Remote mount status led

[Guest guest]

Paul M Krupa wrote:

ny-yankee,

So these RJ45-ECS's are a bulkhead female RJ45 and have a bout a 11inch lead to a male RJ45 is that right?

Is the lead replaceable to make it longer?

Thanks,

Mike

Since I haven't bought any as yet, but from what I can see and have read, I don't think so. Not unless you cut the Cat5 and splice another Cat5 wire to it to extend and then either crimp another male RJ45 connector on it or splice the one you cut off at the end of the spliced wire. Not sure I'd want to splice Cat5 wire like this though.

But from what I can tell, that might be the only way to extend it, not unless the female receptacle is NOT molded in and can be easily replaced, then you could just make your own custom length. Somehow I have a feeling those female jacks are molded to the inside of the plastic housing.

Hopefully someone that owns these can give us more info, but from what I've read elsewhere and can see, I sort of doubt they are easily extendable, if at all.

[Wayne K]

Paul M Krupa wrote:

ny-yankee,

So these RJ45-ECS's are a bulkhead female RJ45 and have a bout a 11inch lead to a male RJ45 is that right?

Is the lead replaceable to make it longer?

Thanks,

Mike

The ones I have are a molded housing with the cord bassically molded out the end of the connector. Mine measures about 12 1/2" from the housing end where the cord comes out to the end of the rj45 male end. I don't think you could change the cord on these.
Wayne

[eurbani]

Why would you need this LED? Seems to me that if your lights connected to that controller are working, you know that the controller is working and that if the lights connected to that controller aren't working...

[Caleb Linburg]

I was thinking of doing this but with long wires and wiring a different color for each controller. I would have them all run to my show computer in the basement, because I can't see the display from there. I would solder a connector to the board so it is easy to change.

[David Rise]

eurbani wrote:

Why would you need this LED? Seems to me that if your lights connected to that controller are working, you know that the controller is working and that if the lights connected to that controller aren't working...

Exactly.

If all your lights are working, you can see that they are working.

If they don't work, then, you are probably going to open the box anyway to troubleshoot. Thus, you'll see the LED on the board blinking or not.

I don't see the point in putting the LED in the cover. I really don't want to draw attention to my controllers at night, by putting a flashing LED on it.



Just sayin......

[Guest guest]

eurbani wrote:

Why would you need this LED? Seems to me that if your lights connected to that controller are working, you know that the controller is working and that if the lights connected to that controller aren't working...

NOT TRUE! If the lights aren't working or lighting, does NOT mean the controller IS NOT working or NOT getting power, but it's not getting it to the lights.

Ever have to RESET a controller? If not, then you wouldn't realize that the LED still works as the controller is getting power to it, but the lights ARE NOT working.

So if the lights are not working and the controller has power, having the LED mounted where it can be seen OUTSIDE the controller box would give you an indication that power is still very much alive in there, but something happened to upset the apple cart, so to speak, that is, controller is powered, but lights aren't working. Then you know you have to reset the controller.

Now if the LED is out and the lights aren't working, you also know there is something wrong, and again, you could tell at a glance and know if it could be the controller, but it could be the power feeding the controller, so if the LED is off, you start looking outside before opening the controller to locate is it a cord came unplugged, did the GFCI trip on that particular outlet or in the Circuit Breaker Panel or did the outlet itself go bad and need replacement?

So having an indicator OUTSIDE the controller helps to alleviate where to start looking for issues GOING to the controller and lights.

So yes, there is a need to have it mounted where it is visible or have some type of peep hole in the controller housing to see if that LED is lit.

I keep my controllers LOCKED and Screwed Closed, so to see if it's getting power I have to find which key goes to that controller lock, get a phillips screwdriver and unscrew the lock down screw just to see if the controller is receiving any power at all.

With the remote or external LED, there is no guessing or having to open the controller to see if power is, in fact, getting to the PCB inside.

Sometimes folks think items like this are over-kill or not needed, but when you really get down and truly look at it, you can finally see that this is something that would be very useful.

I also think it would be great if LOR added a 2 pin connector for a remote/external LED connection and an external LED option that would be wired to a mating connector that could be purchased as an ADD ON accessory for those that would want it. Being an add on, you would decide where you want to mount the LED on the controller box and be required to drill the hole for it.

[Wayne K]

Jeff Millard wrote:

Wayne K wrote:

I have been searching about remote mounting the status led...

Just a little food for thought: Having the status LED external of the case creates two issues to think of. 1) You now have an LED on each and every controller location throughout your display. When you dim all the lights in your sequence there will be little red lights scattered around your display you have no control over. 2) This hobby is becomming more and more popular, so more and more people are learning about it online. They see LOR controllers are a couple hundred bucks. If they plan to make a display, you've given them the equivalent of echo location to each of your prized possesions. Vandals can also now see where the expensive stuff they can do the most damage to is located. ...and that one neighbor who has loathed your display for the last couple years now knows where they are... Cameras ain't gonna save them from vandalism. Trust me, I have firsthand knowledge of that.

I put these on a couple controllers in the past. But when I saw them out there at night, I ripped them out and filled the holes...

Just my 2 cents...

Jeff

For me the problem is that I used nema metal enclosures and I have to physically remove 2 screws to get the cover off to see the board / led. That is my reasoning for wanting to do it. If I had the plastic cases that opened up easy I probably would not worry about it.
But you also make a good point about being seen. As I sit here and think about this. All of my controllers are 90 degrees from the street / sidewalk and I could do all of mine facing away from the street. But on the other hand all of my supply power cords have the light in the end of them that glows nicely in the dark about 5 foot away from the controller. I guess I will have to ponder this idea a little more.
Wayne

[TGabriel]

I have a plastic case with two controllers mount in it and it has 8 screw to take the cover off. No external LED to show if it is working, because I have 16 strings of lights connected to each controller to tell me if it is working or not. It that simple.

Thomas

[David Rise]

Jeff Millard wrote:

Wayne K wrote:

I have been searching about remote mounting the status led...

Just a little food for thought: Having the status LED external of the case creates two issues to think of. 1) You now have an LED on each and every controller location throughout your display. When you dim all the lights in your sequence there will be little red lights scattered around your display you have no control over. 2) This hobby is becomming more and more popular, so more and more people are learning about it online. They see LOR controllers are a couple hundred bucks. If they plan to make a display, you've given them the equivalent of echo location to each of your prized possesions. Vandals can also now see where the expensive stuff they can do the most damage to is located. ...and that one neighbor who has loathed your display for the last couple years now knows where they are... Cameras ain't gonna save them from vandalism. Trust me, I have firsthand knowledge of that.

I put these on a couple controllers in the past. But when I saw them out there at night, I ripped them out and filled the holes...

Just my 2 cents...

Jeff

Agreed Jeff. Nothing like putting a beacon on your controller.

I live in Florida, so I guess I can see where you folks up North wouldn't want to walk through the snow to open a box.

[Guest guest]

Jeff Millard wrote:

Wayne K wrote:

I have been searching about remote mounting the status led...

Just a little food for thought: Having the status LED external of the case creates two issues to think of. 1) You now have an LED on each and every controller location throughout your display. When you dim all the lights in your sequence there will be little red lights scattered around your display you have no control over. 2) This hobby is becomming more and more popular, so more and more people are learning about it online. They see LOR controllers are a couple hundred bucks. If they plan to make a display, you've given them the equivalent of echo location to each of your prized possesions. Vandals can also now see where the expensive stuff they can do the most damage to is located. ...and that one neighbor who has loathed your display for the last couple years now knows where they are... Cameras ain't gonna save them from vandalism. Trust me, I have firsthand knowledge of that.

I put these on a couple controllers in the past. But when I saw them out there at night, I ripped them out and filled the holes...

Just my 2 cents...

Jeff

A very valid thought Jeff. However, I usually mount my controllers directly to a wall, they are screwed down and padlocked. So it'd take some doing to get mine off the house.

Aside from that, I actually thought about doing it this way myself, take out the PCB in the controller, drill a hole UNDER the PCB that faces the wall when mounted, the LED would be mounted center of the controller box showing out the back, there is just enough gap there to actually see the LED illuminating behind the controller, this way there is no obvious evidence of light coming from it, the controller box itself would block the LED light from being seen unless you were next to the controller and looking specifically for it between the gap.

This is the idea I have for mine in the Florida area. For folks in snowy areas, well, they probably would want to mount theirs in a much easier to see location from inside the house {if possible} or if they want to install one.

There are many good and valid points about whether or not to use a "remote/external" LED on your controller.

In the end, it's all up to the individuals preference as to if they want to install one or not and how and where to install it on their controller.

[Guest guest]

That is the LED mounted facing out the back of the controller box would create a small illumination factor on the wall directly behind the controller, and wouldn't be all that visible to someone watching the display.

[TJ Hvasta]

Wait, you dont think the power LED would light up the wall? It shines out the back.. even if the case is screwed to the wall, it's still gonna light up the wall around each box.. it will look exactly like the newer flatscreen tv's that have backlighting to compliment the picture. There would be a red glow, on your house, around each box.. And people will see the glow when the yard isnt "playing" anything. Have you even tried putting the boxes againt the house with the covers off to see? I dont think you've thot this out enough.

[Guest guest]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

Wait, you dont think the power LED would light up the wall? It shines out the back.. even if the case is screwed to the wall, it's still gonna light up the wall around each box.. it will look exactly like the newer flatscreen tv's that have backlighting to compliment the picture. There would be a red glow, on your house, around each box.. And people will see the glow when the yard isnt "playing" anything. Have you even tried putting the boxes againt the house with the covers off to see? I dont think you've thot this out enough.

Yes I have, and no it won't.

I experimented with this using different color LED's, Red, Green, Yellow, Blue and White with a large enclosure like an LOR CTB16PC controller box, the LED is SO CLOSE to the wall that there is NO WALL WASH EFFECT that you're talking about. Just a small circular amount of light coming from the LED against the wall, it's almost like a laser pointer. Matter of fact, if you're concerned with this wall wash effect, then use a very small LED that is of the pointer type, that is has a pin point light output. This type LED will only place a very small dot on the wall, but may not be very visible behind the controller box.

Now if there were a very large gap and you were using a very large LED, that could be the case, but if the case is mounted directly to the wall, the only way to see that LED light behind the box is to be right up next to and looking down the sideline behind it. Barely noticable at all.

The Blue LED does generate more light output than any of the other colors, but stil not enough to produce a "neon" type glow around the controller box.

However, I would NOT recommend a white LED, they are just too bright and was the only one that came close to emitting enough light that is was somewhat visible.

[shfr26]

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

[Guest guest]

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Sorry no photos. I tried to photograph it, and all the camera does is wash it out from the side takes and from the front, the flash just showed the box against the wall. Tried various settings on the camera, just no way to capture a single LED, for one thing the LED IS NOT bright enough to overcome the camera flash, without the flash, all you see is a black photo, since the LED is being photographed from a side view it just doesn't photograph at all. Or my camera sure can't/couldn't pick it up.

But with the LED in the CENTER BACK of the box, it DOES NOT put out enough light to be visible from the front or even sides of the controller unless you are right at the controller and looking directly at and for the LED. Otherwise, it's just not noticeable at all.

If this were a string of LEDS along the back of the box, that is OUTLINING the box, then, yes, you'd get that effect of a somewhat neonish look around it, but a SINGLE LED DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER OR LIGHT OUTPUT TO CREATE THIS EFFECT.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

There is absolutely no way a single LED can wall wash or give any type of "glow" effect around a box being so close to a wall unless you driving a very bright LED, which I would not recommend. I know there are some really bright LED's created today, but you want one that will only output enough light to be slightly visible, not one that is so bright it could be seen from Mars!

[Surfing4Dough]

Orville wrote:

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Sorry no photos. I tried to photograph it, and all the camera does is wash it out from the side takes and from the front, the flash just showed the box against the wall. Tried various settings on the camera, just no way to capture a single LED, for one thing the LED IS NOT bright enough to overcome the camera flash, without the flash, all you see is a black photo, since the LED is being photographed from a side view it just doesn't photograph at all. Or my camera sure can't/couldn't pick it up.

But with the LED in the CENTER BACK of the box, it DOES NOT put out enough light to be visible from the front or even sides of the controller unless you are right at the controller and looking directly at and for the LED. Otherwise, it's just not noticeable at all.

If this were a string of LEDS along the back of the box, that is OUTLINING the box, then, yes, you'd get that effect of a somewhat neonish look around it, but a SINGLE LED DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER OR LIGHT OUTPUT TO CREATE THIS EFFECT.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

There is absolutely no way a single LED can wall wash or give any type of "glow" effect around a box being so close to a wall unless you driving a very bright LED, which I would not recommend. I know there are some really bright LED's created today, but you want one that will only output enough light to be slightly visible, not one that is so bright it could be seen from Mars!

So I guess I am not seeing the point of the LED in the first place if you have to go and get practically right up against the house to look "down the side of the box" through the little crack of space to see if the controller is getting power. But I guess that is just me...

[rgardner518]

Surfing4Dough wrote:

Orville wrote:

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Sorry no photos. I tried to photograph it, and all the camera does is wash it out from the side takes and from the front, the flash just showed the box against the wall. Tried various settings on the camera, just no way to capture a single LED, for one thing the LED IS NOT bright enough to overcome the camera flash, without the flash, all you see is a black photo, since the LED is being photographed from a side view it just doesn't photograph at all. Or my camera sure can't/couldn't pick it up.

But with the LED in the CENTER BACK of the box, it DOES NOT put out enough light to be visible from the front or even sides of the controller unless you are right at the controller and looking directly at and for the LED. Otherwise, it's just not noticeable at all.

If this were a string of LEDS along the back of the box, that is OUTLINING the box, then, yes, you'd get that effect of a somewhat neonish look around it, but a SINGLE LED DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER OR LIGHT OUTPUT TO CREATE THIS EFFECT.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

There is absolutely no way a single LED can wall wash or give any type of "glow" effect around a box being so close to a wall unless you driving a very bright LED, which I would not recommend. I know there are some really bright LED's created today, but you want one that will only output enough light to be slightly visible, not one that is so bright it could be seen from Mars!

So I guess I am not seeing the point of the LED in the first place if you have to go and get practically right up against the house to look "down the side of the box" through the little crack of space to see if the controller is getting power. But I guess that is just me...

I agree! That's a little over kill, if you ask me!

[Guest guest]

Surfing4Dough wrote:

Orville wrote:

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Sorry no photos. I tried to photograph it, and all the camera does is wash it out from the side takes and from the front, the flash just showed the box against the wall. Tried various settings on the camera, just no way to capture a single LED, for one thing the LED IS NOT bright enough to overcome the camera flash, without the flash, all you see is a black photo, since the LED is being photographed from a side view it just doesn't photograph at all. Or my camera sure can't/couldn't pick it up.

But with the LED in the CENTER BACK of the box, it DOES NOT put out enough light to be visible from the front or even sides of the controller unless you are right at the controller and looking directly at and for the LED. Otherwise, it's just not noticeable at all.

If this were a string of LEDS along the back of the box, that is OUTLINING the box, then, yes, you'd get that effect of a somewhat neonish look around it, but a SINGLE LED DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER OR LIGHT OUTPUT TO CREATE THIS EFFECT.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

There is absolutely no way a single LED can wall wash or give any type of "glow" effect around a box being so close to a wall unless you driving a very bright LED, which I would not recommend. I know there are some really bright LED's created today, but you want one that will only output enough light to be slightly visible, not one that is so bright it could be seen from Mars!

So I guess I am not seeing the point of the LED in the first place if you have to go and get practically right up against the house to look "down the side of the box" through the little crack of space to see if the controller is getting power. But I guess that is just me...

The point is for those THAT DO NOT WANT A VISIBLE LED to be seen from the FRONT or DIRECT SIDE VIEW from their controllers because they felt that using an external/remote LED would give thieves or vandals a pin point location of their controllers. That's why I stated just ANOTHER WAY to do this so it WOULD NOT be very visible UNLESS you knew what you're were looking for!

Nothing more, nothing less. And my being in FLORIDA is how I would do the remote/external LED indication. As I only have to worry about rain and NOT SNOW in my location. So not a big deal for me to walk out and look at my controllers in such a manner.

[shfr26]

Orville wrote:

Surfing4Dough wrote:

Orville wrote:

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

I'm sorry I asked if you had a picture. I DID NOT say anything about not believing you or if you had any experience. Sorry such a simple request turned into a saga. HAve a nice day.

[Surfing4Dough]

shfr26 wrote:

Orville wrote:

Surfing4Dough wrote:

Orville wrote:

shfr26 wrote:

Is there anyway you can post some pics of this at night?? I would like to see how this works before trying it. Maybe a day shot of the box also.

Don't take my word for it, go find an old box about the size of a LOR Controller and put an LED in the CENTER, not off to one side or the other, DEAD CENTER of the box and try it yourself. This is something that just isn't capable of being photographed, or at least not with any of the cameras I have.

I have WORKED in the electronics industry nigh on 40 years, and in many facets, Engineering Prototype Labs(EPL), Technician/Tester, Quality Control, and Assembly Line, so I *DO* have a lot of experience with a lot of this and know how some work. However, not some of the newer stuff, because I just don't keep up with it any longer.

So if you can't beleive experience, then all I can tell you is to do go buy an empty box, even a small experimenters box, like one of those black boxes Radio Shack sells, drill a hole dead center, put in an LED, power it with 2-3 AA or AAA batteries and put it against the wall, holding it about 1/2" to 1" from the wall and see just how the LED puts the light on the wall. Being that close, it can not "wall wash" the wall with much light at all, it's basically going to be a very small circular pattern of light that is just large enough to be visible with the eye from looking down the side of the box.

I'm sorry I asked if you had a picture. I DID NOT say anything about not believing you or if you had any experience. Sorry such a simple request turned into a saga. HAve a nice day.

Don't worry about it shfr26. Sometimes Orville starts to bully people when he is dealing with an area of his expertise and they are having a hard time understanding. He is just going through some rough times right now (probably a little stir crazy due to lacking cars recently) which is probably why he responded that way.