| Modifying the Mega32
Repeater/Base Unit
These instructions are based on Hans Attersjö's
Home page. I have not attempted all of them and accept no
responsibility for the effects of anyone making these modifications.
You follow these instructions at your own risk.
Open the box by removing the four screws and remove the board by
removing the four screws holding it. This board has silk screen printing
of the component numbers making it easy to identify the components.
- Change C1 from 2.2uF 250V to 1uF 400V and fix it with silicon or
epoxy glue.
- Change C27 from 0.68uF 400V to 0.33uF 400V.
- Change C25 from 0.22uF 250V to 0.1uF 400V.
- Change R18 from 330k 0.5W to 470k 0.5W.
- Change R1 from 22 Ohm 0.5W to 47 Ohm 1W.
- Change VDR, from a 130V MOV to a 250V type. 230V and 240V users
should use a 275V.
I removed the incoming power pins by heating them up with a soldering
iron and pulled them through. I made a hole in the box and connected a
power cable with an external connector and attached the cable to the box
with a strain relief. Keep the cable inside the box short, so it does not
come into the RF part of the pcb, where it could upset the tuning
completely.
This unit has a switch to change between repeater mode and remote base
unit mode (receiver for MEGA32 remote controls). It is currently very
cheap and works very good as an active repeater on single phase system. It
can not be used as a repeater on a three phase system.
Note that this unit, internally on the radio link, uses different codes
than Power house or Stanley remote controls. Pressing a three-on will,
e.g., send an all-light-on command and a one-off sends a bright 1 command
if received on a Powerhouse or Stanley receiver. When using MEGA32 remotes
with a MEGA32 base unit works normal. You should therefore not use a
MEGA32 on the same house code(s) as a Power House or Stanley remote base
unit.
I use a couple of wall mounted MEGA32 remotes to send commands to a
MEGA32 base on another house code than my PowerHouse handheld, remotes.
The commands on these two house codes (32=2*16 gives 2 house codes) are
used to execute macros in my JDS TimeCommander+.
In my opinion, the remote controls are a little bit fragile to use as
hand held units but are OK to wall mount with the frame mount unit.
Another detail is that it has two banks of 16 channels. If you use the
first bank (1-16), the last five buttons are reserved for Nutone music
system, or something similar and cannot be used for X10. I only use 16
channels in the second bank (17-32).
I also use it as a repeater for my X10 based irrigation system due to
the large distances. There is also a hardwired security for my irrigation
system going straight to a relay output on my JDS TC+. I might later on,
add a pure hardware monitoring on the JDS and the irrigation system. X10
is not 100% secure and even computers can sometimes do strange things.
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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