7 replies to this topic

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

One of my cockpit toggles controls the master power. Another controls the power on the screens. Both on house power.
The third is still up in the air.
Reactor online=entire cockpit power supply. [speakers, lights, fans] Daisy chained to.
Sensors online=video displays.
Weapons online=nothing assigned yet.

So how would some one safely wire a toggle to control the power? My first though was to pull out the plastic rocker switch and solder a toggle on some long wires to a panel. However not being an electrician or knowing what hazards i might be creating doing that does anyone have a knowledgeable intelligence to add?

Ultimately i'd like to have only 1 power cord to the cockpit. However i suspect to make the above happen and keep the computer on 24/7 i'd need a separate one for the pc. Or find a power strip that has a unswitched power on all the time socket like my"Intermatic electra-guard" under the CRT monitor switching box from the early 90's has.

I'd prefer my project not burn down my house some night because i screwed up the 110v wiring to a toggle that over heated and started sparking inside a wooden box with a cloth seat.

Thanks.

[Foust]

Search relay controlled outlets. You should find several DIY options and some premade ones as well.

This way you can switch 5vdc at your panels, and then the relay will handle switching the 110vac.

[CyBerkut]

What Foust said.

Along with your valid concerns about burning your pit/house down, there is another possibly more immediate concern.... 120VAC can easily KILL you (or someone else who gets their little hands into the wrong place).

Make sure you thoroughly understand whatever it is you come up with, and have run through all of the possible "what if" scenarios in your head.

[Lt Zwicka Greengold]

Steelwolf,
I strongly recommend that you do not do this alone. Find someone who actually does real electrical work for a living and ask for help (not someone who who is handy and builds lots of stuff). I work for an electrical contractor as a systems safety specialist and you dont want to know the statistics or see the pictures of the burns of people doing "simple" sh!t at home. When we do residential inspections there are three things that almost guarantee that we find life threatening hazards.. in descending order... work done by homeowner (or friend) anywhere in the house, work done by a do it all general contractor and last, work done by a "man and a van" electrician who only has a cell number and maybe an answering machine but no real office and staff..

[Telecleez]

http://mwomercs.com/...lator-work-log/

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Yes i have Foust's work log bookmarked and i probably have over commented to the point of narroly hijacking his thread so i'm refraining from commenting further for a bit
I will look up the relays after tonight gaming session with my clan.
Thanks for the feed back so far. Even if i ran heavy orange extention cord from the wall to a fuse box. then that fuse box powers the cockpit. There is probably a simpler/safer way of doing the cockpit power though then wiring up a switch.

Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 16 August 2012 - 10:51 PM.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Lt Zwicka Greengold, on 16 August 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:

Steelwolf,
I strongly recommend that you do not do this alone. Find someone who actually does real electrical work for a living and ask for help (not someone who who is handy and builds lots of stuff). I work for an electrical contractor as a systems safety specialist and you dont want to know the statistics or see the pictures of the burns of people doing "simple" sh!t at home. When we do residential inspections there are three things that almost guarantee that we find life threatening hazards.. in descending order... work done by homeowner (or friend) anywhere in the house, work done by a do it all general contractor and last, work done by a "man and a van" electrician who only has a cell number and maybe an answering machine but no real office and staff..

Preferably i'd rather toss money at a local store. I'll call around Saturday and ask for "relay switches" and see if i can find some in the 10-$29 range. Hopefully they are not to thick as one of them will be mounted face down to the floor of the ceilings internal workings. Your attic.. Like the "Ceiling Mech is watching you break your NDA". Easy fix for that. more 2x4's.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

1=power strip 1 items
2=power strip 2 items
3=power strip 3 items
Watched a few good videos on relays on youtube. Has potential.

1 House power to relay / toggle switch
1 to power strip one. On the end of that power strip is a 120 volt to USB charger and plugged into that is advice like
1 Foust is using to emulate a HID.
1 HID goes to a free USB port on the PC or a powered hub. Triggers "Reactor Online"
1 Powered hub also provides power to the PC style fans for venting. Whisper quiet and can be made directional.

2 Power strip one has power strip 2 plugged into it.
2 monitors plug as well as on the end of that power strip is a 120 volt to USB charger and plugged into that is advice
2 like Foust is using to emulate a HID. Triggers "Sensors Online" Monitors are visual. Eyes are sensors.

3 Power strip 2 has power strip 3 plugged into it.
3 internal lights powered here.
3 All sorts of lighting options available here. 120v down to the above 120-5v usb converters & then use LED
3 usb lamps. Those light switches can be mounted anywhere and i'm good soldering those. Not so with 120v.
3 HID goes to a free USB port on the PC or a powered hub. Triggers "Weapons Online"

A bit of code on the PC checks to see if all switches are up and then plays "All systems nominal"
THen i jump back and watch the thing for a few hours and wave temprature readers and volt meters at it to see if anything is over heating.

Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 17 August 2012 - 01:20 AM.