General input unit & D16

Has anyone used the general input unit to connect to the output expander of the D16 Alarm.
With the settings on 0-20 volts of the GIU it should be straight forward, however the output expander is an open collector type and switches the negative. It seems the GIU has a common negative link on all channels and if one input is activated it in turn opperates all channels as the possitive is constant on the channels from the expander.
Has anyone used this with the D16 with success.

 

What are you trying to achieve?

 

D16 & giu

As the D16 with C-Bus interface has very limmited functions I am using the output expander and the GIU to output a signal from the D16 RF remote aux to activate roller door close and the remote panic to activate roller door up and with the output expander following the zones I can monitor if the door is in the closed position, this will allow me to use logic to turn off alarm and then open door with one RF signal and to close door and then set alarm with another single RF signal.
Several years ago at another location I used a minder to convert the output expander to the required C-Bus signals, I was advised that by using the GIU this could be achived.
Maybe I will have to get my hands on another minder unit.

 

Ah I see.. In this situation I personally would use the 4ch relay board and a 4ch Bus Coupler..

 

Just connect a resistor (1k would be fine) between each output and ground and the GIU across the resistor with a common ground. The output will swing from 0v to 12v.

 

Hi Jmargyle,

A happy new year to you and everyone.

You have a few good suggestions to try from Roosta and Ashley.

Approaching from the 'tight arse' end , I would suggest that you take a look at the C-Bus Auxiliary Switch Input unit rather than the General Input Unit. It is less than half the price, takes half the enclosure space and can take a direct open collector input referenced to ground (sounds like what you have??). See page 3 of the Installation Guide for more details and to work out if it will work in your application.

This approach is also very 'clean' in that inputs directly switch group addresses rather than requiring sodding around with logic/input curves etc to get it to switch from a General Input unit.

Otherwise I would normally do this 'alarm expansion' concept somewhat like Roosta suggests with the 2 way 'dry input' style of bi-directional 'handshaking'.

Hope this is useful and good luck with your job,

Brad

 

D16 & giu

Thanks All
The use of the auxilary outputs on the D16 are not suitable as they are verry limmited and do not do zone following.
I will try both the resistor as Ashley suggests and the input unit as Brad has recomended.
I have had some success with a $5.00 Solid state relay and will use as last resort
Thanks again

John