25-11-2014, 07:04 PM
(24-11-2014, 08:26 AM)thm Wrote: Thanks for the help, will check this out and let you know how I get on.
Thanks again.
Good to know you made it that far.
First you have to test that when you make contact between contacts #23 and #24 the gate opens/closes. For this you will need just a piece of wire with which you will briefly (no more than 1 sec) connect both contacts. This is to make sure that everything is fine with the board. Obviously, when you perform that test, you will want to keep clear of the gate as it should start moving. These contacts have their own, very low, test voltage which you will not even feel if you touch the wire (and, unlike other contacts on the board, will not shock you).
The next step is making sure that the output of your "internal handset" is voltage-free. If this is specifically mentioned in the manual of the handset, then you should be fine but, still, testing for that yourself is always the suggested action. For this you will need a multimeter (even the cheapest ones will do - see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF3OyQ3HwfU for a crash course in how one is used) to measure the voltage between the 2 output wires of the handset when the button is pressed (you are looking for low DC voltage but be sure to also test for AC - one never knows what to expect from random 2 wires, so treat them as potentially live wires and be careful). If you measure any voltage (DC or AC), when you press the handset button, DO NOT connect these wires straight to the board as you may damage it. If you measure no voltage, go on with testing for contact. Most multimeters have a function for circuit continuity testing. You have to use this for verifying that the circuit between the 2 ends of your wires is normally open and only closes when you press the button.
If you have no voltage (ie dry contacts) and contact is made when you press the button, you should be fine with connecting those 2 wires to #23 and #24 (in whatever order).
If, however, you see some voltage, you will have to purchase and install a relay, matching that voltage, in order to get the voltage-free output you need. This is easy, doesn't cost much and, in fact, is quite common in such installations.
PS: If you hire an electrician to connect the handset to your control board, do not assume he knows about all the requirements. Be sure to point out that the gate board needs a voltage-free (dry contact), pushbutton-like (not maintained) input.
