Can you control Power Sockets like Wake On Lan?

[JayCR]

Weird Question I know, but I have been playing with WOL this morning on my laptop, and it got me thinking. Is there something similar where you can control a power socket using this sort of thing.

There is a remote location that we need access to the computers, however in weather conditions like this, they are nion impossible to get to, so I am wondering if there is anyway you can control power sockets like you can wake on LAN.

[Jenner]

Sure. What exactly are you intending to do? I can rig an entire factory's power system to a bank of high-power relays and connect them to a digital interface to a single PC or server. As long as the network equipment and PC has enough power for me to wake it up from a power-off state, I can control everything else from that machine.

If I don't want to use a PC, there are PLCs that will do the job as well.

[Shaggy Hiker]

I recently saw a description of a computer in a plug technology that might allow for a single switch solution with mass market appeal.

[EntityX]

What about the Clapper? Clap on, clap off. The Clapper!

[JayCR]

Well the entire purpose is this:

At work we have a storage facility, but it is located in a highly inaccessible area when the weather comes! We normally unplug everything to prevent even standby to keep overheads reduced (if possible) I want to have these plugged in at all times, but rather than "flick the switch" physically, I want to do something where (If I can connect say a master extension socket to my router), I want to ping it, and that to turn it on. or something along those lines.

Unfortunately I will be trying to power these devices on from about 20 miles away...

[gep13]

Hey,

Have a look at the following:

http://www.x10europe.com/ha/overview.htm

There is an article about this here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/arc...31/916464.aspx

Hope that helps!!

Gary

[Jenner]

It can certainly be done. Does the remote building have a phone line? If so you can wake on ring with most modems.

Basically, from what it sounds like you want to do:
On the incoming electrical line to the building, it enters some form of circuit-breaker/fuse box. From here, the singular, main power line is split into various circuits in the building.

You'll need one circuit to power your wake-up hardware/whatever it may be. This for example could be a completely new circuit run to a single, dedicated outlet. In here, you plug in your router, wake-up computer, PLC, whatever. It stays powered all the time (this might defeat your purposes, but there's little way around this problem). There may be a completely phone-based solution though that would only use the analog power from the phone lines.

If you control the incoming power lines, (for example, the outbuilding is receiving power from another building) you also have the option to control it from there.

All other circuits will need an appropriately sized latched power relay installed on them. The relays can be latched on/off via a digital output card from the controller.

[JayCR]

To be honest the boss doesnt want any work done so he doesnt want the place to be rebuilt (or different circuits putting in). We are looking primarily at plugging a couple of extension sockets into one wall outlet, and have that respond. unfortunately we get a lot of "cold calls" to the building (god knows how they got the number as the place is nion always deserted!) so ringing the phone to switch on wouldnt work. Wake On Lan, is good because as longas the power is there you can ping the Machine and then it will switch on, I know there is of course Power Over Ethernet, but I dont know if that can be used here?

[gep13]

Did you look at the links I provided? this technology can be configured to do pretty much anything you want.

Gary

[Shaggy Hiker]

Yeah, that X10 stuff is now to the point where you can call your home and change pretty nearly everything. I considered doing that until I realized that I really had no reason to do that other than 'because I can' (which has driven many of my home improvement projects, to be honest).

[gep13]

Ha ha, yeah, I was very tempted to get some components as well, but then I looked at some of the prices, and thought, do I actually need it? Short answer was no, but just wait until I win the lottery!! That reminds me, I need to go and buy a ticket

Gary

[dbasnett]

When I worked at $%^&*:"<, a company that was doing PLC(Powerline Communications) I made a suggestion of putting a PLC chip in everything electronic. Ethernet like communications with everything in your home!

[JayCR]

Hi Guys, Gep I did take a look at the pages you sent, however I did notice that you have to flick a switch for this to happen (unless I mis-interpereted it), and the problem is I can be 20 miles away when these things need initialising!

[Hack]

Moved From Chit Chat

[gep13]

Hi Guys, Gep I did take a look at the pages you sent, however I did notice that you have to flick a switch for this to happen (unless I mis-interpereted it), and the problem is I can be 20 miles away when these things need initialising!

Hey,

This isn't true, no. This was just an example of what you can do.

You can pretty much do anything you want with it. If you watch some more of the video, you will see that the author turns on and off a light based on the result of a change in a stock price that comes from a web service.

You can extend this to run off anything you like. It just comes down to your imagination.

Gary

[JayCR]

Thanks Gep, will take a look into that, thats quite interesting.

[gep13]

Hey,

Not a problem at all. As I mentioned, the only slight issue, from a personal perspective, is the cost of the units, but if this is for a commercial application, the budget might be slightly higher

Gary

[JayCR]

Thats the one thing I havent yet seen, dare I ask if you know the unit price?

[gep13]

Hey,

Not off the top of my head, no. And it has been a few years since I looked at them.

If you give that company a phone, they should be able to give you a price.

Gary

[JayCR]

No Worries, thanks Gary.