Before I embed a DS10A, any tips...?

Hello gang!

Mister Houston...

;-)

Anybody...?

I've cut open the door of my new plastic mailbox...

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I'm about to mount an X10 Security DS10A Door/Window sensor within.

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I took the DS10A apart, and promptly discarded the plastic. It'll work without the slider switch, reporting MIN...

I also dissected the reed switch...

Now I plan to solder the switch to it's old wires...

Mount the PCB within the door, and the reed switch near the top center, on the door's inside. The manufacturer thoughtfully provided a magnet on the stationary mailbox part.

Then all I'll need is a battery holder for 2 AA cells. Radio Shack's

270-408 has wires, and a cover. And it is black - like the door...

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I'll likely cut a hole on the door's inside and mount the battery holder within.

Now to seal it back up...?

Well the handle has 3 screws to keep it together, and there is one at the top for a metal plate - makes 4 screws. So it'll be held together well. I never cut the bottom.

The seam I had to cut, all around the edge will need to be resealed. I'm thinking an ultrasonic welder would be nice!

Lacking this I expect silicone will be get 'er done.

My question...

Before I seal this up (forever), is there anything I oughta do?

Can I improve it's antenna, Dave? Do tell...

;-)

Thanks!

Jack :)

Reply to
Jack Edin
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The hollow column is for the 4-by-4 you bolt it to.

Actually the whole thing is hollow. Double-wall construction throughout!

The thing IS, it's all sealed up!

At least the door was held together with screws too. A better place to start, structurally.

I got 3 on sale at X10 for $25-ish, delivered.

Yup.

Didn't I mention the magnetic clasp at the top? It closes positively!!

:)

Reply to
Jack Edin

We don't want any disgruntled Postal employees... not 'round here!!

I will be meeting with the supervisor of my local post office around noon Tuesday to discuss the mailbox.

Of the 6 homes in my cul 'de sac, mine has the only mailbox not anchored. It sits atop a pier-block. So I want to mount the new one in cement.

The thing IS... this is a B-I-G @$$ mailbox!! Really deep... And my sidewalk goes right up to the curb, plus it's only maybe 30" wide.

The box is like 24" leaving... Lets see... carry the 9... Umm...

6-inches to walk past.

Hmmm... Not gonna do it...

Maybe I can put it in the dirt, past the sidewalk? Why don't I ask the USPS...?

Gee thanks, Bobby!

Lots of information about Corrosion of Conformity here:

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;-)

Maybe the NEXT message up the thread will be... helpful...?!!

:)

FYI: Guys, I wanna extend the range...

Reply to
Jack Edin

Well I went and I read...

I found THIS:

3.2.4 Mailbox Accessories

Auxiliary flags or devices used to signal the customer that the mail has arrived must operate automatically without requiring additional carrier effort.

And this:

3.4 Carrier Service Door

The design of the door, including hinges and handles must provide protection against wind, rain, sleet, or snow (see 3.15.3). Door latches must hold the door closed but allow easy opening and closing requiring no more than 5-pounds of force. Action of the latch must be a positive mechanical one not relying solely on friction of the hinge parts. The door shall not be spring-loaded. Magnetic latches are acceptable provided adequate closure power is maintained during ambient conditions specified in 3.15.6 and applicable testing described in 3.15. It is preferred that by either tactile or by sound (i.e. ``snap'' or ``click'') carriers are alerted that door is properly shut. The door, once opened, must remain in the open position until the carrier pushes it closed.

You'll be happy to know there is a loud, satisfying "Click" when the door is closed, due to the magnetic latch.

Thanks again!

Jack :)

Robert Green wrote:

Reply to
Jack Edin

Wouldn't it just have been easier to tuck the DS10A, whole, into the column of the mailbox? That column looks like it ought to be hollow and would've provided plenty of room for the unit. Sorta late for that now, of course, but now if it craps out during warranty you'll have to nothing to return. Not a huge monetary loss, of course, but still...

That and, if I read your post right, you added this inside the door itself? Making the door heavier and increasing the likelihood the mailman won't close it fully. Hopefully you can order a replacement door when that happens.

Reply to
wkearney99

It may also be that the mailman can refuse to deliver mail to a mailbox modified in such a way. IIRC, there are some pretty specific rules about sizes, shapes and contents of mailboxes. From their point of view the mailman has a reasonable concern that you haven't wired something lethal to the box.

Lots of details about conformity here:

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-- Bobby G.

>
Reply to
Robert Green

If you know what's good for you, you won't 'discuss' the addition of electronic devices to the mailbox. Really, for the reason Bob pointed out. They're not interested in delivering mail to someone that might put their carriers at risk, and it might be fair to say they don't know the difference between your low-voltage device and something dangerous. Nor are they empowered to make such decisions. They just wanna deliver the mail and live to tell about it.

You'd have been much better served putting a small magnet on the door, installing the reed switch in the frame and running a wire down to the DS10A (just don't use the whole height for the 4x4 post) The door wouldn't change enough to matter and the reed switch could've been concealed along with the wire inside the plastic box. Other than a hole in the column to accomodate the DS10A there wouldn't really need to be any other cuts. There ought to be enough space inside the 'frame' of the box to allow fishing it up along from the back (or inside the post hole top)

Reply to
wkearney99

"Jack Edin"

You'll be a lot happier if you use "C" or "D" cells as a power source. They'll last a lot longer and it will be more convenient in terms of less frequent reprogramming. It sounds like you have the space available.

Another issue to consider is that if it gets cold enough, the DS10A could either fall to respond or lose it's settings. In that case I would probably go with lithium AA cells.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

U-betcha. And it often turns out that what one carrier finds acceptable, another might balk at.

I'd agree that anything that can make the mailbox seem as normal as possible is a good thing. IIRC, there was some psycho who was planting mailbox bombs to make a huge circular pattern across several states in the midwest about 5 years ago.

IIRC, if there's something wrong with your mailbox they can just leave a "non-compliant" box notice and suspend your delivery.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

WOW, I thought I was a gadget freak. Sorry if I missed it but, why are you doing all this? If it is to alert you that the door has opened, why not use this:

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wife bought one for me a couple of years ago and it works great. Joe

Reply to
JW

Hey Joe!

Well this is only the first project using the W800RF32A receiver.

Your wife's solution doesn't integrate with anything. Mail Alert is a stand alone product.

Mister House can "see" the mailbox's trigger, and be smart about it.

One thing is it'll log the mailman's visit, daily.

Another is I can do different things when it isn't the mailman, say at night - for example. I can flash lights on the driveway, chirp the siren on my Elk M1 alarm panel a few times, etc, etc.

I don't have to be home to receive its alerts either. Mister House can send me an e-mail when the mail is in, etc.

And hell Y-E-S I'm a gadget freak. Just love this stuff!!

Have fun!

Jack :)

JW wrote:

Reply to
Jack Edin

Hello again...

Since I have indeed embedded the DS10A, and batteries into the mailbox's door - I really don't have room for bigger batteries.

The door is self-contained, no wires going elsewhere like inside the stationary section - to a bigger battery pack, etc.

I'm in Oregon. It gets cold, but not THAT cold.

As for lithium AA's... I thought about them. Never used 'em for anything...

What do they bring to the plate, besides being hard(er) to find... and probably expensive as can be for a pair!??

How MUCH long life over a fresh pair of Duracell alkalines?

Is there a chart somewhere? I'd like to see the ratings in miliamp-hours.

Take care...

Jack :)

Reply to
Jack Edin

It is totally stealth, now. Behold:

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I remember that.

Different psycho...!!

;-)

I met with the post office's rep today. He came to the house...

He didn't give a rip!

All he wanted to be sure of is that his carrier didn't have to get out of the truck to make his delivery.

When asked about a transmitter, he said "anything you wanna do is fine with me!" Then he went on to clarify "As long as nothing shoots out at my carrier!"

I told him about this group, and the concerns expressed. He's not worried about bombs...

So he showed me how far off the curb it oughta be, and wished me well.

I think you guys worry too much.

Ulcers-R-Us...?

;-)

Jack :)

Reply to
Jack Edin

Yeah, but with his scheme he can have Misterhouse blare "YOU'VE GOT MAIL" over his PA system. :-)

Reply to
Charles Sullivan

"Jack Edin" wrote in

Longer life, yes, but the big plus is superior cold weather performance. I would bet it gets cold enough in the NW USA at least two or three times a year to knock your alkalines off-line. They just don't perform well in the cold, especially when they have been in service for a while. A standalone mailbox gets "cold soaked" very quickly. If you were in Florida or California, alkalines would probably do. But not Oregon.

If your alkalines go offline you'll also have to reprogram and fuss with the box and brittle plastic and bare fingers when it's very, very cold to find out why it stopped working, probably during the very time it would be of the most use. Falling on the ice fiddling with your mailbox alarm when it fails or resets due to extreme cold is not what I would consider "top notch" home automation. Go the distance. Spend the $8. Don't build an exquisite model sailing ship and then put it in a 2 liter soda bottle.

Mom broke her hip going for the mail on ice. No need to have such a system fail during its most critical value period for want of a few bucks in better batteries. Marc H. is the resident expert for powering remote observation station (which is what you're doing, basically). Maybe he'll have a suggestion. I'd use lithium AA cells without hesistation in such a device in areas where it routinely snows to avoid failure when you need it the most.

I'll bet there is!!

Google is your friend. Tell us what you find. :-)

Last time I looked at charts, though, lithium was used for anything outdoors where it routinely gets very, very cold. They work from -40 degrees to +65 degrees C, IIRC. I don't think they've improved the basic chemistry of the alkaline battery so much that anything's changed much since the last time I looked. Back then, lithium cells would last 5 times as long as alkalines, depending on the application. Today's figures might be different.

Lots of nice charts can be found here:

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-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

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