MailBox Sensors

A very dear and trusted friend mentioned to me in passing that he could get a mailbox sensor that I believe linked to his CBus or home automation system.

Anyone able to point me in the right direction for one of these?

 

www.google.com

 

THe only issue I have had with searching via google is that all the sensors rely on a door being opened to indicate that mail has arrived. Typically that does not happen here in AUS, we have a slot for the mail and a door to remove it.

Silicon CHip mag had a circuit that detected light level change from say a a letter being inserted. Adjust it too fine and it detects clouds. It did not have any external connection other than power so I modified it and added a relay to feed it back to an Aux input.

I had an LED as well to allow you to see if you have mail as you drive up, so if it was raining you didnt need to get out and check.

I never built it as I dont have the gear for making PCB's and my mate who does has not used it for a long time. So if you know someone who can prototype a board cheap I can get it made and test.

If you find something that is suitable for our typical mail box then please post it here.

Mick

 

I googled, I failed again

So it doesn't seem that anyone has come up with an option for a mailbox sensor for C-Bus application.

How about I throw a few ideas up?

Could an infrared beam from the bottom of the mailbox to the top of the mailbox that is broken by mail through the slot do the job? Think shop entry beam. Is that a realistic option.

What about a reed switch on a small hinge at the slot? as something is pushed through the slot, the contact is broken?

I am sure that some Guru will suggest mounting a camera in the mailbox modulated via Starserve to channel 47 but I am too lazy to change channels and check the mail.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

All you need is two pairs of IR beams as used in elevators. Link one to the other in series and then you can cross the vertical and horizontal planes.

When the beam is broken you get a message condition.

 

An extension on the IR beams would be an IR LED and a receiver pair. Low cost, and effective. Not impacted by ambient light, only ambient IR. Check out http://www.reconnsworld.com/ir_ultrasonic_basicirdetectemit.html

Cheers

 

pressure sensor

rolleyes: Wouldnt: some kind of pressure sensor be the way to go. And connected it to a Cbus coupler, or a general Input Unit ( the unit could then detect the weigt of the mail as well and work out how may letter you have )

 

This assumes the mail is all the way in the mailbox and not hanging out the front ie... junkmail!

 

So if someone jams a bundle into the slot then you detect nothing !

This thread is becoming fun !

 

No, obviously you put it in front of the mailbox and measure the weight of the mailman

In fact if you put one either side then you could weigh him coming and going to see if he dropped anything off.

Cheers

Rohan

 

Night vision camera

Put a camera in the mailbox (capable for night vision) and all your problems are solved

 

The contrast of the light inside the box against the mail slot will render some objects flat on the bottom invisible at various times of the day.

However I must agree if you include motion detection.

 

sensor

Or possibly if the mail box was large enough , a small person could be placed inside and he presses a button on arrival of the mail.

 

Mail Sensor

Some creative ideas but everyone forgot about the unemployed bum who does nothing but ask the questions on technical support web sites that many want to ask but fear the repercussions! He could simply sit on his esky where the mail box goes wearing a t-shirt with the house number on it and when the mail man drops off the mail he could bring it to the front door and knock!!

 

wireles laptop

He would need a laptop and a wireless connection to keep in contact with the forum. This would increase initial and ongoing costs, he also my miss incoming mail while he is intensively writing in the cbus forum. Maybe a Capacitive proximity detector is the way to go

 

Copyright idea

The solution is to design a new mailbox

1. The slot is closed with tap controlled via a electromagnetic switch
2. A sign outside will give instuction "To put new mail please press the red button"
3. The button will activate the switch to open the tap and will give a signal to C-Bus.

 

I gave second thought to my own application ideas and thought that a shredder could be used behind the mail slot with a scale to weigh the matter.

 

Bluetooth

how about a bluetooth sensor on the mailbox and capture the mail mans bluetooth id. You would then have to change the initial voice prompt to "you are getting mail" if he spends say 5 seconds within range. You could then set a time logic in the event he rides straight past so you know the mail man has been but you didn't get mail!

 

Nailed it

I have sussed the Mailbox sensor. Will post pics of it tomorrow for all to enjoy!

PM

 

Where are the pics you were going to post?