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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:02 pm
by mediatechnology
Maybe you should just cut the USB cable near the power supply and find out.
Something attached to one end of that cable is broken so you don't have a lot to lose.
My bet is power supply too.
Bet they'll run on 6V if you have a wall wart in that voltage.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:13 pm
by terkio
JR. wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:39 pm
The grow lights are secured to the green house shelves so I can't just drag them inside to a computer USB.
Perhaps you can bring a Notebook or Tablet PC to them.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:19 pm
by mediatechnology
We've started installing USB wall outlets here.
The Levitons have two USB ports and two NEMA outlets.
The USB is 15W.
I would love to have a bunch of adapters that would take 5V USB from the outlets and give me switchable 6, 9 and 12V to replace conventional magnetic wall warts.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:28 pm
by JR.
OK this just got interesting again... I was able to plug a USB cable into the PS on my bench and probe around the square open other USB end for voltage.. I found 5.2V between the metal shell and one contact, suggesting the PS was indeed working at that moment in time.
So back out to my laundry room where the grow lights now fire up and respond to the controller. This sucker has several brightness intensities and a few programable on times (2hr/4hr/8hr). Once you program a time and intensity it just repeats every 24 hours, or is supposed to.
It is working again so I will see if it can survive another near freezing overnight.
I am not very suspicious of low temperature being a factor, perhaps the USB connecter was not making good contact? Or the mains plug into the cube tap adapter.
We'll see.... how this goes next...
====
Seems eminently possible to standardize on 5V DC for powering modest gear from a USB cable, if you don't mind switcher on switcher fun....
JR
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:59 pm
by mediatechnology
Seems eminently possible to standardize on 5V DC for powering modest gear from a USB cable, if you don't mind switcher on switcher fun....
I've seen some on Amazon IIRC that were USB Male to a blob near the load end of the cable and then a barrel connector.
But they were fixed-voltage and the coaxial barrel end was only one size.
It would be cool to have a switch for voltage and polarity along with interchangeable ends.
Radio Shack used to make Universal Wall-Warts and they were extremely handy.
Not for technically illiterate but OK for some of us.
Fingers crossed your lights work when it gets cold.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:43 pm
by terkio
mediatechnology wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:19 pm
We've started installing USB wall outlets here.
The Levitons have two USB ports and two NEMA outlets.
The USB is 15W.
I would love to have a bunch of adapters that would take 5V USB from the outlets and give me switchable 6, 9 and 12V to replace conventional magnetic wall warts.
Do you mean you are installing a USB network in your premises.
AFAIK the max length of a USB cable is 5 meters.
Not sure about USB USB2 USB3.
Don't you need repeaters ? Are USB hubs, able to do this ?
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 4:29 pm
by JR.
terkio wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:43 pm
mediatechnology wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:19 pm
We've started installing USB wall outlets here.
The Levitons have two USB ports and two NEMA outlets.
The USB is 15W.
I would love to have a bunch of adapters that would take 5V USB from the outlets and give me switchable 6, 9 and 12V to replace conventional magnetic wall warts.
Do you mean you are installing a USB network in your premises.
AFAIK the max length of a USB cable is 5 meters.
Not sure about USB USB2 USB3.
Don't you need repeaters ? Are USB hubs, able to do this ?
I suspect the outlets are just 5V supplies to charge phones and the like.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 4:34 pm
by mediatechnology
Yes, charging/power outlets.
I do have a Tripp-Lite USB 2.0 extender though.
It's 30 feet IIRC and an active repeater.
Worked great on a scanner but I don't use it anymore.
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 4:43 pm
by JR.
mediatechnology wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 2:59 pm
Seems eminently possible to standardize on 5V DC for powering modest gear from a USB cable, if you don't mind switcher on switcher fun....
I've seen some on Amazon IIRC that were USB Male to a blob near the load end of the cable and then a barrel connector.
But they were fixed-voltage and the coaxial barrel end was only one size.
to keep carl consumer from blowing up stuff...?
It would be cool to have a switch for voltage and polarity along with interchangeable ends.
Radio Shack used to make Universal Wall-Warts and they were extremely handy.
Not for technically illiterate but OK for some of us.
small market
Fingers crossed your lights work when it gets cold.
That may help...
Still on when I checked a few minutes ago... timer set for 4 hours on. The grow lights may help if i turn this green house into an all year round operation... I have a few buds on the bell pepper plant still growing, and a bunch of tiny ass thai peppers, that seem oddly small.
The important light now is the 60W bulb keeping my pepper plants from freezing... Right now I have that thermostat set for just under 50' I worry it may turn completely off, on the very low end of the scale past the lowest marking (thats what I would do for a room thermostat design, on second thought I might keep it working to prevent freezing pipes). It seems to have a bunch of travel past 50' so I may experiment setting it even lower. Just as long as it prevent's freezing.
JR
Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 5:15 pm
by mediatechnology