Timer relay question

[La Poste]

Greetings.

I have a question about timer relays.

Basically what I want is a Din rail mounted timer relay that operates from a trigger pulse from a garage door limit switch.

As the door travels up it hits the limit switch and from this the coil of the relay is energised and hence the relay contacts are switched and thus the garage lights switch on for a set period of time.

Simple you might think well not really.
I have tried a timer relay that I thought was perfect for the job but the problem is this.

As the garage door goes up and hits the limit switch the relay is energised and the timer starts to operate the trouble is if the garage door is then shut the trigger signal to the relay coil is cut and all the lights go out.

What I am after is a timer relay that will be energised by the limit switch signal as the garage door moves up but if the garage door is closed the relay will still complete it's timer cycle.

I don't have a lot of knowledge of timer relays and control circuitry so any pointers will be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Silly Sausage]

What is the timer/relay that you're using? Post a link/model number.
You need to be able to set it so it ignores any further trigger pulses while it's activated.

 

[Guitarist]

A latching relay is what comes to mind here.
That said, why not a single light controlled by the door as you suggest, independent from the main lights. That way, the light comes on as you drive in. You can then get out and turn the main lights on. Once the door shuts, entry light goes out.

 

[Silly Sausage]

or a PIR controlled light.

 

[Guitarist]

or a PIR controlled light.

Even better. The simple ideas are always the best....

 

[Richard Burns]

A possibility (not knowing your wiring arrangement, or type of relay) if you want to maintain the power to the relay after the limit switch is off then use the relay contacts to power the coil, like a contactor.
Use a double pole Interval on relay and wire the garage switch and one set of contacts in parallel.
(not so) Pretty diagram:

 

[xraytek]

PIR sounds like the simplest solution, but if you want to stick with a light that is triggered by the door then you probably need an 'off-delay' timer relay.

 

[Mr.Ian]

I'd go with the latching relay at least then once switched it'll stay on till turned off, just wire it in with 2 way switching for manual control also.

 

[La Poste]

Thanks for your answers it's really appreciated.

I have a timer relay that is supposed to go into timer mode once the door limit switch contacts are closed and even if the contacts on the door door limit switch are opened the timer relay should complete it's cycle regardless.

However when the contacts on the limit switch are closed the timer relay does indeed go into its correct timing mode but if the contacts on the door limit switch are opened the lights in the garage go out completely which is wrong as per instructions.

As far as I can see I have wired the relay correctly but it doesn't do what it says it should do.

I like very much the idea of using the relays contacts to energise the coil so that once the limit switch contacts are closed the coil becomes energised thus closing the relay contacts and in so doing providing another power supply to the relay coil that way if the contacts on the limit switch are opened the coil will still be energised receiving power from the relay itself, very neat idea and it just shows me I don't really know much at all.

I was thinking of fitting a PIR sensor in the garage but I just wanted to try something different.

Here's the instruction manual for the timer relay.

http://www.europacomponents.com/pdfs/Relpol_Multi_Timer_Instructions_Final.pdf

If you look at the first section "time functions" you will find "WS- single shot leading edge with control contact".

I have wired it this way and yet if I open the contacts on the door limit switch during the timing cycle all the lights go out which according to this instruction manual is not supposed to happen, I have wired the timer up as per instructions with the supply voltage U being permanently on and the door limit switch connected to the terminal S, I can't understand why the relay is not doing what it is supposed to do.

 

[alarm man]

Thanks for your answers.

I have a timer relay that is supposed to go into timer mode once the door limit switch contacts are closed and even if the contacts on the door door limit switch are opened the timer relay should complete it's cycle regardless.

However when the contacts on the limit switch are closed the timer relay does indeed go into its correct timing mode but if the contacts on the door limit switch are opened the lights in the garage go out completely which is wrong as per instructions.

As far as I can see I have wired the relay correctly but it doesn't do what it says it should do.

I like very much the idea of using the relays contacts to energise the coil so that once the limit switch contacts are closed the coil becomes energised thus closing the relay contacts and in so doing providing another power supply to the relay coil that way if the contacts on the limit switch are opened the coil will still be energised receiving power from the relay itself, very neat idea and it just shows me I don't really know much at all.

I was thinking of fitting a PIR sensor in the garage but I just wanted to try something different.

Here's the instruction manual for the timer relay.

http://www.europacomponents.com/pdfs/Relpol_Multi_Timer_Instructions_Final.pdf

If you look at the first section "time functions" you will find "WS- single shot leading edge with control contact".

I have wired it this way and yet if I open the contacts on the door limit switch during the timing cycle all the lights go out which according to this instruction manual is not supposed to happen, I have wired the timer up as per instructions with the supply voltage U being permanently on and the door limit switch connected to the terminal S, I can't understand why the relay is not doing what it is supposed to do.

what settings are the dials,looks like ws should be used..at a guess

 

[La Poste]

I used "WS" and wired as per instructions.

Permanent supply from the board to A1 and A2 is the neutral.

Power goes from the board through the door limit switch and then into terminal S so that when the limit switch is closed S becomes energised thus starting the timers cycle.

Then on the load side of the relay we have the supply to the lights from the board goes into 15 and the output to the light is either 16 or 18, I can't remember which off the top of my head but it dannae work Captain.

 

[alarm man]

I used "WS" and wired as per instructions.

Permanent supply from the board to A1 and A2 is the neutral.

Power goes from the board through the door limit switch and then into terminal S so that when the limit switch is closed S becomes energised thus starting the timers cycle.

Then on the load side of the relay we have the supply to the lights from the board goes into 15 and the output to the light is either 16 or 18, I can't remember which off the top of my head but it dannae work Captain.

have you tried setting it to wa,from what i can see you need to remove the power before changing the settings then restore power.

 

[Richard Burns]

The function you seem to be getting is Wu with the supply voltage controlled by the garage door switch, have you tried turning it to Wu and seeing if the relay is incorrectly labelled?
On your current setting when the lights go out try testing the voltage at the supply terminals to ensure the supply voltage is not going off at the same time.
Possibly if there is a spark generated at the garage switch when it opens it may be drawing sufficiently high current to drop out the coil supply, but sounds unlikely.
Try setting it to R with a smaller time delay so that no matter what happens at the garage door the light will be on for T after the door is shut, if the lights go out immediately the door is shut you have a faulty relay.

 

[La Poste]

Well WS is the way I want it to work and the position of the limit switch has been arranged to work this way IE limit switch is at the top of the door frame so as the door travels up to open it hits the limit switch an thus switches the timer relay on.

You may have a point about removing the power supply before changing the settings on the relay, I have have to try this.

Sorry Richard wrote this reply before I read your post, I shall also try as you advise.

 

[alarm man]

Well WS is the way I want it to work and the position of the limit switch has been arranged to work this way IE limit switch is at the top of the door frame so as the door travels up to open it hits the limit switch an thus switches the timer relay on.

You may have a point about removing the power supply before changing the settings on the relay, I have have to try this.

is the contact n/o or n/c looks like ws is n/o wa n/c,im multi tasking here,making the tea,daughters birthday and a lazy wife,after ive been to work all day...:cry_smile: anyone after a good husband..:whatchutalkingabout
:whatchutalkingabout