AP-16+ relay operation

[aquawilly54]

Hi all.
  I'm confused again.  I was just thinking I might use the AP-16+ as a stand alone with a PIR for sound and wiper motor operation. 

  I was under the impression from the documents that when the sound file plays, the relay becomes active for the length of the file.  Well, my file plays just fine, but the relay outputs don't output.  I've tried all three of my APs and I get the same results. 

The plan was to just run a wiper motor from the NO terminals to another relay.  I have measured for both volts and amps with a multimeter on the NO and NC outputs on the AP while the sound file plays, but I get nothing.  The V+ and GRD output terminals measure 18.5 volts.  I can hear the relay click, so do I need to supply voltage to the V+ on the AP?   That would seem like back feeding and smoke release to me.  I'm using the barrel connection with an 18V 3A supply already.

Am I doing something wrong? 

Steve

[Jeff Haas]

Steve,

I looked at the docs for the AP-16+ again to refresh my memory.  Page 2 of the PDF shows that V+ and GND are alternate power inputs, used to power the board instead of the barrel jack.  They are right next to the relay connections, but they are not part of the relay circuit.

Remember that the relay is just an on/off switch.  You will have it controlling a different circuit, which will need its own power supply.  The relay connections do not provide any power.

Where you might be mixing things up is that on the Prop-1, Prop-2 and HC-8+ boards, you can power external circuits with the controller - those boards have three-position power switches.  If you flip the power switch all the way to the right, they send power out the V+ and GND connections.

Jeff

[aquawilly54]

Ha!  Yep you called it Jeff.  I woke up around 2 am that night thinking the same thing, so of course I hooked it up properly last night and it works as advertised. 

Thanks much for the response and for not laughing too hard.
I appreciate it. 

Steve

[Jeff Haas]

Not a problem. The AP-16+ is a pretty complicated board, it's got a lot of settings.