And yet the same. 
adding lots of smileys
I have a device that is normally used to detect change in the infra field to detect cars in your driveway (motion detector) and send a signal back to the based plugged into an outlet (up to 190 ft with a clear sight line), which in turn operates a built in bell, or alternatively activated a outlet (for instance turning on a lamp.)
However I'm using it in my living room to reduce energy consumption on a fan. When I come into the room, it activates the device, and turns on the fan for 3 minutes. If I don't move or fall asleep, and don't move the fan stays off. I've believe I've calculated over the long run, that I'm saving power consumption. If I just had the fan operating normally, I would generally leave it on as I get up and go in kitchen for instance for 5 minutes, so thus for example it saves two minutes where it would run blowing on nothing living. Or if I forget and leave it on and leave, it still shuts off after 3 minutes even if I forgot it for hours.
Anyway, the detector runs on 4 AA batteries. I'm using 4 NIMH which operate in it 24 hours, (so some loss there). But I haven't figured out how to decide when to throw the batteries in the charger (8 hour charger). I've let them go as long as 12 days 24/7, and whenever I test them, I get 1.2 volts each. Should I be looking for a voltage drop? Should I risk just letting them go until they won't operate the device, or could I end up damaging them?
Thanks! ( it's not world shaking failure if I kill them, but I figure, somebody probably could save me from doing that)
adding lots of smileys I have a device that is normally used to detect change in the infra field to detect cars in your driveway (motion detector) and send a signal back to the based plugged into an outlet (up to 190 ft with a clear sight line), which in turn operates a built in bell, or alternatively activated a outlet (for instance turning on a lamp.)
However I'm using it in my living room to reduce energy consumption on a fan. When I come into the room, it activates the device, and turns on the fan for 3 minutes. If I don't move or fall asleep, and don't move the fan stays off. I've believe I've calculated over the long run, that I'm saving power consumption. If I just had the fan operating normally, I would generally leave it on as I get up and go in kitchen for instance for 5 minutes, so thus for example it saves two minutes where it would run blowing on nothing living. Or if I forget and leave it on and leave, it still shuts off after 3 minutes even if I forgot it for hours.
Anyway, the detector runs on 4 AA batteries. I'm using 4 NIMH which operate in it 24 hours, (so some loss there). But I haven't figured out how to decide when to throw the batteries in the charger (8 hour charger). I've let them go as long as 12 days 24/7, and whenever I test them, I get 1.2 volts each. Should I be looking for a voltage drop? Should I risk just letting them go until they won't operate the device, or could I end up damaging them?
Thanks! ( it's not world shaking failure if I kill them, but I figure, somebody probably could save me from doing that)
