It's a shame I live on the other side of the planet, I am a sparky too so I could help with the wiring.

I have been scratching around for Electrical work and it has been a bit slow, but I have also been given a job reviewing somebodies embedded electrical project, It is quite interesting but I'm afraid my assessment is a bit damning. I didn't want this as I know how hard it is to finish projects let alone make them perfect. Anyway my client says don't hold back, they want the truth, and there have been more than a few failures in the field.

Hopefully this will lead into a replacement board, I want to go Arm m3 or maybe m4. 32 bit code yay. 8bit does get a bit annoying.

 

 

Node Zero, I'm not familiar with this term.

Sounds like you have big plans, you might have to resign your day job to implement them.

 

I made up 5 x Steff 0.4 they all work, my production techniques need refining, but each time I try a different way and learn a bit.

You have to manage it so that the solder pasted doesn't dry out before you finish placing. I think the vacuum pick up idea is good but I haven't managed to do it. RE. Mikes Electric Stuff.

All the boards work well, I have only mounted one of the version 0.4s. My lab has 3 led lights now, more than bright enough.

I added a switch to them so when they are turned off they draw just about 10uA.

 

 

 

Hi Hanzibal

I did say I wanted a board but money is a bit tighter these days than last year. But I wont say a definite no as my music is gradually moving to hard disc, and your system could be useful. But I have a few unfinished things I need to do, so a new project is not high on the list.

 

Did you ever get to the bottom of your Crystal problems or did the oscillator just fix everything? I will probably lay out a board with a crystal soon. I normally just get an internal oscillator on the chip.

Looks great, nice to know what's going on.

 

I think I would rescale your battery display from 20 -30 volts or similar. otherwise it wont move much.

Hi McInnes Sounds like your going to be busy for a while. I think the biggest hurdle is regulatory, and that is why the prices are ridiculous. this is partly why I went Isolated Extra Low Voltage for my lights. Because in Aus a light doesn't need approval if it is SELV. Once you are in the SELV domain the House wiring rules no longer apply to your wires. Is it just lighting you want to control? Or specific items? Some Power outlets or all power outlets? individually? With lights you probably only need to run the switch wire back to the node. I assume you will want a local light switch too wont you, you can probably run this as SELV to the micro. With power you are going to have a stack of conductors going in the same direction, so they will be de-rated. You might consider a sub distributlon board or two. You can get small contactors wired into your switch board, maybe you could wire up your own sub boards and put the contactors in your self. And get the sparky to connect to mains. Just run the coil wires out to a SELV box or section, where you can attach your driver circuits. Too Easy. (... cough cough) the other thing is light dimming, this can be a bitch with all the different sorts of dimmers (leading, trailing, universal, cfl) and the cfl ones dont work well anyway. But if you have LEDs it is a lot easier. Also think about some fire detectors, I don't know what is best but if you're doing home electronics I think they are good. One in the lab too.

So in terms of lighting (mains) are the contactors ok to use and be up to a standard?

 

An electrician would be allowed to wire contactors into a switch board or subboard, Many switchboards use Din rail mounting. I think this would be the main option for controlling your house wiring. They could run out the isolated switch wires to another box that you would interface too.

But for me I am quite happy with the non automatic light switch.

 

Are the din rail dimmers ok in the same way the contactors are? If I'm right a normal incandesant bulb uses leading edge dimming right?

Anything can dim the incandescent bulbs, it is the compact flouros and the flouros that dont dim well, especially when its cold.

 

the only automation I have is temperature logging. Via netduino plus. It monitors my solar hot water and a couple of other places, I was going to get it to automatically turn on the gas booster but I have just been flicking the switch myself, that actually works pretty well so the project didn't need any more.

I once did make an automatic chicken feeder and watering system, with web cam feedback. So I could feed them when on holidays via the web but I couldn't get the mechanical side right so the pellets kept jamming. It looked a bit crazy while it was running and used to freak the chickens out. If you need the plans to this masterpiece I'll open source them. It was controlled by an openWRT wireless router.

Hi Hanzibal

 

On the subject of Oscillators here is a short app note on them. It seemed pretty good. Apart a typo on one of the schematics, where L1 uses a capacitor symbol.

 

http://www.euroquart.../tech-notes.pdf

 

I didn't find to much talk on symmetry though.