Night Light Saver V3.2
(PIC12C508)
Wichit Sirichote, kswichit@kmitl.ac.th
A Microchip PIC12C508 8-pin CMOS
Microcontroller turns a night light on and off with preset time everyday.
Save Energy, No EMI, No Battery, Built-in Lamp Fixture, and Peak Shaving
Introduction
It's time for 8-pin microcontroller Microchip PIC12C508,
the SAVER V3.2, my latest design of a device that turns a night light on
and off everyday. The circuit uses only a PIC12C508 8-pin CMOS micontroller
and a small triac, MAC97A6. The Saver V3.2 also demonstrates the use PCW
PIC C Compiler.
Circuit Description
The schematic of the SAVER V3.2 is depicted in Figure 1.
A transformerless power supply uses Xc of a 0.22uF capacitor
to limit current providing about 10mA current source. The diodes rectifies
ac current to dc current which in turns charged to filtering capacitor,
100uF. A 5.1V zener diode provides dc supply ~5V to the PIC12C508. The
microcontroller circuit runs with low power 32kHz X-tal. GP2 connects a
momentary button for setting time to 8:00. GP1 drives small dot LED that
blink every 5 s for normal running. GP0 directly drives with source current
to a small triac MAC97A6.
Caution!! High Voltage!! Do
not touch any conductive parts of the circuit
Figure 1: Schematic of the Saver V3.2
Software
Saver.hex
is HEX file suitable for writing the code to the PIC12C508 chip. This file
sets time to 8:00 when press S1 once. Time on and off is set to 19:00 to
22:00 everyday.
The original source program SAVER.C
was written in 'C' language. User may change set time when press S1 and
change time on/off.
To recompile the source file you need a PCW PIC C Compiler
from CCS.
Installation
The Saver may be built-in any kind of lamp fixtures. Figure
2 shows the author's concept for building-in a 25W lamp fixture.
under preparation
Figure 2: The author's concept night light fixture
with built-in Saver circuit
Although the Saver can operate even wrong connection of L
and N to the circuit. The author suggests to correct AC line connection
to L and N of the circuit. After finished installation, turn the main switch
on, functioning LED will blink every 1 second. Let try press S1 once, the
lamp will turn on 1 minute then off. The Saver assumes the current time
is then be 8:00.
Note that every time you press S1, the lamp will turn
on 1 minute only once. The day after the lamp will then turn on and off
at preset time. Functioning LED will blink at low rate indicating normal
operation.
If high blink rate is noticed when return home, power
failed should happen, no problem, just wait again 8:00 then press S1.
If the LED is not blinked, someone may turn main switch
off, turn it back on again and wait for 8:00.
Energy Saving Lamp
The Saver was not designed for turning such energy saving
lamps on and off. They mostly use internal high frequency inverter. I have
been tested with one from National, it works!! But I am not guarantee for
your energy saving lamp. I shall be grateful if you could test and let
me know the result.
Backing Up with Supercapacitor or Battery
My first design as seen in SAVER V5.0 does not provide backup
supply if line voltage has failed. I have installed one at my home and
have to repress S1 three times during three months. The Saver 5 draws much
current while PIC12C508 draws as less as 36uA. So one can modify by putting
backup circuit with additional one or two signal diodes, 1N914, say. A
supercapacitor 0.1F may provide backup time a couple of hour while battery
may provide up to a year. GP0 needs external PNP transistor and drives
a triac with sink current instead to prevent discharging from backup supply.
Changing time on for different seasons
Night time for different seasons is of course different in
winter or summer, say. The sun will set more early in winter while later
in summer. One may ask how can we change time on, since the chip was programmed
time on/off at 19:00/22:00 everyday. Very easy, just press S1 to set 8:00
early or later than our clock. Example is shown below;
|
Press S1 at
our clock
|
Time on
|
Time off
|
Season
|
|
8:00
|
19:00
|
22:00
|
preset
|
|
7:30
|
18:30
|
21:30
|
winter
|
|
8:15
|
19:15
|
21:15
|
summer
|
Night Light Saver V3.2 was designed by W.Sirichote
Saver.C was wriiten by W.Sirichote
This Document is Copyright(C) 1999 by W.Sirichote
Last updated, 6 August 2542