USB Relay - Revision history

Cartridge1987: /* power consumption */

2015-11-11T11:15:48Z

power consumption

Cartridge1987: /* additional considerations */

2015-11-11T11:15:36Z

additional considerations

Cartridge1987: /* button */

2015-11-11T11:15:24Z

button

Cartridge1987: /* intro */

2015-11-11T11:15:02Z

intro

Cartridge1987: /* intro */

2015-11-02T12:03:25Z

intro

Rew: /* Additional software */

2015-03-23T18:01:52Z

Additional software

Tom: /* Protocol */

2014-04-16T13:51:10Z

Protocol

Rew: Created page with "== intro == The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer. This allows your computer to switch the mains for other devices or signals or l..."

2014-01-21T16:52:48Z

Created page with "== intro == The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer. This allows your computer to switch the mains for other devices or signals or l..."

New page

== intro ==
The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer.

This allows your computer to switch the mains for other devices or signals or lower voltage DC power signals.

== Assembly instructions ==

None: the board comes fully assembled.

== External resources ==

=== Datasheets ===

== Additional software ==

In the zipfile at [[http://www.bitwizard.nl/software/usbrelay.zip]] you'll find usbr and usbr.bat that allow you to activate and deactivate relays from the commandline under Unix/Windows respectively.

For fun there is also the ticktock program that will excercise the relays causing a ticktock sound.

=== Related projects ===

== Pinout ==

{| border=1
! pin !! function !! remark
|-
| 1 || NO 1 || Normally open contact for relay 1
|-
| 2 || C 1 || center connection for relay 1
|-
| 3 || NC 1 || normally closed contact for relay 1
|-
| 4 || NO 2 || Normally open contact for relay 2
|-
| 5 || C 2 || center connection for relay 2
|-
| 6 || NC 2 || normally closed contact for relay 2
|-
|}

=== LEDs ===

There is one power led.

On the board are two LEDs near each of the relays indicating the state of the relays.

== Jumper settings ==

There are no jumpers.

== button ==

The button causes a reset. The CPU on the board will then reboot and start up in usb Bootloader mode. This is necessary for firmware upgrades. Not useful for normal situations.

== Protocol ==

The usbrelay will come up as a virtual serial port. (i.e. /dev/ttyUSBx under Linux). Windwos users will get a new COM port.

To set an output bit and thus activate a relay, you send "set <relaynumber>\n" to the virtual serial port. i.e. send "set 0" to activate the first relay.

To clear an output bit send "clr <relaynumber>".

the relaynumbers 0 and 1 are the relays. There is one extra led that can be used for indication purposes that has number 2.

Some more commands are available. They are not very relevant for the usbrelay. Connect to the device using your favorite serial communications program and type "help".

== additional considerations ==

Each relay draws about 70mA. Thus the module will draw about 150mA if both relays are active. Most computers will be able to supply this current, but the rasbperry pi might not. The Revision 1 raspberry pi has a polyfuse that prevents the board from drawing this much power. The Revision 2 Raspberry pi does not have the polyfuse, so it will work, provided your powersupply is powerful enough to provide current for the Pi + 150mA.

== Default operation ==

By default the relays will start out in the "off" position. (i.e. a connection between the common and the "normally closed" will be present).

== power consumption ==

Each relay typically consumes about 55mA. Max 70mA.

== Future hardware enhancements ==

== Future software enhancements ==

== Changelog ==

=== 1.0 ===
* Initial public release

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:15, 11 November 2015
Line 1:		Line 1:
	== ~~intro~~ ==		== Intro ==
	The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer.		The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer.

@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 By default the relays will start out in the "off" position. (i.e. a connection between the common and the "normally closed" will be present).
-== power consumption ==
+== Power consumption ==
 Each relay typically consumes about 55mA. Max 70mA.
 == Future hardware enhancements ==

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 Some more commands are available. They are not very relevant for the usbrelay. Connect to the device using your favorite serial communications program and type "help".
-== additional considerations ==
+== Additional considerations ==
 Each relay draws about 70mA. Thus the module will draw about 150mA if both relays are active. Most computers will be able to supply this current, but the rasbperry pi might not. The Revision 1 raspberry pi has a polyfuse that prevents the board from drawing this much power. The Revision 2 Raspberry pi does not have the polyfuse, so it will work, provided your powersupply is powerful enough to provide current for the Pi + 150mA.
 == Default operation ==

@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 There are no jumpers.
-== button ==
+== Button ==
 The button causes a reset. The CPU on the board will then reboot and start up in usb Bootloader mode. This is necessary for firmware upgrades. Not useful for normal situations.
 == Protocol ==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 The USB relay board has two relays that can easily be controlled from a computer.
 This allows your computer to switch the mains for other devices or signals or lower voltage DC power signals.
+You can buy the USB Relay in the [http://www.bitwizard.nl/shop/usb-boards/usb-relay BitWizard shop].
 == Assembly instructions ==

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 In the zipfile at [[http://www.bitwizard.nl/software/usbrelay.zip]] you'll find usbr and usbr.bat that allow you to activate and deactivate relays from the commandline under Unix/Windows respectively.
-For fun there is also the ticktock program that will excercise the relays causing a ticktock sound.
+For fun there is also the ticktock program that will excercise the relays causing a ticktock sound. This has not been converted to a BAT file for windows yet.
+For Windows users, there is an INF file in the zipfile. Tell windows that this is the driver for your device, and it will use the builtin driver to create a virtual comport. The "usbr.bat" script assumes this has become "COM3", but it could be a higher number. If so, you can adjust the script and change the default to whatever your comport has become, or use an environment variable. IIRC, you can add something like "set relayport=COM5" to your c:\autoexec.bat . It has been a long time since I worked with Windows. Please let me know if this works.
 === Related projects ===
 == Pinout ==

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 == Protocol ==
-The usbrelay will come up as a virtual serial port. (i.e. /dev/ttyUSBx under Linux). Windwos users will get a new COM port.
+The usbrelay will come up as a virtual serial port. (i.e. /dev/ttyACMx under Linux). Windwos users will get a new COM port.
 To set an output bit and thus activate a relay, you send "set <relaynumber>\n" to the virtual serial port. i.e. send "set 0" to activate the first relay.
@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 the relaynumbers  0 and 1 are the relays. There is one extra led that can be used for indication purposes that has number 2.
 Some more commands are available. They are not very relevant for the usbrelay. Connect to the device using your favorite serial communications program and type "help".
 == additional considerations ==