Controlling relays, noob question

R

Razzle69

Supporting Member
My first year attempting a show. Just a few pixel props controlled by pixelpops and my old static light strings for a house outline. I would like to control the statics with relays (I know ssr would better. next year) but I can't figure out how to tell xlights that the string is static with just on off. I have these relay boards from AliExpress that take an esp01 and I was going to load either wled or espixelstick firmware on in relay mode. But I can't find anywhere in the controller definition to tell that to xlights. Am I missing something or is there some hoops I have to jump to get this working. I will be running the show from FPP.
 
An ESP01 does not have enough I/O pins to run a lot of relays unless they are doing something with a shift register. Please provide a link to the boards so we can help.

As for xLights (or any other sequencer) in most cases it is the controller that determines the definition of on / off (hence the link to the controller info). From a sequencer point of view, an intensity value on a channel higher than a set point = on and lower than the setpoint = off. So xLights will never know that it is a mechanical relay, it is up to you to set the channel to 0% (off) or 100% (on).
 
To the player, it is just a stream of e1.31 or ddp. The ESPixelStick or wled would determine which channels to listen to. With a handful of those devices, it would only be a few channels so streaming should work fine assuming your access point can handle the number of devices attached.
 
So in layout I would set the light string to have one node? So only one channel? Does that mean the string would only show up as one pixel in preview? There is not a way to show it as a string of x number of pixels but all controlled as one?
 
A relay is NOT a pixel. on the sequencer you would create a string of one or more bulbs that uses a single channel on the controller.
 
In xlights, you draw your prop and then you set the settings for what they are. The default string is rgb nodes but you can change that to whatever you want. Scroll down the properties and expand string properties. Select single color and set the color of the string. Then pop back up to the top and set strings to 1 and number of lights to however many you have. Now you have a single channel string of lights.
 
In Vixen I used a set level and made it white. The voltage it created trigger the ssr relays in had from a Mr Christmas light show. It generated over 3 volts dc. 2 years ago I duped that and used 16 channel DMX relay board. I still used the set level command to trigger them. Should be something similar in Xlights.
 
Since you said you're using [mechanical] relays and not SSR's, you need to select "Single Color, Intensity" in Xlights; not just Single Color. Single color is dimmable. You do not want that. In fact, make sure no relay is switching more than once every 2 seconds or so.

I hate mechanical relays with a passion, but if your static props truly are that static, then it's okay.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top