GlobalTop Technology Inc. LVDCSE Manuale Utente

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L-INST-LVDC SE 092707

 

 

 

 

 

 

How System Extenders Work 

 

A Lightning

 System Extender acts as a "Repeater" to help your Transmitter's coded signals to reach the desired Receiver(s).  

The System Extender will repeat any Lightning

 coded signal that it hears.  However, only the particular Receiver(s) that have 

already been "trained" to react to a coded signal will respond to the signal.    

 

One or more System Extenders can be used to extend the range of a system and/or to increase the probability of "hitting" 
Receivers that have been marginally receiving the desired signal.   

 

There are two kinds of System Extender:  120V AC Plug-In and Low-Voltage DC Wire-In.  These instructions are for the Low 
Voltage DC Wire-In System Extender.   

 

The Low Voltage System Extender will operate on any DC voltage between 6-27 V.  This low voltage is defined by agencies 
such as Underwriters Laboratories as “inherently safe”, so the Low Voltage System Extender can be mounted almost 
anywhere.  You can provide the System Extender with power from an “AC Adapter” that plugs into or is wired into AC power, 
or you can use a “Power Pack” that incorporates a DC power supply.  You can also use batteries or any other source of DC 
power that you find convenient for your application.   

 

The Low Voltage System Extender can be used with either of two different housings:  A small rectangular housing or a 
hemispherical housing.  Either one will perform satisfactorily.  The difference between the two housings is strictly cosmetic.  
The hemispherical version looks like a small smoke detector and is designed to mount on a ceiling.  The rectangular housing 
is designed to be used for all other applications.   

 

Installing System Extenders 

 

If you need to extend the range of a Lightning

Switch

 system, the ideal location for the System Extender is usually at the 

center of the array of Transmitter(s) and Receiver(s).  For instance, if the system includes one Transmitter and one Receiver, 
you would want to locate the Extender about halfway between the two. This approach requires that power be available at the 
location that you wish to install the Extender.   

 

However, even if no power is available anywhere between the Transmitter and the Receiver, (such as between a house and a 
barn, dock, or detached garage) you can still improve the range and “hit rate” of your  system  by  taking  advantage  of  the 
exceptional receive/transmit capability of the System Extender.  You can do this by wiring a System Extender into electrical 
power near either the Receiver (preferred) or Transmitter (secondary method).   

 

If the System Extender is near the Receiver, its extremely sensitive circuitry will enable it to hear faint signals that might be 
missed by the Receiver, and the Extender will then retransmit the ID Code to the nearby Receiver.  Similarly, because the 
Lightning

  System  Extender  transmits  the  ID  Code  at  a higher signal strength than the Lightning

 Transmitter does, the 

range and hit probability will both be increased when the Extender repeats a signal that it hears from a nearby Transmitter. 

 

Maximizing System Performance 

 

There are several things you can do in order to achieve maximum system performance.   

 

1.  Mount it up high.  The Low Voltage DC System Extender is ideally suited for mounting on or above a ceiling.  Regardless 

of line-of-sight obstructions, a System Extender that is mounted higher generally performs better than one that is 
mounted relatively low.   

 

2.  Try to position the System Extender where it has the fewest obstructions between it and the Transmitters and Receivers 

that it services.  Although the coded radio signal will penetrate walls and even metal plates, each obstruction reduces the 
signal strength at least a little.  For example, you wouldn't want to mount the Extender behind a heavy metal object like 
a refrigerator.   

 

3.  If  your  system  is  particularly  large  or  if  a  great  deal  of  RF  noise  is  present,  you  might  consider  adding  one  or  more 

additional System Extenders.  Since a System Extender will repeat any valid ID Lightning

 Code, whether that code 

comes from a Transmitter or another System Extender, you can "chain" two or more System Extenders to create a very 
large and highly efficient system.   

 

Installing more than one System Extender 

 

Each System Extender comes from the factory ready to use - just wire it in and you're ready to go.  But if you use more than one 
System Extender in the same system, you should "Set Up" the Extenders so they’ll work more efficiently together.  To do this, 
simply wire in the new System Extender, wait 5 seconds for it to initialize and then press the "Set Up" button one time.  The new 
Extender will check if any other System Extenders are already present and the entire system will self-adjust for optimal 
performance.  It’s not necessary to press the "Set Up" button again on System Extenders that had already been installed.