Hello, first let me say that I'm a complete newbie. Having said that I have a Niles RCA_TT infrared repeater system which includes a MSU140 hub (only has one sensor input), a TS110 IR sensor, and MF1 flashers. I recently got a CS100 to add to my setup which will be in another room. After just trying to twist each matching wire together from both IR sensors and sticking them into MSU140 hub, I realized that wasn’t going to work. The CS100 sensor worked fine while the TS110 stopped working although the status did light up when an IR signal was sent. So looking on the web I discovered that Niles makes a piece of equipment designed to do exactly what I want….the IRH610 IR senor expansion hub. Now, I know the easy thing here is just to shell out the money and buy the IRH610 but I rather come up with an alternative solution (just call me a cheapo if you want). After further looking on the web, I believe I can wire two IR sensors into one input if I put an 1N4003 diode (on each IR sensor) on the data wire with the cathode or strip side facing towards the MSU140 hub. Is this correct? Will this work? If not, what will I have to do to hook up these two IR sensors to the hub (without buying an IRH610)? My apologies if this has been already discussed in a previous post. Thanks!

You've tried just twisting wires together, and it didn't work. Diodes are cheap. Try it out and let us know!

Or return it and get the correct part which is msu250...dual I/R receiver ports and 1 extra I/R emitter port. Cost difference is 15 dollars retail; what's your time worth?

I/R instead of IR for my pal Ernie :-)

Thanks for the responses! Yeah, I went by the local radio crap store on my lunch break and got some diodes….going test this theory out tonight and will let you all know results. I’m kinda surprised no one has run into this dilemma before…oh well. I would totally take back the msu140 if I could but it’s been a couple of years since I bought it. I wish I had enough foresight to buy the msu250 though…..hindsight is always 20/20.

IT WORKED!!!!

We installers tend to work out in advance how many of what things we need before we buy them, because we know that otherwise we'll have to sit on them until we need them.

It's not a dilemma because Niles sells a component specifically made to solve your problem. ("I'm out of gas but I don't want to buy any and I can't figure out what to use instead. What a dilemma.")

Xantech and probably some other IR companies make devices that can just be slapped in parallel as you tried to do. Niles's stuff has always been a bit squirrely about that. And I wonder: how much money you have to spend to get their device instead of using two 59 cent diodes? I'm betraying a bit that I don't really like Niles IR devices.

Try about 63 bucks. I guess it's not a whole lot of money compared to what I have invested in my setup, but I'm much happier with only spending $1.18!! :) Yeah, they could easily put that diode every sensor they make....

Good work. I'd wager that for the extra money all you get is another molex connector AND that magical diode in the case :-)

Niles has always been less helpful and less fitted to the custom installer.

Back a couple of years, just before they drastically improved the satellite controllability of their IR sensors, I tried to work out how many one amp power supplies I really needed for ten IR systems. Yup, ten IR systems all in one closet. Xantech tells you how much current each device uses, so you just add it up. The Niles literature had nothing, and their tech guys had nothing. When I asked them to check with engineering, they said that they could, but they did not have any idea when they might get an answer, and no idea if the answer would be correct!

I worked it out. You REQUIRE about 60 mA for one sensor and one LED, and as much as 100 mA if you're driving 4 LEDs. For that they sell you a one amp supply, and if you're so clever as to try not to use ten supplies for ten systems, they are of zero help.

Niles hasn't changed a bit...

I like the cut of your jib my friend.