ALC OnQ Lighting controller wiring

[beelzerob]

Well, after much experimentation and re-reading of all the docs I can find, I still can't seem to communicate with my ALC controller.

I have 2 switches hooked up to the controller, and the serial expansion card is plugged into the controller. When I press a button, I see the Activity light flicker, as well as the Transmit light on the serial expander. However, I do not get any messages on my PC.

When I first started trying this, I was able to receive messages when I pressed buttons. The messages weren't consistent, though, and I also did not seem to be able to transmit to the device. So, I re-read the docs, and re-wired my RS232 DB9 to RJ45 connector, and tried again. Since then, I haven't been able to get even those first messages. And no message I've sent has caused any kind of noticeable effect.

So, help me out with how things should be wired. Obviously the 2 switches sit on the + and - lines, with different addresses. Those 2 wires are plugged into the controller (or into the separate wiring panel, which I don't have). Then, on the RJ45 connector on the serial expander, the only signals listed are trans, recv, and ground. On a standard db9, those are like pins 2, 3, and I think 7. When wiring, do I wire the PC/DB9 trans to the expanders recv, and db9 rec to the expanders trans? And then ground to ground? If so, that's the last then I tried, and nothing seemed to work.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[felixrosbergen]

There appaers to be a general serial communication based controller as well as a specific ELK interface. Does anybody know if the elk interface can also be used for non elk serial control?

I may want to experiment with controlling the lights via the elk (i.e. hardware control platform) but would also like to tets control via software (e.g. CQC when beelze gets the drives ready). Do i need 2 controllers?

Also do i need a M1XSP between the ELK-DBH and the ALC Elk interface?

 

[beelzerob]

Well, I figured out my question above. Buried in the documentation was ANOTHER diagram of how to wire for the serial port on the serial expander card, and once I wired my RS232 cable to that, it worked! I've found the documentation I've gotten from OnQ to be (at the same time) greatly valuable and quite frustrating. :blink:

As for the CQC driver, I've posted an initial version already that allows for 1-way control of relays and dimmers. That's very good, as getting communication to work is always the hardest part...so it'll just be adding capabilities from here on out. Next will be 2-way control, and then some dimmer specifics.

 

[Sacedog]

Well, I figured out my question above. Buried in the documentation was ANOTHER diagram of how to wire for the serial port on the serial expander card, and once I wired my RS232 cable to that, it worked! I've found the documentation I've gotten from OnQ to be (at the same time) greatly valuable and quite frustrating. :blink:

As for the CQC driver, I've posted an initial version already that allows for 1-way control of relays and dimmers. That's very good, as getting communication to work is always the hardest part...so it'll just be adding capabilities from here on out. Next will be 2-way control, and then some dimmer specifics.

Sweet!!!! I can't wait to get mine up and running (just finishing pre-wiring now).

Beez, off topic, but how did you prep your cat5 prior to sheetrock? I started bending an inch over and into the top of the switch box, and putting electrical tape around the outside of the box to hold the wire in place. I have about 12 inches of slack in the wall. I figure this way, I can grab the wire, pull out the slack, and hook up.

 

[beelzerob]

Beez, off topic, but how did you prep your cat5 prior to sheetrock? I started bending an inch over and into the top of the switch box, and putting electrical tape around the outside of the box to hold the wire in place. I have about 12 inches of slack in the wall. I figure this way, I can grab the wire, pull out the slack, and hook up.

Well, I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned.... I haven't actually pulled any wire out of the wall yet to connect to a switch (the switches I'm testing with are installed in a small hobby-box). but I'm not sure I did a good job....I don't think I left enough slack above each switch. 12inches is a really good idea.

Initially what I did was I looped the cat5 through a hole between the gangbox and the nail that was holding it to the stud. but I soon realized it might be in jeopardy from the sheetrockers rotozip...so I unwound all those, and just fixed it to the top of the box with electrical tape, like you suggest. I think that'll be easy to cut above the top of the box and fish out, but I do worry I didn't give myself much to work with. Only time will tell....