| Modifying the AM486 Appliance
Module
These instructions are based on Hans Attersjö's
Home page. I have not attempted this modification and I accept no
responsibility for the effects of anyone making these modifications.
You follow these instructions at your own risk.
The information on how to use a resistor to drop the voltage for the
coil comes from Leonard Simms in New Zealand (lgs@midland.co.nz) so if
your house catch fire because of a modified appliance module, ask him why.
The other modifications seem to be quite safe. Please don't try to sue
him. I don't think it will work! Anyway, he said that the coil
modification works, and the other modifications also corresponds to the
general modification principles.
- Change C1 from 0.68uF/250V to 0.33uF/400V.
- Change R1 from 100 Ohm/0.5W to 220 Ohm/1W.
- Change R2 from 330K/0.25W to 330k/0.5W.
- Change R5 from 330k/0.25W to 330k/0.5W.
- Change also C11 from 10nF/250V to 10nF/400V. This is the capacitor
connected in parallel with a 2.2k resistor
- Change the 130V MOV to a 250V MOV. If you use 240V use a 270V MOV.
Add a resistor of 100 Ohm/2W in series with one of the wires for the
coil of the cam relay.
- Fix this resistor firmly and be sure is does not touch anything, it
can become very hot.
- Use adapters for the connectors on the input and on the output or
just change plugs on your appliance to US (grounded) style.
Component number comes from my (Hans) drawings.
Comments from Hans:
I think that anybody who tries this should read my general modification
principles and also print out the drawing to understand this better. Also
don't start up a 10 minute X10 signal test from e.g. a TimeCommander on an
address used by a module modified in this way. The TimeCommander (Plus)
will send an "on" every other second and an "off"
every other. Believe it or not, you can almost kill an original 220V
module (110V?) in this way! At least they start to work badly and they
smell bad after 5-10 minutes! And as a reference on how the components are
marked and what colour they have, look at the other modification files.
For component numbers, print out my drawings. They seem to always use the
same big, blue, capacitors and randomly use 1/4W and 1/2W for the 330k
resistors. On 220V, use only 1/2W 330k resistor for the ones that go to
the 220V.
Mun Wai from Malaysia has confirmed these modifications work.
If you attempt these modifications, please let me
know your results, and read the warning on the X-10
240 volt modifications page. |
Redoak
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