This is a bit of a mixture of threads, but a specific issue and I would appreciate some advice.
Based on the thread about electricity meters and using the flashing output of the meter, I have some BPW85C photo transistors. As Karam wrote, I have the long lead connected to 0v on an input on a QRH module and the shorter lead into one of the inputs. If I shine a torch directly into the sensor, the input changes state.
My problem is that I have a neon indicator (now part of hot water controls) and I put the photo transistor up to the neon. I expected it to change state when the neon came on. What actually happened is that the QRH sent a stream of data to Cortex, so much that it crashed the software! It then gave me odd fault reports about my PCU.
I reset and started again, but the same thing happens. Is it picking something up from the neon - perhaps an induced current? I've disconnected it now.
So - a few questions...
1 - is it likely that the transistor is too close to the neon?
2 - from the thread about electricity meters, is there a better, more sensitive sensor that I should try, perhaps that can be mounted a cm or so from the neon? It is in an enclosed box, so would not receive other light apart from when the neon is on.
3 - I can't remember whether the bottom LED on my PCU-001 should be permanently on or not?
Thanks.
Based on the thread about electricity meters and using the flashing output of the meter, I have some BPW85C photo transistors. As Karam wrote, I have the long lead connected to 0v on an input on a QRH module and the shorter lead into one of the inputs. If I shine a torch directly into the sensor, the input changes state.
My problem is that I have a neon indicator (now part of hot water controls) and I put the photo transistor up to the neon. I expected it to change state when the neon came on. What actually happened is that the QRH sent a stream of data to Cortex, so much that it crashed the software! It then gave me odd fault reports about my PCU.
I reset and started again, but the same thing happens. Is it picking something up from the neon - perhaps an induced current? I've disconnected it now.
So - a few questions...
1 - is it likely that the transistor is too close to the neon?
2 - from the thread about electricity meters, is there a better, more sensitive sensor that I should try, perhaps that can be mounted a cm or so from the neon? It is in an enclosed box, so would not receive other light apart from when the neon is on.
3 - I can't remember whether the bottom LED on my PCU-001 should be permanently on or not?
Thanks.