[geeks] outlet control timer

[crucible]

On Sun, 6 Jan 2002 dave at cca.org wrote:

> I was working on a computer controlled interface thingy for some
> friends who are doing a big art installation and want things to
> happen automatically - lights on, film on, lights off, amps on, etc.
>
> I started working on it, but I just met with them and it's beginning
> to look like computer control is unnecessary complexity.
>
> Can anyone point me towards a good source of timers with multiple
> AC outlets?
>
> ie a box that'll do:
>
> 	Outlet A on for 9 minutes
> 	Outlet A off, Outlets B & C on for five minutes
> 	All off for two minutes
> 	repeat
>
> I'm going to be hanging a bunch of stuff off the outlets, so it
> needs to be more industrial grade than home.

I don't think you'll be able to find timers with that
much fine grained control.

Have you looked at X-10 gear? There are 15 and 20 amp
heavy duty applicance modules available. All you would need
to computer control it would be an old 386 running linux
and 'heyu'. Total cost for X-10 gear would be about $120
(3x $29.99 for heavy duty appliance modules and another
$29.99 for the computer interface.)

-john

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