RS485 Hub??

[pmcpa]

Anyone have a good source for an RS485 Hub? I know there was talk of a DIY one, last year....

Here's what I'm doing, I have Controllers Left Side, and Controllers Right Side. Right now Rs485 goes to left, then loops back thru the house, to the right side. Would be much easier to have the hub in the basement, right after the PC, and split it. Thoughts?

[oldcqr]

I'm not sure you can do that. Controllers eat channels sequentially, so they need to be in a straight line (daisy chained).

Instead, why not go with another Serial Port, and another RS232 to RS485? on the computer? You'd then have 2 separate networks, and the serial port/rs485 adapter are usually cheaper than a hub. Run 1 network to one side, the other to the other.

[pmcpa]

AL boxes don't care what order they are plugged in, so I don't think that is an issue.

Thought about the dual adapters.... LSP has a hard enough time working with one... trying not to anger it

[oldcqr]

AH.. Sorry.. AL equipment. I thought we were talking about DIY stuff.
AH.. Sorry.. LSP software. I thought we were talking about Vixen.

[pmcpa]

Yes... Vixen might be in my future very soon.

[dirknerkle]

if you need only two separate lines, you can use an inexpensive 8-line telephone "Y" adapter off of an RJ45 jack. Then take one line out the left side, and the other out the right side. You'd have to use start address firmware on the right side so that the first controller over there starts with the proper channel, after which the daisy chain takes care of it from there.

[pmcpa]

that would work, I've heard there are some issues with that.

I would also like status lights on it.... that way I can see data while troubleshooting in the basement, where I can't see the lights!

[dirknerkle]

that would work, I've heard there are some issues with that.

I would also like status lights on it.... that way I can see data while troubleshooting in the basement, where I can't see the lights!

Why not take the serial section off of an SS board, tie it to 5vdc power and a couple LEDs and use that to regenerate the RS485 signal to the wire? Ought to be a piece of cake. You'd just make two of them -- one for the left side of the house; one for the right.

[pmcpa]

true.... never thought of that!

[ErnieHorning]

Why not take the serial section off of an SS board...

Definitely the DIY way. Anything becomes a hammer if you hold it right.