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This Idea probably belongs in a different place, but since
I
didn't see a better candidate place, and this place has
the
appropriate key words in it....
I have some electronic devices that are remote-
controlled.
So, they are "on" all the time, if most of the time in a
sort
of "idle"
state, waiting for a signal to turn them fully on,
for actual use.
Every now and then one of those devices, when being
used, will exhibit a glitch of some sort (there is a huge
amount of sophisticated electronics in, say, a DVD
player),
and the only way that seems to work to fix the glitch is
to unplug the
device's power cord for a minute or so. This forces a full
"reset" of the electronics, when the cord is plugged in
again.
So, all these devices are plugged into a power strip. If
the
power strip was remotely-controlled, I wouldn't need to
fumble to trace the proper cord to the proper power
outlet
in the strip; I would have marked the remote control
with
which outlet powers which device, and then remotely
turn
off the power to that outlet.
Another possible advantage is, you could leave most of
the
outlets Off all the time, and only turn them on when you
actually use them. This would save a bit on the electric
bill, because only one device in the whole group, the
remote-controlled power strip, would be on all the time.
Of course, this has the disadvantage of needing to
remotely turn on two things, the power outlet and the
desired device, in order to use that device, but, hey,
that's
why we have Universal Remotes, right?
Finally, since this device would have very simple
electronics, at least when compared to the others, it
might
never glitch the way the others do.
IP Managed Remote Power Switch/Strip
http://www.amazon.c...works/dp/B0039OZKPE
[MisterQED, Mar 17 2014]
exists, cheap
http://www.amazon.c...eywords=remote+plug
many like this on amazon [sophocles, Mar 19 2014]
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Annotation:
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This is definitely Baked but possibly not WKTE. |
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By wiring 10 Byron Home Easy RS61 switch modules onto a 10-way
outlet strip, they can be individually controlled by an RS14
multichannel RF remote. |
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[suggested-for-deletion], not a new/original idea. |
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Baked as I used one to reboot servers at a past
position, but the idea calls for an IR version which
would be nearly worthless unless you like to look at
your power strips. Substitute a minor interface in a
smartphone and the linked item will work. |
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While remotely controllable switches are baked, having one that will integrated well with existing IR remotes, is not. Assuming that one power strip is used with one cluster of equipment that is close together, a single remote IR receiver/ transmitter (wire connected) can be placed next to the other equipment so that it can receive the IR signals a well. |
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While this could have a USB cable to allow full advanced programming for those who want to be able to provide a phased power on sequence for their A/V rack using a single button in a universal remote, the standard programming method should be very simple. |
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1) Press the "On" button on the power strip IR received to manually turn on all outlets.
2) Turn on all the devices plugged into the strip.
3) Press the program button.
3) Stand back and use the IR remote to turn off one device. The smart power strip captures the power off IR sequence and notes the current drop in one of the outlets.
4) Continue turning off devices until they are all programmed.
5) Press program button again to stop programming. |
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To turn the devices on, press the device power button on the remote as usual. The device see that code and turns on the power switch for that device, but of course it is still "off". Since pressing the power button again would tell the power strip to turn that outlet back off, the power strip automatically retransmits the power on signal 1 second after turning the power on. This is a slightly more powerful IR signal than from most battery operated remotes and easily bounces off a mirror on the back wall or any other shiny object in the room to power on the selected device. (Aternately, the cheap version of the device is simply configured to ignore repeated signals for 10 seconds so you just have teo press the power button on the remote twice.) When the power button is pressed to turn off the device, the power strip waits a few seconds for the current to drop, indicating that the device shut down, then turns off the outlet. If the current doesn't drop withing 5 seconds, it powers it down anyway, assuming it needs a hard reset. |
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If there are devices that normally need to be left powered on, they can be programmed using a different button combination so that the switch is not normally turned off, but if the power on/off IR signal is received more than once in 10 seconds and there isn't an increase or decrease in current on that outlet, then a power cycle is performed. |
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<Slightly off topic> When I (finally) build my house, I plan to have parallel wiring to 2 sets of power sockets. with 1 set for things that don't need to stay on (idle) all the time (TV, gadget chargers, lights, etc) and the other set for things that do need to stay on (fridge, freezer, alarm-clock, etc). The 1st set will have a "master switch" (probably 2 in series - 1 by the front door, 1 in the master bedroom) to shut those things down easily.
</sot> (This idea made me think about it again...) |
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^ also Baked but probably not WKTE. |
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Description of an actual domestic system; 3 sets of distribution
cabling, one for "sheddable" load, one for "required" load, one run in
Pyrotenax (mineral insulated) cable for critical systems, backed by a
1kVA SPS with 30mins sustain plus a 2.5 kVA generator capable of
driving all critical and required load. |
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Sophisticated distributed SCADA for monitoring and alarming, plus
control of the load/unload and supply changeover contactors. |
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Colour-coded outlet faceplates to indicate circuit allocation. |
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[MisterQED], the visibility problem that you
described doesn't have to be so bad as you imply. A
power strip has one end with a power cord coming
out of it (plus, usually, an on/off switch and an
indicator light), a row of outlets occupying the main
strip, and a "far end" that could
contain the IR detector and other electronics. So,
only that end of the strip needs to be visible, such
that the signal from the remote-control can reach it. |
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The Borg buy their electronics from Byron? Who
knew? |
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Naaah, we got them off a couple of
cheapskate Ferengi at a car boot sale as
props for a humorous sketch of the "they-
peel-them-with -their-metal-knives" variety,
mocking your primitive Earth technology. |
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Thanks, [8th of 7]. It's good to know that there are other people out
there who are as crazy as I am... |
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Outlet, schmoutlet. I say go to the source. Remote control your fusebox and turn off big groups of outlets at once. |
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