Comments for Sixerdoodle Electronics

Comment on Description by admin

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:02:25 +0000

BTW, with a multi-meter you may be able to narrow down the problem a bit.

The ~9VDC coming in is regulated down to 5VDC on the controller board. The sensor sends back an analog signal proportional to the supply voltage at the sensor. The higher the analog signal voltage, the closer the object.

The fact that your Cat Faucet works, but only measures 3-4″ says to me the sensor is still working, but… either the supply voltage it is seeing is low, or analog distance signal is having problems getting back to the controller board.

So, at the controller board, the sensor should connect with a Green (signal), a Red (5Vdc), and a Black (Ground) wire. Do you have 5Vdc between the Red/Black at the controller board?

If you do, then make sure that 5Vdc is making it out to the sensor. Take the cover off the back on the sensor, the circuit board is a T shape. With the cover off, looking at the back of the circuit board, with the leg of the T facing ‘up’, the pins from left to right are: Signal, Ground, and then Power. (http://www.jenrathbun.com/Electronics/images/SensorSpec.jpg) So you should have 5Vdc there between Ground and Power.

If you’ve got 5Vdc at the sensor, then for some reason, the signal isn’t making it back to the controller. Unplug the green wire from the connector on the controller board. Place something 3-4″ from the sensor face and read the signal level at the sensor. Then measure the signal level again at the controller end (where you unplugged the green wire). It should be the same voltage level. Then finally plug in the green wire to the controller board and measure the signal again. it should stay about the same voltage level. (read the signal level on pin 20 of the AVR processor when the green wire is connected to the controller board).

Comment on Description by admin

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:32:53 +0000

Normal behavior is about a 1 sec delay between sticking hand in front of sensor and water turning on and about an 8-10 second delay after removing your hand before the water turns off. (the off-delay keeps the water from constantly turning on and off as the cat’s head moves around)

Certainly the 3-4″ distance isn’t right. I can think of several things that might cause this problem. First, check the control box for water or past evidence of water. Corrosion on the circuit board(s) in the control box (especially on the bottom of the circuit board) could be a cause of this behavior. Second, check the connector where the sensor connects to the circuit board. If the cable to the sensor got accidentally stressed, I’ve seen it break some of the wires inside the cable right at the connection point which can also cause the short distance issue. Third, it is possible that water got inside the sensor itself, You might take the two screws off the back there and check for any water/corrosion damage.

This should help narrow down what needs to be replaced, ie either the sensor or the control board.

Comment on Description by David Scott

David Scott — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:44:54 +0000

I belive my unit is a MkII.

LED flash rate suggests that sensor is slow to react. Must place hand 3~4 inches away before LED begins more rapid flash. When hand is removed the the LED doesn’t slow back down until about 15 sec later.

Comment on Description by admin

admin — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:00:40 +0000

What generation is the Cat Faucet? Is it MkI (the servo and valve) model or a MkII (the solenoid valve). I’m guessing it’s the MkI (Servo and Valve in the control box).

First troubleshooting step. Is it the sensor or the water control causing the delay. Do this: Open the control box (the box the power supply plugs in to) and observe the flashing LED. Should be normally a slow steady single blink.

Try to activate the sensor. Does the LED flash change almost right away and then 15 seconds later the water turns on or does it take 15 seconds for the LED flash to change and then the water turns on? ie is the long delay in the LED flash change or in the water turning on/off.

Tom

Comment on Description by David Scott

David Scott — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Used Cat Faucet for a couple of years now. Jezabel would finally drink… Recently noticed that sensor seems slow to detect objects (i.e my hand), but it does eventually (maybe 15 sec). And its also slow to recognize that the object is gone. Cleaned the front elements of sensor, no change. A quick check of the wall adapter w/o load measured at 9.5 vdc. Thoughts or suggestions?

Comment on Description by admin

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:33:00 +0000

I also had someone work up just a gravity feed system. As long as you can find a place to stick the water reservoir high enough above the sink to give a decent water flow (doesn’t need much) that can work too where you don’t have access to house plumbing. Just need to remember to fill up the reservoir now and then.

Comment on Description by Robert Goguen

Robert Goguen — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:01:36 +0000

I installed my kit last week and I must say it works perfectly! Tiger Lily loves it… We had a major problem at first with what to do about vinyl water feeds under the sink… Yup I replaced the copper feeds about ten years ago. SO… I decided not to change them back to copper (we’re moving soon). I purchased a fountain pump on Amazon for $20 and a BIG glass jar at Target for $15 and the whole thing runs great… Problem solved and Tiger Lily is happy… me too… I don’t have to get up and turn on (then off) the faucet ten – twenty times a day.

Comment on Description by Brian Smith

Brian Smith — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:20:19 +0000

Because I am concerned about my cat linking up soap residue from the bathroom sink (he licks the bowl not the stream of water go figure?) I also like the idea of a separate bowl, I considered the problems and complexity that brought up also and one solution came to mind: cats can climb and jump so just place the bowl higher and let gravity drain it to a tub, sink or washer drain. Now i just have to figure out how to make this look nice (or hide it) (so as not to upset my wife)

Comment on Circuit Diagrams & Code by admin

admin — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:35:03 +0000

circuit is no different than any other triac dimmer circuit, means it won’t dim CFL’s. You may be able to control some CFL’s On/Off (that is no dimming) but it depends on the CFL. The triac only gets triggered by the avr, then the triac latches itself on due to the current through the triac. Most of the CFL’s won’t pull enough current all the time to keep the triac latched so you’ll get strange flickering or the CFL may not even turn on.

Comment on Circuit Diagrams & Code by ardian

ardian — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:16:24 +0000

please help me, this circuit work for inductive loads? like CFL?
how technique to drive triac?in positive cycle, after cross zero detect, AVR trigger triac by drive logic 1 (+5v)? and how if negative cycle?

for electronic experience is awesome…