X10 controlers

[StirCrazy]

ok who is used them and if not used have yyou seen any good pages with info on how to set them up and what they can do for us?

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hello,
www.x10.com...they have a couple of white papers and instructions for X10 devices.

I don't like x10 devices...the technology is okay, but the x10 products are not very reliable and they tend to fail. This is based on info from several people in my company that have wired up their entire house with x10....

-Victor.

[ 19 November 2001: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[DJ88]

You may also find that there is too much interference in your house for some equipment to be run. I have seen people posting that they couldn't run an Icecap and a MH ballast on it. Only one.

One reason for the interference is having multiple units running off of the same wire run for outlets. They can disrupt each others signals. One or two on that particular length of wire seems to run ok. My uncle in Vic has his entire house wired. But with only a couple on each breaker. So it can work. Too many and you start running into problems.


As well I think that ballasts (large ones) add in EMI(Electro Magnetic Interference) which is a possible source of more problems.

I had looked into it myself, but for anything other than small pumps and such I don't see me using them.

I really like the theory and idea of running it from your PC.. but have doubts.. I think having a controlling module hooked into your PC via ethernet is a better solution. Right Shane? [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] Or a standalone which you hook up to program to your needs.

[ 19 November 2001: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[Reefmaster]

i promise!! that if noone else does this sometime soon i'm gonna. now is just a really busy time with work, but i'm gonna have a month off in feb so might see what i can put together then. i'm all fired up about this, think of the possibilites of using our computers to run our tanks!!! ya ya, i'm sure some there are some skeptics but i BELIEVE it can be done! keep us posted on your progress darren.
shane

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

I have been thinking about that...a PC running a tank. The part I don't like is that the extra power consumption that a regular PC needs ... something around 100W or so. There is also the issue of OS reliability.

But....I don't think I will be doing that for a long time.

- Victor.

[DJ88]

I run my PC 24/7 as it is.. so there wouldn't be any additional consumption. It won't be hooked into the tank's electrical. If that is your worry.. A small remote box would take all the signals from the sensor on the tank. Send them to the PC via ethernet. So your PC could be anywhere..

I think that is what you are meaning, right Victor?

[reefburnaby]

Yupe...that would work. However, building a small remote box with ethernet is no easy task....actually quite hard. I would actually put the PC next to the reef and have the PC drive the reef through isolated outputs (optocouplers) and inputs via the parallel ports. Analog inputs could be made through the sound card. Relays could be used to switch on and off AC devices.

The OS reliability still bugs me though....

- Victor.

[ 21 November 2001: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[StirCrazy]

but if we put the PC right beside the tank wouldent it be easyer to reach over and turn something on by hand [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] seriously though maby USB even but the x10 site states that most of the problems peopl have with noise and stuff can be solved by using filters.

Steve

[reefburnaby]

USB protocol is quite complicated. Probably a I2C or a serial interface is much easier to do.

I guess my "PC beside the reef idea" emulates an expensive Neptune Aquacontroller. Just an idea....I'll give it some more thought.

- Victor.

[DJ88]

The ballasts most people want to control with X10 add noise to the whole system. as do all eelctrical devices on the line. The farther from the source(controller) the more noise you get. In a house with a few lights turning on or off it works. in most cases. I know of houses where that doesn't even fly.. But with a reef tank you may be able to controla few devices sucha s top off pumps or powerheads heaters fans etc. But once you try to put too many items on the system you will start having problems.

Victor.. The whole controller idea is something Shane and I are thinking about. I am still making my little unit for controlling ph's and heaters and fans.. maybe lights.. the rest is a bit down the road. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]