Re: Simple wireless light controlled through EPICS?

[Maren Purves <m.purves@jach.hawaii.edu>]

Maybe I'm off, but IMHO you need a switch (that you plug the light
into) with a (serial or otherwise) control rather than the light
being controlled itself?

Maren

Gomella, Andrew (NIH/NHLBI) [F] wrote:
> The interlock came hardwired into our x-ray controller box. It's value can be read with the asyn stream driver and is a BO variable that reads whether the key is in the armed position or not. I was hoping to use this value to trigger lights on or off.  Unfortunately I can't modify anything with the x-ray controller, so I figure there has to be some sort of USB light on the market that runs on serial commands? Or maybe such a specific thing does not exist and requires a micro-controller and some work to make.
> ________________________________________
> From: Mark Rivers [rivers@cars.uchicago.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 6:02 PM
> To: Gomella, Andrew (NIH/NHLBI) [F]; tech-talk@aps.anl.gov
> Subject: RE: Simple wireless light controlled through EPICS?
>
> How is your interlock done?  Simple relays or with a PLC?  Our laser interlocks here at APS use inexpensive PLCs, and they directly operate the warning lights outside the enclosure.
>
> Mark
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tech-talk-bounces@aps.anl.gov [mailto:tech-talk-bounces@aps.anl.gov] On Behalf Of Gomella, Andrew (NIH/NHLBI) [F]
> Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 4:57 PM
> To: tech-talk@aps.anl.gov
> Subject: Simple wireless light controlled through EPICS?
>
> Anyone have any suggestions for a simple way to control a light with EPICS? It does not need to be bright, even a small LED will do. Basically I'm trying to have indicators on several doorways to show the current status of the interlock on our x-ray source (which is already a PV).
>
> In the ideal scenario it would be connected to wifi so that ethernet/usb cables do not need to be run everywhere. I was thinking of maybe trying to get the "Belkin WeMo Home Automation Switch" to work with EPICS, it is basically a power plug that connects to WiFi. But it is probably easier to find some USB LEDs and run cables.
>
> I know some beamlines at APS have EPICS controlled lights, so wondering if anyone has ideas?
>
>
> Thanks!
> Andrew