8/8/8 Replaces home security panels.

[Vaughn]

I wrote the Virtual Crib home automation software and from the beginning I wanted to avoid security and automation panels with their own logic. I decided to use a Phidgets 8/8/8 for contact closure monitoring. Much of my house uses wireless, but my main doors are wired directly to the 8/8/8.

You can watch my videos on vcrib.com or you tube, but I have not made one that focuses on Phidgets yet. Originally I only coded support for the digital inputs on the 8/8/8 but now I am using it for relay control of my front door strike and would like to convert the pressure strips on my steps to the analog ones now sold. I am currently using Phidgets pressure mat which is digital and bulky.

So I hope to finish the new client in the next couple of days, and will try to shoot a feature video on it. Since I secure my home with an 8/8/8 I thought it should be mentioned here.

On a sour note, the 0/16/16 would have been a much better choice but they kept burning up on me. I think for the two boards I burned up, they replaced one, so I am happy overall, but am terrified of the 0/16/16 and just can't recommend it, although it makes so much more sense to use it instead of the 8/8/8 for raw contact monitoring. I wish they had a version of it that did not need the 4.5v added to the contacts to avoid the burn-ups and simplify wiring.

Vaughn Rupp
www.vcrib.com (http://www.vcrib.com)

[Alex]

Hey Vaughn, thanks for the post and welcome to the community!

These projects sound awesome:)

The 0/16/16 keeps burning up on you? That's really odd, because it's used all the time in flight simulators. None of us here have ever heard of one burning up except when they are hooked up incorrectly.

We gotta get down to what is causing this problem:

What exactly is burning out on the 0/16/16? How do you have the 0/16/16 hooked up? Do you have any diagrams or anything? Are you using the inputs or outputs or both?

[Vaughn]

I was only using inputs. My second one was running fine for a couple months and I was just straighting up the wiring and I think the lead from like input 2 touched input 3 and it was instantly gone =(

It has been like a year already. I was running regulated 4.5v through the lines, and if I remember right, running the - to the 0/16/16. I was using the 6-wire sensor cable sold here.

I am hard-core software and pretty ignorant on electronics although that has been changing over the last year or so. So I guess what I wanted to feel comfotable was a:

Here is how to blow up your device:
1 Exceed 5v, even for a millisecond.
2 Run + to any lines
3 touch one port wire to another while powered.

I just made those up kinda, but like that. I also just liked that I did not have to worry about power to inputs with the 8/8/8 and found it much more convienent.

BTW My new 8/8/8 client is running and so is the 2-servo expansion. I have my front door and alarm strobe on it now instead of insecure X10. So I am very happy to have that project done.

Now I just need to hook up some of my many analog sensors and I will have limited zoned temperature readings in the house...

One more question, do you have a recommend mounting box for the 8/8/8 and/or 0/16/16? I would like to clean them up a little as the wiring room is about ready for a video tour...


Thanks alot for helping,
Vaughn