Anyone interested in serial controlled Relay/Input card? - Page 7

Ricky327 · 10-26-2004, 01:06 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by BeaverWise

For something that might spark some ideas on the software side of the house take a peek at http://www.controlanything.com/manuals/IOADR8x.PDF

I am still debating what to do... I really like the capabilities of the card made by NCD, but if it can't be used in an automotive environment...

Ideas anyone?

You can still use that card as long as you prepare the car +12V before you feed it into the cards input. Maybe you also need a voltage regulator for the card power supply.

How much is it?

kiltjim · 10-26-2004, 03:17 PM

I know some about electronics, more then enough to keep me in trouble... but...

Is this board going to be capable of digital outputs? Other than driving relays?

What I was hoping to do is pulse a channel very rapidly at variable frequencies. This would be to drive a transistor to rapidly switch (PWM) cold cathode tubes, and maybe underglow. Is this going to be possible? Like instead of hooking up one of the outputs to relay hook it up to a transistor? Is this going to be too much for the board?

HybridFox · 10-26-2004, 03:35 PM

(just wanted you to know before you read my post that when it comes to serial ports and relays i am COMPLETE NEWB)

-what the hell is the difference bettween analog and digital inputs?

-what program do you use to incorporate button pushes into switching relays? (how is it that you can make a window with buttons so that when one of them is clicked/pushed it will send a signal through your serial port into this board thing and open/close a relay?)

lez · 10-26-2004, 04:14 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kiltjim

What I was hoping to do is pulse a channel very rapidly at variable frequencies. This would be to drive a transistor to rapidly switch (PWM) cold cathode tubes, and maybe underglow. Is this going to be possible? Like instead of hooking up one of the outputs to relay hook it up to a transistor? Is this going to be too much for the board?

I dont think your tubes will like you very much......

lez · 10-26-2004, 04:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

(1) Wow I never though of that one. I think its best to use those REED relay for this.

(2)Bear in mind that the board is capable of having upto 5 ADC...modifying the firmware will give you this. But of course you will lose some digital inputs.

1) reed? na just simple 4pole thing from maplins, but yes, car relays unreliable bits of meccano....

2) didnt know chip was that capeable, last pic i touched was f84 and that hit the window....

would be nice to write a screen saver that read analog imputs from the card and displayed oil/water/speed/rpm etc when mediacar/mediaengine was not in use....

kiltjim · 10-26-2004, 05:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lez

I dont think your tubes will like you very much......

I was worried about this, but sound activated controllers do this, don't they?

I wasn't going to vary the voltage, just vary the amount of time they were on.

Quote: Originally Posted by HybridFox

-what the hell is the difference bettween analog and digital inputs?

Analog inputs would be a varying voltage. Its neither on or off. Like your car voltage. Digital inputs would be like your car is either on or off. Either you have voltage or you don't. Digital usually hovers around either 3 or 5 volts, but in your car, it is at 12 volts (roughly).

Quote: Originally Posted by HybridFox

what program do you use to incorporate button pushes into switching relays? (how is it that you can make a window with buttons so that when one of them is clicked/pushed it will send a signal through your serial port into this board thing and open/close a relay?)

I'm working on something that will send some commands using VB.NET. Some simple buttons and all they do is send a command. Once this card comes out though, I'm going to have to change all the commands, but all you really need is a nice little .DLL thats allows you to access the serial port, or a USB port, or whatever.

BeaverWise · 10-27-2004, 01:17 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

You can still use that card as long as you prepare the car +12V before you feed it into the cards input. Maybe you also need a voltage regulator for the card power supply.

How much is it?

The version mentioned in the post above is $329. The thing that I really liked about this card was the expansion capabilities and the variety of add-ons. Here is a link to more of their stuff. Look it over and give me your impression if you could.

http://www.controlanything.com/Merch...ry_Code=HYBRID

PS - I have absolutly nothing to do with this company, just looking for a good solution for my car..

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 01:39 AM

$569 for a relay card...thats alot.

Well all of them seems like a good board but the price is just too much.

To make a card with this much feature :

16 x Relays
16 x Digital inputs
8 x Analog inputs

Im sure it wont cost no more than $70

I dont think the LCD interface is really that necessary for car PC use.

lez · 10-27-2004, 07:23 AM

well I was wanting to make a phone controlled car alarm, as then I dont need to carry keys+phone+keyfob etc, plan was to just carry phone, have it control the alarm, and wire out the keyswitch.

thats what I was going to sling some relays off the lpt port for, but will be using this card instead as I prefer serial control as thge lpt port can be accessed by other windows progs which may cause errors, ie car starting at 4am.......

I have software in testing (sms) stage at moment, looks ugly but works, I can unlock/lock doors etc with a text meassage, now want to build in blutooth so I can unlock car from a menu option on my phone.

I know its possible(from looking at pc control), just not figured it out yet.

lummox · 10-27-2004, 08:46 AM

Having just read the entirety of this thread I am very excited!

I was contemplating designing a similar circuit, that controls a relay that connects/disconnects a tank battery to the alternator depending on the voltages of the two batteries. eg if the tank goes below 13.3V (min input on itps) and the car is running and the voltage of the main battery is above 14V then alternator is connected to tank which then charges.

Was contemplating putting a digi sensor on my auto-box selectro so that if in manual or park the alternator is disconnected.

Vaguely remember reading in the thread that the max current for a relay was limited, is this the case? If so would controlling a 100amp relau with a reed relay be feasable?

Cheers

ps GREAT WORK

kiltjim · 10-27-2004, 11:21 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by lez

I know its possible(from looking at pc control), just not figured it out yet.

Do some research for the program you know how to program in. I'm most familiar in VB, and now I'm moving to .NET, so I had to relearn most everything. But I know of resources out there that will either have RS-232 support, or a library file that you can call. Controlling the serial port through .NET is pretty easy.

I don't know what this card is gonna require, but on my prototype I was sending commands like "%AMP, 1" this would wake up my microprocessor (%) read the list to see which pin the amp was on, and turn it on (, 1).

It works pretty well. A button in VB would just send the code through the serial port. See if you can find some source, maybe I can find the same file I used as a background for my interface.

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 05:29 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kiltjim

Is this board going to be capable of digital outputs? Other than driving relays?
Is this going to be possible? Like instead of hooking up one of the outputs to relay hook it up to a transistor? Is this going to be too much for the board?

Yes you can drive other circuit, just dont exceed the maximum limit of the relay driver. The relay drive is ULN2803A which can sink upto 500mA each...more than enough to drive a relay coil.

Im not sure if you can switch the output fast enough such that it apears dimmed. The maximum switching is about 200Hz...most likely more.

Quote: Originally Posted by kiltjim

I'm working on something that will send some commands using VB.NET. Some simple buttons and all they do is send a command. Once this card comes out though, I'm going to have to change all the commands, but all you really need is a nice little .DLL thats allows you to access the serial port, or a USB port, or whatever.

That be cool, Ill need a simple interface...something like a skinable program which have :

For the relays :
LEFT/RIGHT UP/DOWN electric window button
LOCK/UNLOCK door button
BOOT release button
Rear window heater button
...etc

For the digital inputs :
Reverse camera
Movie/VIS lockout
Bonnet open
...etc

For the Analog inputs :
Car voltmeter
PC Temperature
Rear bumper distance sensor
...etc

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 05:32 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lez

well I was wanting to make a phone controlled car alarm

I have software in testing (sms) stage at moment, looks ugly but works, I can unlock/lock doors etc with a text meassage, now want to build in blutooth so I can unlock car from a menu option on my phone.

Sounds cool...how about the security? or is it just only from your phone it will accept the commands?

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 05:35 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lummox

Vaguely remember reading in the thread that the max current for a relay was limited, is this the case? If so would controlling a 100amp relau with a reed relay be feasable?

The 500mA output should drive a relay with no problem. The relay Im using for test is 30/40A relays and drain about 150mA. I dont know about 100A relays though as I have never seen them.

As long as the relay coil current doesnt exceed 500mA then all is fine.

kiltjim · 10-27-2004, 05:47 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

For the relays :
LEFT/RIGHT UP/DOWN electric window button
LOCK/UNLOCK door button
BOOT release button
Rear window heater button
...etc

For this, what type of commands does the board use to turn on/off an output?

As for the inputs, what would a typical output from the boards look like? Maybe I can throw something together before you get everything finalized.

The program I am working on doesn't make allowances for skinning, but I'm sure I could learn. Maybe piggyback on the frodoskinner, see if I can get it to work for mine.