb either.

If it's a 12 watt bulb at 12 volts then it's 1 amp. 24 watts at 12 volts it's 2 amps. Etc. etc. etc. Divide wattage by voltage to get amperage.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,807
The fact that the light comes on just fine when powered up eliminates the conjecture that the power supply is underpowered. That is why I think the relay is shorting it and causing the blinking.

Bob
 

KeithWalker

Joined Jul 10, 2017
3,063
@AlbertHall
About the power supply - I honestly have no clue. It is not mentioned on the package it came in.

@KeithWalker
I did, there's no doubt about it being programmed correctly. The signaling diode flashes when I press the button + the lamp reacts to it, however not as I would expect it to perform. I also tried all methods, none of them works any different from each other for some reason...

I personally thought, I just have it wrong connected, because the lamp turns on without pressing any button. I can't even get it to turn off, it just keeps blinking as long as push the button. Although, it seems like I have 2 problems = wrong connection and wrong lamp...

Maybe I could solve the problem by using different load, and connecting it differently - perhaps connect one of the cables from lamp into NO instead of NC?

You do have a wrong connection. The lamp should be connected between the power supply - and NO (not NC). That is why it is on when you connect the power.
It does not explain the other behavior. Try it with a smaller load. Maybe the power supply is over-rated and is going into protection mode when the light turns on.
 

Thread Starter

N0t_S0_Sm4rt

Joined Apr 6, 2019
13
@Tonyr1084
Screw terminals: (in order from diode downwards)
+ 12 V
- 12 V (GND)
NC - channel A
COM - channel A
NO - channel A

The board LED indeed does light up and it blinks!

Big thanks to all of you, especially @BobTPH and @Tonyr1084
I will try all of your advice tomorrow, it's getting late here, and I feel extremely sleepy.
Meanwhile have a good night or good rest of the day!
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

Looking at the picture, it seems to be an "electronic transformer", as there is stated 12 Volts 20-60 watts, intended to be used with led lamps.
That will have likely a current limiting circuit inside.
As said, the halogen bulb will have a MUCH lower resistance at startup.
This will trigger the current limiting circuit in the "electronic transformer" and that will blink.

Bertus
 
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