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subego · Oct 16, 2012, 11:13 AM

Which wires do I hook to the switch?

I'm used to just hooking up the hot through a switch. This switch has 4 blades. Should I hook up hot to one side and neutral to the other?

Spheric Harlot · Oct 16, 2012, 01:03 PM

Yes. In many countries, including most of Europe, the ground is not a pin, but two contacts at the edge of the wall socket, so plugs can be reversed.

Either pin can thus potentially be the hot one, and should thus be wired accordingly.

Same if it should ever be used with an ungrounded cable (one with the grounding pin missing from the wall plug.

mattyb · Oct 16, 2012, 01:35 PM

Cut your nails man !!!!!

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 01:41 PM

So, the two pins on the bottom left go to the two pins on the bottom right, and then the two pins on the top right go out to what's getting powered?

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 01:47 PM

Like this?

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by mattyb

Cut your nails man !!!!!

They could use a trim.

Spheric Harlot · Oct 16, 2012, 01:56 PM

Yes, BUT: I'm assuming that you've measured which pins are actually connected when the switch is closed, and have drawn those lines accordingly.

Also, I'm not entirely certain whether it should make a difference whether the wiring into the switch hooks up to the upper two terminals, or the lower two.

There's probably a reason why they're set differently, but I'm not enough of an electrician to tell you.

It might just be due to the way the switch is built internally. But it's more likely to do with the fuse.

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Yes, BUT: I'm assuming that you've measured which pins are actually connected when the switch is closed, and have drawn those lines accordingly.
Also, I'm not entirely certain whether it should make a difference whether the wiring into the switch hooks up to the upper two terminals, or the lower two.
There's probably a reason why they're set differently, but I'm not enough of an electrician to tell you.
It might just be due to the way the switch is built internally. But it's more likely to do with the fuse.

I think I've drawn them right. When the switch is off there's no continuity between any of the four switch pins.

When the switch is on, the right set of switch pins connect to each other, as do the left set.

AFAICT, the fuse is completely independent of the switch. Hot comes in on the left end of the metal strip on the top. The strip carries it to one end of the fuse at the right end, and then the fuse carries it down to the (unlabeled) hot pin

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 02:28 PM

One other question I'll throw out there.

I was going to ask how the hell do I solder onto those blades, but the more I think about it, I'm guessing that's the male end of some type of slide-on connector.

Sound right?

Dork. · Oct 16, 2012, 03:40 PM

Where did you get it? I find it odd that it's got a CQC symbol, I thought that was a Chinese thing. I'd expect to see a UL mark here in the US.
It's also rated for 250V, which makes more sense in China than in Chicago.

Where I work, we assemble things that have slide-on connectors like the type you are looking for. I'll try to remember to ask where we get ours from, you might be able to find some there.

reader50 · Oct 16, 2012, 04:09 PM

They look like spade lug blades, but 250V/15A is a lot for a spade lug over time. For reliability, I'd solder stranded 12G or 14G wire. Since we're talking 250V, both hots should be interrupted by the switch for safety, hence why it has four terminals. It should be a DPST switch.

Dork. · Oct 16, 2012, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

They look like spade lug blades, but 250V/15A is a lot for a spade lug over time. For reliability, I'd solder stranded 12G or 14G wire. Since we're talking 250V, both hots should be interrupted by the switch for safety, hence why it has four terminals. It should be a DPST switch.

Aha! I was trying to figure out what they were called. That will make googling for them much easier.

reader50 · Oct 16, 2012, 04:43 PM

"Pancake posts with holes" does bring up baking stuff instead of wiring advice.

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

They look like spade lug blades, but 250V/15A is a lot for a spade lug over time. For reliability, I'd solder stranded 12G or 14G wire. Since we're talking 250V, both hots should be interrupted by the switch for safety, hence why it has four terminals. It should be a DPST switch.

Luckily, I'm only running about half an amp max.

Thanks, everyone!

subego · Oct 16, 2012, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Dork.

Where did you get it? I find it odd that it's got a CQC symbol, I thought that was a Chinese thing. I'd expect to see a UL mark here in the US.
It's also rated for 250V, which makes more sense in China than in Chicago.
Where I work, we assemble things that have slide-on connectors like the type you are looking for. I'll try to remember to ask where we get ours from, you might be able to find some there.

Got it from a random parts supplier. No surprise it's from China.

subego · Nov 19, 2012, 02:29 AM

Wired up all perfect-like.

AC in:

DMX lighting protocol out:

The internals... an Airport Express connected to a DMX to Ethernet converter.

Add a hellaciously expensive app, and you can control your stage lights with an iOS device.

Spheric Harlot · Nov 19, 2012, 03:43 AM

Pooh, neat! What's the app?

subego · Nov 19, 2012, 04:02 AM

Luminair.

US$99 for the iPhone app, US$129 for the iPad version. That's not actually too bad considering, it's just way above the iOS norm.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/luminair-dmx-lighting-control/id285556077?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/luminair-for-ipad-dmx-lighting/id378304087?mt=8

The only thing which doesn't make this perfect is you have lots of extra possible points of failure. Your iOS device, the OS, the app, wifi interference, the Airport Express, and the DMX converter.

The first three are probably not a big deal. I'm hoping a combination of 5GHz and proximity will take care of interference. Airports are pretty bulletproof in my experience, especially after a fresh boot, which is the default way you'd use the setup. That leaves the converter, which I have little experience with. I'm getting a spare.

subego · Nov 19, 2012, 04:35 AM

Let me amend my claim of "perfect". I still haven't run it through its paces. No tests on wifi with open vs. closed yet. Likewise with temperature. I'm thinking it may be too hot in there to run closed.

A smaller issue is the cap nuts on the lid for the AE and cable clip wreck the stackability of the case.

Lastly, I imagine your average TSA flunky would shit their pants if they looked inside.

subego · Nov 20, 2012, 12:31 AM

Barely stays within the spec when closed and with no load.

External air temp: 79°F
Internal air temp: 95°F
Component surface temp: 110°F

I'm guessing the 95°F rated operating environment is a lowball. No temp rating on the DMX converter, but I figure since its Australian, it can handle a little warmth.

subego · Nov 20, 2012, 02:07 AM

Two bars of wifi at 10 paces. Case is closed. Two walls in the way.

Not bad.

This may actually be usable closed.

residentEvil · Nov 20, 2012, 02:20 AM

with various other things needing a hole and then plates screwed into the box...why not then a small fan? what's one more hole and 4 screws?

won't even need to be a big one...those small 2" box fans would be perfect. and have it blow OUT. meaning, it's taking the hot air from the inside and pulling it out of the box.

subego · Nov 20, 2012, 02:43 AM

I've thought about it. The fan wouldn't take up much space, and I don't mind the holes, but I'd have to jam in another power supply.

reader50 · Nov 20, 2012, 09:27 PM

Use a line-voltage fan. Or a simple transformer - no need for a switched PS just to power a fan.

Alternatively, get a PS with a built-in fan. Saves a component, and anyone you show it to will go cross-eyed trying to see what the PS powers.

subego · Nov 20, 2012, 10:55 PM

Transformer is what I meant by power supply. I had no idea there were line-voltage case fans. Interesting.

Do you think 15° above ambient is really enough to need the fan?

reader50 · Nov 20, 2012, 11:34 PM

Depends on the ambient temp I suppose. Also, you could use a USB-powered case fan off the Airport Express. 5v, up to 500 mA.

subego · Nov 20, 2012, 11:51 PM

Also very clever!

Let me rephrase my heat question. Apple spec is 95°. Do you think that's a lowball? I'd be surprised if it couldn't handle 110°F.

subego · Nov 21, 2012, 12:51 AM

I mean, I get the idea the cooler any given piece of gear is the better, I'm just assuming we're talking pretty negligible difference in life between 95°F and 110°F, especially since it's going to have a duty cycle measured in a few hours at a time instead of months and months.

subego · Nov 21, 2012, 01:33 AM

The USB powered fan is such an elegant idea, I'm getting one, even though it's going to be a pain in my ass to install it as a retrofit.

subego · Nov 21, 2012, 01:55 AM

OTOH, I placed the xlr poorly for this idea. I'll have to see if I can carve a fan hole such that it takes out the xlr hole and make a new xlr hole somewhere else.

I spray painted the inside to cut down on static. Any tips for not munging the paint when I drill?

subego · Nov 26, 2012, 08:50 PM

MkI.V:

reader50 · Nov 26, 2012, 09:10 PM

Any interest from the TSA yet?

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 05:10 AM

I think at this point they'd just put their boot through the fan grille.

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 05:19 AM

Well, it dropped the interior a good 7°.

Considering the size of the fan, that should be way more.

I believe I have an extreme negative case pressure issue.

residentEvil · Nov 27, 2012, 05:21 AM

Place a small hole on the opposite side of the fan? That will create a "wind tunnel" effect. At a very small scale obviously.

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 05:32 AM

Yup.

Now I'm on the hunt for a teeny-tiny grille.

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 06:03 AM

Here's one I found:

[facepalm]

residentEvil · Nov 27, 2012, 08:09 AM

Look for a small tweeter (silk type tweeter) replacement grill, like from a stereo/car audio shop.

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 08:21 AM

Excellent idea!

reader50 · Nov 27, 2012, 09:33 AM

Buy a 2nd identical fan and install on other side of the box. Lay out the cable, but don't connect. It will free-wheel.

Have you ever noticed that critical fans tend to fail when you have no time to fix them? ie - at the start or middle of a job, rather than at the end. This way, your 2nd grille is a backup component. Switch connectors, the backup fan is now the powered one, and change out the 1st fan later.

subego · Nov 27, 2012, 11:26 AM

I'm thinking if the fan dies I still have a 3" hole, which should give me a little ventilation.

I definitely don't have room left on any facing to stuff another 80mm in there.

subego · Dec 5, 2012, 08:22 AM

MarkI.VI.

Two filtered 40mm intakes. The inside is now running only a degree above ambient.

Also added a clip to hold a spare DMX terminator.

I think it's time to put a fork in it. Thanks for all the help! It's much better than it would have been had I been left solely to my own devices.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 6, 2012, 04:45 AM

What is this thing for, again? Cool little project, I must say.

subego · Dec 6, 2012, 05:07 AM

Thank you!

It's to control the lights for a stage show or a concert.

Normally, you have a big board with faders on it. Looks a lot like an audio mixing board. It's agony to program one of these things without a laptop.

With this setup, all the control hardware is in the portable Pelican case, while you replicate the control surfaces and full boat programming on an iDevice.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 6, 2012, 08:31 AM

So you, like, famous? Do you know Doofy?

subego · Dec 6, 2012, 08:48 AM

Good lord, no.

If I wanted fame I'd be in front of the lights.

I did swing by Doofy's private island, but he was on holiday.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 6, 2012, 09:06 AM

By "private island" you mean "MacNN profile page"?

subego · Dec 6, 2012, 09:46 AM

No profile page is an island.

subego · Jun 15, 2014, 03:23 PM

I'm finally getting a chance to fire up this ****er!

Worked like a charm on its first test flight. At this point we have three rehearsals to make sure it doesn't take a shit, and then at the end of the month it has to work for real. No do-overs.

It now has its own dedicated iPad 2 in the hope I can freeze the OS and the control app, and not get hit with an upgrade which trashes something.

subego · Jun 16, 2014, 06:30 AM

Functioned flawlessly during rehearsal. I messed up once, but no one noticed.

The cause of that is a common situation I run into where the sound guy makes this ear-pounding, wall of sound, which makes it difficult to discern details... such as if the singers are singing.

My second cue comes in one beat before they start singing. I nail the cue, but hear no singing. I flip it back and realize my instincts were right, I just wasn't hearing them.

Just my luck, the next cue is on a word. No chance I'll actually be able to make out the word itself, best I can do is listen for the timbre at the end of the verse to repeat. Thankfully, that's doable.

In case you're wondering why I'm dealing with the mix being ****ed up like at a live show during a rehearsal, I'm wondering that too. I have no idea how anybody makes anything out.