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| CHRISTMAS CREATIONS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FROM AUSTRALIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Below are a list of suppliers here in Australia where I have purchased the components needed to allow your home computer to control your Christmas Light Display. I am sure that there are many other places in Australia, but I am only listing the businesses that I have bought goods from for this computer driven display. If anyone has further links on the where abouts of getting the parts here in Australia, please let me know. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dick Smith Electronics - jiffy boxes, nuts & bolts, computer cables and cable connectors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jaycar Electronics - 24 line digital I/O card in kit form. ( if you can solder you can make this card! it has very few components) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KC Electronics - Solid State Relays. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bunnings Warehouse - really cheap extension leads (used on the SSR boxes), Christmas Lights etc etc. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X10 Computer Interface - They are based in Victoria. They have a great web page going into great detail on just how these devices work. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Backplane.com.au - This company sells Digital I/O cards here in Australia. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More to follow......................... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The following is a simple method of discribing the order in which the components are connected together. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Computer - you really on need 286 / 386 or higher. So long as your computer can supply a 5vdc from the mainboard, it only needs to produce a very small digital output signal. Depending on what type of software you are using i.e WindowsX or Dos will depend of what type of computer you will probably use. This digital card will work with the basic commands given in QBasic software. I am useing DasherCR software this year to control my digital cards. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Digital 24 line I/O card - this is placed inside your computer in a free ISA slot. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Computer ribbon - IDC cable coming from the digital card. This is split into individual strands and then run into a splitter box. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Splitter box - another cable coming from this box (containing five 5vdc electrical lines) runs into the Solid State Relay box (4 SSR's in one box) Four of the electronic lines are the digital signals and the other one is the 5vdc from the mainboard. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Surface mounted three pin female plug - this is where you plug in your Christmas lights.They are set on top of the jiffy box and the SSR are inside this box. Here in Australia all of our outdoor Christmas lights run with a 12-24 volt transformer. Not directly off of 240v! There is only one 240v line going into the SSR box and this gives all four SSR's power to all four female plugs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On the digital card there pinouts that are labelled to indentify which is supplying the 5vdc and which line is supplying the digital signal that will run the Solid State relays. Although the SSR's were hard to come by here in Australia and not as cheap as in America, I find they are the better option to use. The Solid State relay have an electronic switching signal unlike the mechanical switching with normal relays. However relay switches will do the same thing. Just make sure you get 5vdc on the input side and 240v on the ouput side. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X10 Technology - How does it work? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| We have purchased our CM11A Computer Interface, the Lamp and Appliance modules right here in Australia. All of these electrical devices comply with Australian electrical regulations. The Computer Interface is a small device (similar shape to a plug in style electronic timer switch) that plugs into a standard 240v wall outlet and then your computers power supply plugs into the back of this. It has a cable coming out of the wall unit which plugs directly into a free Com port on your computer. Most kits come with Software to program and run this device. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The great thing about these modules is that you dont have to have any special wiring done in your home. Just plug in a lamp or appliance module into a 240v wall outlet - then plug in your Christmas Lights or a table lamp and you are off and running. The software shipped with the Computer Interface is easy to use and in no time at all you will have lights flicking off and on and dimming as well. I wont go into great detail on how the X10 application works. The best place to visit is the link above or go to: www.x10.com This is an American web site, but it goes into great detail are well. The possibilities for these products are endless and the best thing is that once you have packed up your Christmas Light display you can use these devices for other things in and around your home!! |
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| Standard Disclaimer: I will not be responsible for any person/s making or connecting any of these devices to their computer or 240v power supplies and any outcomes there of. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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