Show us your DIY breakout box
- Thread starter fixmgood
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D
Deleted member 143833
pantera2077
New member
Ken's is nice.
I was thinking about getting a DIN 8 cable for $10 cutting it in half so now I can make 2 cables.
I was going to use a terminal strip in a project box then just hook the float switches to the terminal strip. Easy to swap and change float switches.
Does this make sense?
I was thinking about getting a DIN 8 cable for $10 cutting it in half so now I can make 2 cables.
I was going to use a terminal strip in a project box then just hook the float switches to the terminal strip. Easy to swap and change float switches.
Does this make sense?
D
Deleted member 143833
Similar to what I did (but I uses plugs); I purchased a 15' cable, cut it in 1/2 and made 2 boxes (above). Works great and since my floats come with jacks it is a simple task to change one if ever they go bad.
Hawkdl2
Mad Scientist
That's what i did and it works well. Ken's approach is more sophisticated and allows more flexible if you think you will be connecting and disconnecting inputs frequently.
D
Deleted member 143833
niko5
New member
Here is mine, probly more complicated than it needs to be 
The actural breakout area for inputs is toward the middle, I have 12 terminal blocks for 12 input/outputs the bottom is where my 8 pin din cable wires are tied in and on top are my sensors/buttons for I/O
The relays are AC controlled DC items so I can control them with my EB8 and I have a 12V transformer on one end so I dont have a bunch of wall warts pluged in
The actural breakout area for inputs is toward the middle, I have 12 terminal blocks for 12 input/outputs the bottom is where my 8 pin din cable wires are tied in and on top are my sensors/buttons for I/OThe relays are AC controlled DC items so I can control them with my EB8 and I have a 12V transformer on one end so I dont have a bunch of wall warts pluged in
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Not a full breakout box, but I thought I'd share anyway. 15Min button triggered programming to shut things down similar to a feed cycle. 60Min button shut down more than the 15Min one, and was used to trigger a maintenance window. Velcro'd onto the back of my canopy, it was convenient and easy... especially for my wonderful wife who handled feeding chores while I was away on frequent business trips.
slief
RC Sponsor
I decided to add some float switches to my setup. They will be needed for the future ATO and maybe auto water change but I also wanted them to insure my skimmer doesnt overflow when the sump is overfull from a pump shutdown.
I picked up an Apex breakout box as well as four reef fanatic float switches. I chose the reef fanatics based on the fact that they had a nice little jack on them. I got the idea from Kenargo. I also decided to make my own breakout box to accept the reef fanatic connections. Really, I didnt need the Apex breakout box as I could have used a mini din plug and wired my breakout box to plug into the apex instead of the RS232 cable that I used but it came out clean and functional. I also didn't have to make my own breakout and could have used a different float or cut the connections off my reef fanatic float switches and hooked directly to the apex breakout box. Hind sight is 20/20 but I love projects and this one was simple. I will probably make a DB9 to mini din cable and eliminate the Apex breakout box in the near future.
I went to Rat (radio) shack and picked up a small project box as well as six head phone style female plugs and a surface mount 9 pin serial style connector. I drilled holes for the jacks, cut a hole out for the 9 pin and soldered away.
This is the finished result. A nice little box to plug up to 6 float switches or other switches in. I might add a couple cabinet door switches so the light turn on when the doors open. Again, I could have used a din cable and eliminated the Apex break out.
Here is the inside of the box. Used a bit of hot glue on the serial connector after I soldered to insure the wires woulnt touch eachother.
Fished box.
Finished intallation.
Thanks for all the great info here and thanks Ken for the programming ideas! Your website is hugely valuable and incredibly helpful! For those of you that have not checked out Kens site, you should!!
Next thing to do will be to add a pair of switches to the doors below the tank so the underside lights turn on when the door is opened and off when its closed.
I picked up an Apex breakout box as well as four reef fanatic float switches. I chose the reef fanatics based on the fact that they had a nice little jack on them. I got the idea from Kenargo. I also decided to make my own breakout box to accept the reef fanatic connections. Really, I didnt need the Apex breakout box as I could have used a mini din plug and wired my breakout box to plug into the apex instead of the RS232 cable that I used but it came out clean and functional. I also didn't have to make my own breakout and could have used a different float or cut the connections off my reef fanatic float switches and hooked directly to the apex breakout box. Hind sight is 20/20 but I love projects and this one was simple. I will probably make a DB9 to mini din cable and eliminate the Apex breakout box in the near future.
I went to Rat (radio) shack and picked up a small project box as well as six head phone style female plugs and a surface mount 9 pin serial style connector. I drilled holes for the jacks, cut a hole out for the 9 pin and soldered away.
This is the finished result. A nice little box to plug up to 6 float switches or other switches in. I might add a couple cabinet door switches so the light turn on when the doors open. Again, I could have used a din cable and eliminated the Apex break out.
Here is the inside of the box. Used a bit of hot glue on the serial connector after I soldered to insure the wires woulnt touch eachother.
Fished box.
Finished intallation.
Thanks for all the great info here and thanks Ken for the programming ideas! Your website is hugely valuable and incredibly helpful! For those of you that have not checked out Kens site, you should!!
Next thing to do will be to add a pair of switches to the doors below the tank so the underside lights turn on when the door is opened and off when its closed.
CJO
New member
Very nice job, thanks for the pic.
So the Apex unit is just looking for a contact closure and the breakout doesn't do anything but adapt the wiring to a mini-din? Do you know what the pinouts are for the mini-din?
Thanks,
CJ
slief
RC Sponsor
Not sure yet but I have seen some spring loaded types. I am thinking ones like those used in a refrigerator door or a hood or trunk light switch.
That would depend heavily on how the door are hung. But a micro lever switch is probably usable for most cases.
A couple of years ago, my grandson was a mischievous little terror. He kept removing the doors to my stand and playing in the sump of my 120g. The doors were magnetically attached, so there wasn't a good way to lock the doors. Instead, I mounted a small lever switch behind the door. Wired to the switch was a 9v battery and a loud 85dB piezo buzzer. It only took one time... he started to remove the door, that ear-piercing alarm sounded, and he ran upstairs and hid in his room.... BUSTED! He never messed with the tank again
LOL that is a funny story.. I was thinking of a switch that is used under the hood like you said it is a plunger switch. when the door is opened the plunger pops out and makes the connection. looks like one of those things on a frozen turkey that tells you when it is done.
