Voyager test mode box

[anthonyscardina]

After using a jumper to use test mode on the voyager RTUs, I saw multiple issues. First, you may accidently skip past the mode you want if you're not paying close enough attention. Second, you have to pass cooling first, not the greatest of ideas when it's really cold outside.

So, I made myself a nice box with resistors for all the test modes, plus a resistor to simulate a low enthalpy situation. Next one will be a plastic box, as well as one mode on the dial for just a straight jumper.

I already had one guy at work ask for me to make him one. If there's any interest, I can price my materials and see what they'd cost.

[eddiegoodfellar]

I'm interested.

Doesn't Trane make one? (I really have no idea)

[anthonyscardina]

I read on another thread that trane sells them but I have no idea on size (this one lives in my tool bag year round), price, or ease of use (some are decade box where mine does only the 10 values needed for voyager, simpler operation)

[eddiegoodfellar]

Making stuff is more fun anyways

[anthonyscardina]

Sure is. If I can't find exactly what I'm looking for, I often just make it

[Chasespeed]

I need to make one of those......


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slctech]

Love garage tinkering...great job. I remember when I built my ECM motor tester long before GE/Beloit came out with their TecMate and Zebra came out with their tester, should have patented the idea. Just like your device with the rotary switch, few resistors, and a project box.

Sucks that Radio Shack, took a face dive. I sure did enjoy being able to walk through and mill together things, now it is back to flipping through a thousand pages of a Mouser or Allied catalogs to draw up a project, then ordering stuff through DigiKey or someone, waiting for the shipment, and then half way through the project cursing that I need another component!

[digitalinput]

You sir, are awesome. Bonus points for using the harbor freight meter!

[anthonyscardina]

Ha, that meter was the one I used just to check r/c car and boat battery voltage. No way I'd trust that thing for anything else.

[Scott Kline]

Very cool! I always wished I had the right resistor with me when I wanted to test a RTRM. If I had any more room on my bench I might try that but I have too many unfinished projects now like my 1950's blender that's in pieces.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[coolperfect]

I always wanted to work on an old juke box,I heard you got to be good real good! anyone ever work on one?

[TBrazin]

Ha, that meter was the one I used just to check r/c car and boat battery voltage. No way I'd trust that thing for anything else.

what cars are you racing/bashing, I just sold my hobby shop, couldn't run the 2 businesses. as you know hobby shops stay open late and I start work early, so I never saw my kids, 10 years I did it, I hired people last 6 as it was to much, than came the stealing, so I was lucky to get 125k for it!!could of just as easily lost that, hard to sell a shop, because everyone wants there own personal touch, and I don't blame them, just my number's were good, he worked it city, so he liked having the employee thing, later to find out what I did, if you own a hobby shop you HAVE to be there 1--% when I retire, that's what i'm doing, and I cleared a easy 3-5k a week, had a little track in basement. Nice setup....so I know what and what not to do, next timed, as material SITS if it doesn't see, and that sucks, so I figured at the end a great way to do it without sitting on 40k of parts that might or might not sell!!!!!!!arrrrggghhh... you now the inventory is high, I have 1k motors for crying out loud!!!! LOL....nice invention BTW...KUDOS us rcr's usually take it to the next level, and because we build it all and get into some vey intricate stuff, were not afraid to jump in and pull of something like this, I made a meghometer, that would test 10,000volts with 2 d battery's ,lol...basically a old school supco design I saw online, and said I can do that, and I did it with nice LED'S so I the light the customer can see if it was reading good or bad I had a sliding scale 1-100...test each leg on compressor other lef grounded to the copper in unit, obviously I used my meter, but when it came dome to it, this helped me shoe and explain to customer if the insulation was rotten etc, I even had pass out print outs as well, to explain how compressors go, and testing methods. so when I broke out meter they SOME understood what I was doing, and that builds trust!!!!!
tom

[TBrazin]

Very cool! I always wished I had the right resistor with me when I wanted to test a RTRM. If I had any more room on my bench I might try that but I have too many unfinished projects now like my 1950's blender that's in pieces.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I wont get roped into this one, ill leave it at this, one more 'project' and I just might be calling you for a place to crash, lol....j/k

[ckartson]

Outstanding job! When I worked on Trane equipment for one company I had a resistance decade box. You exceeded that box. Only difference is the decade box could be used for other troubleshooting, simulating sensors etc. Great job.

[anthonyscardina]

There are a few things I'd change...

1. Use a plastic box. That terminal strip is pretty close to other components that I'd rather not short out.

2. One of the positions would just be to use the leads as a jumper with no resistor.

3. Only put numbers, not the function description. I've come to find out that not all functions are in the same order on these units. The number does (so far) always correspond to the same resistance value.

4. Not an improvement, but I had an instance where the unit was on a VAV system and didn't want to work in test mode.

[safebustr]

I used to be in electronics field and over the years built a few devices that I thought of selling. I also learned a valuable lesson in cost vs selling price of my inventions. A device that cost me $20 to build must sell to consumer at a cost of $100 for me to make any money. This figure takes into account cost of everything I supply such as parts and labor also my profit,the middle man's profit and any associated marketing costs.
In small numbers like you more than likely work in all this won't apply but if it would happen to go anywhere these numbers start to come into play. Makes keeping your production costs down much more important. Been there done that.

[DeniV]

Been meaning to get around to making one of those. Great job sir.

[Brian Brutus]

Just talked about trying to find or build one of these today actually. Decade boxes are $$$$ I'd love to see how you made one

[icy78]

I am interested. Let me know if you make some.thanks

[slctech]

Just talked about trying to find or build one of these today actually. Decade boxes are $$$$ I'd love to see how you made one

If you watch ebay, those decade boxes pop up a dime a dozen. Upgraded a few years back from my old switch type to a rotary for about $15.00.