For dc Renard controller, is isolation required?

C

ctmal

Supporting Member
I'm tossing around some ideas for upgrading my star bursts(the current ropelight just isn't bright enough).

One thought I have is building a purely DC Renard controller with the SSRs integrated. I've done a similar board before but it was just designed to run a single or couple LED's per channel and just uses transistors.

My question is, for a completely DC controller, is there any reason to have opto isolators between the pic section and the SSR section. i can't see a reason for it but I do want to be safe.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Not sure what all you have in mind, but a Ren24LV will run DC SSR's. You probably already knew that, just thought I would mention it.
 
I think it's a good idea, especially if you're dealing with significant power. When the DIGWDF engineers made the RenStick , they put a PC817 chip (opto) between the PIC's output and the "ssr" (which was a power transistor), and that was mostly to protect any flowback from the power circuit in case the transistor croaked. It also provided the benefit of inverting the polarity of the ssr's trigger because transistors also invert the output polarity. This made it possible for the DC SSR's to trigger normal AC SSR's as well (even though the DC code doesn't use the ZC signal.)
 
I think it's a good idea, but for another reason. It's basically a safety measure to ensure that high-voltage AC (i.e. 110V) doesn't get back into the controller (and whatever that's connected to) in case both an AC device and your starburst(s) are submerged in snow-melt water or ponding.
 
Thanks guys. I knew there was a reason people put there, just couldn't see it. If I do go that route I'll definitely put one in.
 
You still need to opto isolate for DC stepper motors.

Anyway, I explored this whole route awhile back, almost bought Tom's Renard 24lv stuff (which I suspect is still for sale), and opted to go DMX instead. Any dumb RGB dimmer board can handle this. People are literally giving away the LOR dumb RGB boxes, and they have jumpers to support DMX. And if you have moving heads, your DC stuff can go along the same data line as that.
 
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