Cerulean

What is the aim?

• Switch a 230V device on and off from a c# program on a windows pc.

To do this, I use the K8055 – An input/output usb interface board from Velleman.

Compared to other i/o modules in the market, this one is very cheap (around 50 €) – The primary reason I have chosen this for the interactive experiments and installations.

See the video-explanation – Or scroll down and read what I say

The components

• Laptop pc with control program
• K8055 module (aka VM110)
• 5V supply
• 5V – 230 V relay
• 230 V device (lamp)

C# program for windows

The K8055 comes with a dll, but to make it accessible from C# I needed to code a little class to encapsulate the dll for ease of use.

Source files will be added soon… They are not yet in a state to use by other that me

K8055 with php and Linux

Read about this project here

K8055 module

Connected to the PC via standard USB cable. No fuss there.

The board has various outputs – I use the digital outputs. The board has 8 digital outputs – basicly on/off-switches.

When a command is sent from the PC to the board to switch on a channel, a connection is opened from the terminal of the channel to the GND terminal.

5V supply

Since the K8055 outputs is just on/off switches, some power is needed to pull the relays.

I made a little box with 6 usb female connectors and an external power supply. Basic stuff really.

5V to 230 V relays

I use the cheap power saving strips (read more) used to limit the standby power consumption of computers.

This way I get some nice encapsulated relays without having to mess with 230 V. Safety first..

230 V device

This can be anything imaginable.