Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks

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Part II: Advanced Hacks, Tools, and Techniques

You can see the wiring going into the back of the control

PC in Figure 8-16. Notice again that the cables are labeled

and that both hot-melt glue and duct tape are used to keep

the bundles together and prevent the delicate solder con-

nections from breaking.

6. Build relay boxes and connect the lamps

Each lamp requires a relay to switch it on and off. You

control these relays by the relay driver board constructed in Step 5.

You now need to build a relay box for each lamp according to the illustra-

tion in Figure 8-17. If you don’t mind cutting up the cord to the light, go

with Option #1. Slice open the lamp cord, pull out one of the wires (either

black or white), and connect it across the two relay pins. If you want to keep

the light cords intact, go with Option #2 and add an outlet that has been

wired to the relay.

When you have completed this step, attach each lamp to its stand and place

it in front of a building window (see Figure 8-18). You may want to place a

Figure 8-16: ISA card cable bundles

1

3 4

5

Light relay box

option #1

Relay pin # (printed

on bottom of relay)

Plastic junction box

Cord from light

From relay driver

Light plug

1

3 4

5

Light relay box

option #2

Relay pin # (printed

on bottom of relay)

Plastic junction box

From relay driver

Dual outlet

Light plug

Figure 8-17: Relay box designs

Figure 8-18: Lamp in front of window

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