New version of Dimmer SX13 board, that is described in this article, is the easy and flexible solution to control single lamps brightness
or more complex lighting systems.
Using five different control modes (button, analog voltage, RS232 serial port, TTL serial port and wireless serial port), this dimmer fits every need.
The chance to place the dimmer inside a DIN rail closed plastic case, makes it easy mountable in any ordinary electric panel.
SX13 board
SX13 Version Rel.1.1
The renewed version of SX13 dimmer described in this article, is completely compliant with the previous one
(Multifunctions dimmer), and shares with it several features;
moreover it has also new and interesting features that allow further uses and integrations.
Introduction
SX13 board, designed and manufactured by Area SX, allows to control the power to supply to an electric load at 220V,
using an external signal. The most common application for this kind of equipments, usually known as dimmer,
is to regulate incandescence lamps brightness.
The external control signal, used to set load power level, may operate in several ways, for example through ordinary
buttons for home lights switching or through a variable voltage controlled by a regulator.
In this case, SX13 board has been intended to be very flexible: in fact it is possible to perform the control
through a button, through an analog voltage but also through a PC RS232 serial port,
a microcontroller TTL serial port and also a RF wireless serial port.
This feature, together with the chance of connecting up to 32 dimmers on the same serial bus, makes possible
very interesting automatic control realizations. Among these, for example, lighting effects for display windows,
party or show events, interactive atmosphere lighting, day-night cycle simulation for modellism, etc.
General features
SX13 board blocks diagram
As you can see in the block diagrams, SX13 board is formed by two clearly distinguished sections:
the low voltage section, with 5V power supply, and the high voltage section, directly connected to 220V power supply.
The two sections are electrically divided by optoinsulator: this solution allows to avoid both eventual damage for
control equipments (microprocessor or PC) connected to the board, and also hazardous electric shock for accidentally
touching control signals pins (e.g. with a button) on JP1 connector.
An other important feature of this dimmer is a very effective anti buzz filter, that avoids to spread on the power
network rumours and disturbs.
Low power section is controlled by a PIC12F675 that manages control signals and the effective regulation of the load power.
Power control modes
Five signal control modes are available for dimmer SX13:
- Normally opened switch: this mode is useful for those systems needing human interaction for load power supply.
This mode allows 30 different brightness levels.
This button mode control is compliant with serial line control, allowing this way mixed controls.
- Variable analog voltage from 0V to 10V: this kind of interface is the standard of many commercial dimmers,
so connection to existing systems is also available.
- TTL level serial port (0-5V): this mode uses just one serial line (only TX) as power control. Using only TX signal
allows to mount the board in a "multidrop" way, in other words sharing the same line with other dimmers.
So it is possible to connect several boards "in series" (so several independently controlled lamps) to realize
completely automatic atmosphere lighting effects. Moreover TTL level signals allow straight connection to any
microcontroller, with no need of voltage level adapter.
- RS232 Serial port: has the same features of the TTL serial control, but it uses RS232 standard voltage
levels allowing a straight connection to a PC serial port.
- Wireless 433MHz serial port: it has the same features of the previous serial standard control,
but it uses a RF converter ER400TRS to send and receive data. So this mode allows also to place the dimmer far away from the control unit,
without any need of complex wiring.
Complex systems realization using dimmers series connection
SX13 boards in series
The most interesting interfacing mode is surely the serial one, ideal for SX13 board connection to a microprocessor
(Rabbit, Basicx, PIC) or to a PC.
As already said, serial port uses only the transmission line TX for board control: this allows to connect up to 32
SX13 boards on the same serial line.
Each board may be identified by an address; this address is assigned to the board through the serial line
and it is stored on the PIC Flash memory (so it is not lost when power supply is turned off). When a command for load
power supply control is sent, you need to specify also the destination board address; then the command will be
executed only by the board with that address.
This way it is possible realize group of boards, with the same address, that execute simultaneously the same command.
Moreover a "broadcast" address is available, so to address all the boards: it is useful to send commands
to the whole system under control.
Electric connection
On the board there are several connector for electric connection:
Power supply for dimmer low voltage section may be provided i different ways.
- Straight from the 5+5 pins control connector
- From the external screw clip where AC or DC voltage may be used in the range of 9-15V
- Using RS232 control mode, it is possible to feed the dimmer straight from the serial port, through flow control.
In order to make this power mode works, the used serial port must be compliant to RS232 standard
The dimmer may be placed in a 3 modules DIN rail case, to be easily installed in an electric panel.
The plastic case completely insulates the 220V voltage section, leaving free just the two connectors for electric line and load.
Sx13 dimmer SX13 in its case
In the following picture you can see a 2 dimmers system connected to serial-USB converter
(see also DLP-USB232M Convertitore USB Seriale for further information about the converter)
to control them straight from the PC USB port.
Two dimmers connected to the Serial/USB DLP-USB232M converter
Available versions and case boxes
The dimmer board is provided by Area SX in three versions: SX13A version, that allows control through button
and serial (TTL and RS232), and SX13B version, that allows control through analog voltage and new SX13C
version that allows control through wireless serial port.
SX13A version may be changed at any time, even in a later stage, into SX13C version simply adding ER400TRS converter (Radio ricetrasmettitore con BasicX-24 e modulo ER400TRS).
The difference between the two versions is simply the firmware of the PIC on board, so it is also possible
to order one more PIC with the other control firmware.
L'inscatolamento del dispositivo, oltre al gi� citato contenitore a barra DIN da 3 moduli, pu� avvenire anche in contenitori pi� grandi
in grado di ospitare pi� di un dimmer.
In particolare il contenitore plastico da 9 moduli presente nel nostro listino pu� ospitare 3 dimmer affiancati.
Backward compatibility with previous version
New dimmer SX13 is perfectly compatible with the previous version on a functions point of view.
The only difference is the different baud rate of serial port that passes from the previous 4800 bps to the actual 19200 bps.
If you need a full compatible version with 4800 bps communication, please specify it on the order.
Documentations and examples
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