RS232 eight relays controller

TommyE has reworked plugin to controll budget (appr. 40 USD) 8 relays controller. This was described in this thread:
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,8585.msg97592.html#msg97592

The controller can be purchased from ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RS232-oct-power-mosfet-controller-8-way-DC-1A-module-http-web-TCPIP-network-/170941238738?_trksid=p2046732.m2060&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D4528766664005581407%26pid%3D100040%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D170893392585%26
and it can be requested to have Relays instead of MOSFET “switches”.

Realays make possible to switch upt to 10A of 277V or 12A of 125V - which makes it available to switch lights and charge not more then approximately 2kW.

In order to have it worked you need to have USB->RS232 converter

I am using it to controll some lights outside of my house and some other devices.

To install card in Vera it goes “standard” manual way to:

  1. import xml files
  2. create device
  3. reload Vera
  4. configure serial port to Baud: 9600, Parity: none, Data bits: 8, Stop bits: 1
  5. connect serial port to newly created device

I have adjusted inital I_octorelay1.xml file from TommyE as control codes of board needed some changes.

It works fine in my system.

Hello

If any of you like to tinker with electronics, then here is a tip how to make the RelayBoard, and possibly alot of other serial port stuff, into ‘Ethernet Devices’

What I wanted to do with my relay card was to control my underfloor heating actuators, and for this the most logical place to put the relayboard was close to the waterpumt and water valve actuators. My problem is that my Vera3Lite is not that close to underfloor installation, and the serial-USB cable became quite long and unstable. It also raised the need to have a powered USB hub, as my RFXCOM is connected to USB as well.

I then ordered one of these cheap Serial-IP TTL converters http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-RS232-serial-to-ethernet-converter-tcp-ip-module-/230779086589?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item35bb8166fd&_uhb=1 soldered it onto my relay board, installed the IPSerial app from appstore and now I can controll my relaycard thru ethernet.

If anyone needs more specifics, just ask.

Regards
TommyE

I am looking for a relay board that can be simply controlled from Vera 2. I have seen this board Ethernet RLY16

Any idea how easy would it be to write a plugin to control?

I have no experience in such things but it seems as though this type of device is wanted commonly

Ross

Ross, there is enough information on that web page to make a plugin. I’d classify it as “easy” compared to most Vera plugins.

I wouldn’t recommend that you use this project as a way to learn how to program, though.

OK might give it a go then

Thanks Ross

Hello,
Sorry for waking a sleeping topic, but I found no other thread that could help and I’ve just wasted some perfectly good hours of my life attempting to make this work… Using the file & procedure above by Maco, my eight relay board clicks, but it seems to do so in a binary sequence :

  • On 1 = relay 1 @ on
  • On 2 = relay 1 @ off, relay 2 @ on
  • On 3 = relay 1 @ on, relay 2 @ on
  • On 4 = relay 1 @ off, relay 2 @ off, relay 3 @ on

and so on, just like a binary string. Not very useful, at least not in the fashion I intend to use this. I thought setting up a simple relay switch would be super easy but I’ve sure hit the wall.
I’ve looked into the xml files, but I’m not Luup-friendly, so there really is nothing there for me to look at. If anyone had a minute to assist, I would very much appreciate.

M.