Omnipro ii Power LED Doorbell and ring through HiFi2

Jaytee

Member
I have an Omnipro II, two way voice module, and HiFi 2 8x8 audio distribution system.  When someone presses the doorbell button, I want to play a sound file on all 8 zones of the HiFi2.  I am trying to use an LED doorbell button that requires continuous 12v for the light.  The button is normally closed and when depressed the circuit opens.  I am not using end of line resistors on my security zones.  I ran Cat 5 straight from the Omni to the doorbell button.  Does anyone have suggestions on how to wire this thing, power the light from the Omni and trigger the sound file. 
 
There is a sort of long thread here somewhere about using and retrofitting a neon doorbell with pictures.
 
Personally I just purchased an LED doorbell made to replace an existing doorbell and hooked it to Elks doorbell board debounce board where it then goes to the OPII panel.
 
I have read through the ELK 930 data sheets.  I don't see anywhere that it says that the 930 holds the switch closed long enough for the OP2 to recognize it.  Since everyone recommends it, I guess it must.
 
I might not totally get what you are trying to do, but if you are trying to detect a quick button press via a 12 vdc system, then you might want to use an Elk 960 timer relay instead of a traditional Elk 930 doorbell detector.  The 960 can detect a pulse with only a millisecond (or less) duration.
 
Can you draw a quick schematic (with some notes on power, etc...)?
 
My doorbell circuit seems to be a little different than others previously discussed because I am not trying to power a normal doorbell transformer.  I have attached the circuit I was looking to do.  The problem with this circuit is that when the doorbell is pressed, the zone does not trigger unless the button is held for a second or two, and I need the zone to trigger so that I can program some events (sound over HiFi2, foyer light on, etc.)  It is likely that most people ringing the doorbell will not hold the button long enough and therefore never trigger the OP2 zone. My wife said that I should just put up a sign next to the button that says "hold for 2 seconds."  While that's probably the simplest solution, I think you all understand why I wont do that :blink: .  Instead, I need a device that will hold the circuit closed long enough to trigger the OP2 regardless of how short the button press is.  It looks like, in my case, as you suggest, the Elk 960 timer relay might be a better option than the Elk 930.  OR if you have a better suggestion after looking at my diagram, I'm all ears.   View attachment LED doorbell circuit.pdf
 
I totally rebuilt my "doorbell" stuff initially starting with a HAI zoned on/off thing directly connected to the door bell button.
 
Not wanting to waste time with this stuff (yeah just a doorbell); my preference was to tear it all out and start from scratch instead of wasting time and efforts modifying something that didn't didn't work in the first place.
 
I went back to the legacy configuration using the original doorbell power supply plus utilizing the Elk "doorbell" circuit board (ELK 930) and the Elk debounce circuit board (ELK 960).  Initially had issues with debounce time on the doorbell and I could have just connected a debounce circut; but I was bored such that I redid it all.  Another issue was the piece of crap doorbell button that was originally installed.  That said I would say that the "old fashioned" simple contact doorbell button; no matter how fancy looking it is on the outside has garbage contacts which are not weather proof; thus you pay for the nice outside parts but get crap in electronics on the inside.  Note that this is my opinion based on replacing my doorbell some 5 times in 10 years now.
 
diagram-3.jpg
 
 
Bored some more and liking that whole LED in the doorbell thing; I added a stock LED doorbell button which connects to a conventional doorbell circuit.  it works fine these days.
 
stainless-steel-doorbell-pushbuttons.jpg

 
http://www.expressions-ltd.com/spOre_True_LED_Doorbell_p/spore-true.htm
 
Related question.
I know I've seen it before but can't seem to find it here or on the HAI KB.
 
What is the time sensitivity of an Omni zone to detect NOT READY?
 
i.e., how many ms does the zone need to be tripped before the board will recognize it?
 
 
 
ETA:
 
I think I found it in the manual
"All zones in the OmniPro II are set to a 300ms fixed response time."
 
Jaytee,  I'm not getting how that doorbell is 'continually lit'.  Are there separate connections for the led (i.e. not related to the doorbell press button)?
 
BraveSirRobin,
 
Best I can tell you, there's a small circuit board inside the switch.  Somehow the LED is bypassing the switch through that board. The loop reads 10 when the switch is open and the LED is on.
 
Are you drawing the 'entire' connection schematic?  I don't see any ground reference to the switch, which is why I'm wondering how the LED is able to turn on.
 
If I understand all the nuances of that switch, I'll be able to tell you how to wire this using the Elk 960.
 
Sorry about that... my drawing is wrong.   The auxiliary 12v is on the negative terminal, not the positive.
 
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