Halloween 2005: The Ghost Box
The Ghost Box
The ghost box is an old trunk with chains containing an entity
that is trying to get out.
Notes
The left hand DIP socket is wired as follows, with connections
to the right hand DIP socket (RHD):
- Pin 1: Fogger. Left 5V relay switching RHD 1 and RHD 2.
- Pin 2: In fan. Upper right transistor supplying 12V to RHD 5
(-) and RHD 6 (+). Replaced 10K resistor with 5.6K resistor
(see pin 3).
- Pin 3: Out fan. Lower right transistor supplying 12V to RHD 3
(+) and RHD 4 (-). This had trouble switching from the 5V TTL
output line, so the 10K resistor on the base was replaced with
a 5.6K. At 5V, this is < 1mA of current.
- Pin 4: Lights. Middle 5V relay supplying 12V to high
voltage relay via RHD 7 and RHD 8. High voltage relay
switches 120V hot lead on white outlet.
- Pin 5
- Pin 6: Lid. Right 5V relay supplying 12V to high current
relay via RHD 9 and RHD 10. High current relay switches 4A 5V
supply (terminal strip pins 9 (+5V) and 10 (-)) to door-lock
actuator, which draws about 2.5A at 5V, via terminal strip
pins 7 (-) and 8 (+). Cheaper than a solenoid with sufficient
power to raise the lid -- but can it last all night?
- Pin 6:
- Pin 8: +5V supply
- Pin 9: 12V ground to timer box
- Pin 10: +12V supply to timer box
- Pin 11:
- Pin 12: 5V sound activation signal from timer box to voice
box
- Pin 13: 12V ground from timer box to voice box
- Pin 14: +12V supply from timer box to voice box
Right hand DIP and terminal strip:
- Pin 1: to fogger
- Pin 2: to fogger
- Pin 3: Exhaust fan (upper) (+).
- Pin 4: Exhaust fan (upper) (-).
- Pin 5: Intake fan (lower) (-).
- Pin 6: Intake fan (lower) (+).
- Pin 11: 12V ground from AULT GVP #SW300 (black wire on 4 pin connector)
- Pin 12: +12V 1A from AULT GVP #SW300 (red wire on 4 pin connector)
Right hand DIP:
- Pin 7: High voltage relay coil (+, switched from middle 5V
relay).
- Pin 8: High voltage relay coil (-).
- Pin 9: High current relay coil (+, switched from right 5V
relay).
- Pin 10: High current relay coil.
Terminal strip:
- Pin 7: Lid (-).
- Pin 8: Lid (+).
- Pin 9: +5V 4A from AULT GVP #SW300 (orange wire on 4 pin connector)
- Pin 10: 5V ground from AULT GVP #SW300 (brown wire on 4 pin connector)
The motor generated enough noise to activate one of the 555
timers. I added a 0.1uF capacitor close to the motor and
twisted the power leads to the motor. This resolved the issue.
Relays and transistors that switch relays are protected using a diode, as shown
below:
