Using Virtual Wiring In An Age Of Instant Solutions

The subject of this article is virtual wiring or wires. So what do I mean by virtual? Usually if one wants to connect a digital signal to a relay then one has a circuit which drives the coil, this pulls in the relay contacts and this creates an isolated switch which may be used to provide power to a light or other suitably rated appliance. If the distance between the initiating signal and the appliance is great then one has a choice of either extending the digital signal with a long piece of wire or extending the switch side with long wiring. This seems to be a simple solution but in many cases, extending the wiring may not be the answer if the extension is complex, not aesthetically pleasing or many wires are involved.

The solution is virtual wiring and this can be implemented in a number of different ways.

1) If some wiring already exists then by virtue of multiplexing (combining many signals into one compound signal) and demultiplexing (taking one compound signal and expanding it again into many) electronics on either side, existing wiring can be used if an increase in the number of switches is required without laying extra cable.

2) The mux/demux solution can also be implemented with the use of fiber optics, where the compound signal is transported by means of modulated light.

3) Another transport medium is rf (radio frequency) In this age of Zigbee and other wireless standards, the compound signal can be transmitted through the air without any visible means. The simplest implementation would be a switch (or eight or more) on the near side being closed, detected by the monitoring electronics, assembled into some kind of protocol, transmitted wirelessly, received by the far unit, disassembled and the relevant relay or other switch mechanism would then be toggled. This would allow lights, appliances and other devices to be controlled without the addition of any control wiring.

The natural extension of this type of virtual wiring is to extend analogue signals as well. An example of this could be an appliance/device that needs to be set at a particular value. This value could be read (using a A/D converter) at the near side, assembled and transmitted as described previously and then output to the device in question as an analogue signal (using a D/A converter).

The one drawback of this type of signal extension method is that there will invariably be a delay between switch pushed/signal read and the corresponding action on the far side. Usually however a small delay is acceptable and other high speed methods exist for signals that require a higher bandwidth.

Marc Jarchow
47 year old entrepeneur providing MODular ElecTRONics solutions for the Professional (custom instruments for your business), Educator (can be used as a training aid), Entrepeneur (can be packaged with your logo) and Hobbyist (make your own home based products) using low cost modules to create whatever application you have in mind. This is all done via modetron.com

Wiring Accessories from Nelco: Identify, Bundle and Protect

A full line of wiring accessories featuring custom hot-stamping to commercial and military specifications, along with kitting and packaging, is now available exclusively from Nelco Products, Inc. of Pembroke Massachusetts!

Nelco Wiring Accessories for identifying, bundling, and protecting wire harnesses and cables include various types of cable ties, computer printable markers and labels, sleeves and tapes for wire routing and protection, molded shapes, custom hot stamped sleeves as well as heavy- and thin-wall heat shrinkable tubing, conduit and spiral wrap.

Capable of marking, cutting, and packaging products to exacting customer requirements, Nelco can imprint and label cable ties, cut and mark tubing and sleeving and package them into kits, polybags with headers or labeled boxes. Hot-stamping can be furnished to meet MIL-M-81531 and MIL-M-81594 specifications.

Nelco Wiring Accessories and value-added services are priced according to customer requirements. Additional literature, samples and price quotations are available upon request. Most wiring accessory orders ship within 5 business days courtesy of UPS ground. Order your wiring and cable accessories from Nelco Products today for best pricing and availability!

Nelco Products, Inc. Amy Greenberg, Marketing 22 Riverside Dr. Pembroke, MA 02359 (800) 346-3526 FAX (781) 826-7344 e-mail: info@nelcoproducts.com Nelco Wiring Accessories http://www.nelcoproducts.com

The Top 5 Home Theater Wiring Installation Tips

So now you have your brand new home theater system components sitting in their boxes in front of you and it's go time. You have to somehow connect all of these foreign objects together and make it all work. For many people this is a really intimidating scenario, but actually if you follow a few simple guidelines it doesn't have to be all that difficult. So here are the top 5 tips for home theater wiring installation.

1. This may sound corny but read the manual. I know that there are lots of you folks that prefer to just pick up a screwdriver and dive in, but you cannot believe how much you can mess up by not taking the time here to read the installation instructions through and get a good feel for what you need to do in advance. In fact, you may somehow get the system to work without doing that, but odds are that it will never perform as well as it should simply because a few steps were left out while it was being installed. So save your self the extra grief and just read the wiring installation instruction manual before you get started.

2. Use the correct gauge wire for your installation. Remember that when you have to run wire for longer distances it requires a heavier gauge to be able to successfully transmit the signal. Here is a simple general guideline that you can use: for lengths under 100 feet 16 gauge wire should be adequate, up to 200 feet 14 gauge wire will work and over that you will probably need 12 gauge wire to make sure things work properly.

3. Whenever you are making any kind of home theater wiring installation whether it be from one component to another or from a component to the speakers, make sure that both components are powered off when you connect them. Many is the heartache caused by someone turning on components before making the connections and experiencing high sudden power loads that damage their brand new equipment. Avoid that by always keeping the components powered off as you make wiring connections.

4. Gather your cables and wires together in advance and make sure that they will stretch far enough from each installed component before you begin installation. It's really frustrating to find out that one of your wires or cables isn't long enough after you already have everything else set up.

5. A common mistake that many people make when installing their own home theater setup is stacking the components like the receiver, dvd player, cable box and so on, so closely together that they have no room to breathe. Often they will even put them inside a closed cabinet too, which only compounds the problem. So before laying out your system try to think of a way to provide plenty of air flow between each component which will allow it to run more efficiently, last longer, and perform better.

If you plan ahead to set aside plenty of time for your home theater wiring installation, you should be able to get it done with little problem and frustration if you use the tips provided above.

Find out more about surround sound setup and surround sound installation by visiting our Home Theater website.

Electricians, Datacom Installers and Maintenance Pro's now have an easy way to print Durable Labels

With the Rhino pro 5000 you can design long-lasting labels for wire wrapping, patchpanels, terminal blocks and more, in just seconds. The Rhinopro 5000 is the leading model in the Rhino lineup. It offers features that will clearly add a touch of professionalness and efficiency to your work.

Rhino pro labels are as tried and true as the Rhino pro 5000. Distinct to use and super-strong, they're designed for the long haul. The varying label materials obtainable are: (i) Permanent Polyester (ii) Flexible Nylon (iii) Vinyl (iv) Heat dwindle Tubes (v) non-adhesive. Flexible Nylon is geared to Rounded or dead flat surfaces, like wires, patchpanels, machinery, equipment, bins. Permanent polyester is for Flat surfaces like equipment, bins and patch panels. Vinyl is congruent with really surfaces, perfectly for outdoor and color-coding environments. Heat Dwindle Tubes are clearly for wires and cables. Non-adhesive tags are for Patchpanels, distribution blocks, face plates etc.

The Rhinopro 5000 isn't just your common everyday label maker. Remember, this one is targeted at Electrical contractors and Cable Installers, so it has to have some features that set it incomparable from its competition. "Hot keys" are what distinguishes the Rhinopro 5000, and here are a few examples:

"Terminal Block Mode" prints labels somewhat similar to Patch Panel labels, but the text is printed vertically as opposed to horizontally.

"Patch Panel Mode" allows you to generate long labels that have equably spaced 'blocks' of text, i.e. Ethernet ports on a patch panel. You define the number of ports, set the entire length of the label, and then print. The blocks of text will be correspondingly spaced to in actuality discover which each port is being exercised for.

A large backlit screen and many other considerately designed features help you whiz your way through label-arduous installations and accord a bumper impression behind. Plus, easy-to-load, easy-to-peel Rhino pro label cartridges feature industrial-strength adhesives so your labels will stick and stay stuck.

Sally is the Marketing Manager of Labelcity Inc. - the largest dedicated supplier of Dymo Labels & Printers, as well as the Dymo RhinoPro 5000 featured in this article.

A Look at Electrician Schools

For those people thinking of becoming an electrician, there are a variety of schools, institutes and training centers where you can get a good education and launch your career the right way.

There are government-sponsored programs, military training programs, and online courses that lead to certification, electrical contractor sponsored training centers and other electrician schools where you can be taught the complexities of installing and maintaining everything electric. As is always the case, the first thing you have to do is to decide what direction you wish to go in after the training is over, you’ve gotten your certification and you want to earn some money.

For some, starting their own business is the first bold step they take after school. They learn the skills necessary to do home repairs or commercial maintenance, buy some equipment, open up a small shop or operate out of their houses, do a bit of advertising and slowly but surely the phone calls start coming and the work begins.

For these entrepreneurially minded people, it is not necessary to take the more advanced courses to perform specific, highly-focused electrical work. For these people a broad knowledge of the ins and outs of electricity and houses is all they need to know, combined with some business courses that teach about starting your own business, basic bookkeeping procedures and the like. Still others want to learn everything that they can while in school and somewhere during the instruction they discover a passion for a specific area of expertise and they start moving in that direction.

Upon graduation from certain electrician schools, you can work immediately in positions such as panel builders and testers, utility maintenance mechanics, construction electricians, and electronic technicians. Studies include the basic wiring and electrical layout schematics used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Successful graduates will have been schooled in electrical system service and maintenance and trained in motors, electrical controls and transformer applications.

All of the knowledge and skills needed for entry level positions as electricians and apprentices for new construction, additions and restorations can be quickly learned and immediately put in

Electricians Info provides detailed information about electrician jobs, schools, training, tools, licenses, and services. Electricians Info is the sister site of Circuit breakers Web.

to practice if the student is dedicated.