jstorms Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 I have proven that Ethernet does not equal LOR RS485 even though they both use CAT5. I had just finished making a new string of pixels and went to test them out. This involves changing over to my light network so I removed the cable for the house network and plugged in my trusty purple CAT5 cable that goes to my light network. Only it didn't. I had a short purple cat5 cable running to my RS485 with booster. Needless to say I couldn't talk to my pixel controller. Next, I got a funny (but not ha-ha funny) message from my computer: Then I started to smell smoke! I put my head in my controller and breathed deeply, nope.Put my head down by my new pixel string and breathed deeply (ahhhhh, liquid tape), but not smoke.Then I found my RS485 adapter, smelled strongly of smoke, and it was HOT. I immediately, actually it had been about 2 minutes, disconnected it. That purple cable was running from my PC's Ethernet port to my RS485 adapter. Luckily my PC seems to be fine (using it right now). I took apart the RS485 adapter and saw nothing scorched, but it was still warm. Conclusion: Just because it is a CAT5 cable does not make Ethernet and RS485 compatible, but can be used as a slow fire starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdanna77 Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Wow. Well it could have been worse. You could have smoked your PC.but a lesson to us all for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 I took a good look at your picture. I don't see anything obvious, but I don't like the looks of D2. I'm not sure about D1 but it could have a problem as well. It could also just be the photo. Did you pull the board out of the case and check the backside? Either way, let us know via help desk ticket and we can start you an RMA. You may also want to order another as a spare as season is coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Oh, and if you ever REALLY want to see one smoke, connect it to a PoE switch with 48V running on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Here's my solution to this problem. Use a different cable color. If it's not the right color, you're doing something wrong... Here is my standard: 802.11Q = Orange Cat-6 (trunks between switches)Internet = Red Cat-5.131 LAN = Green Cat-5 (E1.31 lighting).201 LAN = Blue Cat-5 (home primary LAN).202 LAN = Gray Cat-5 (scanner feed).203 LAN = White Cat-5 (WiFi).204 LAN = Black Cat-5 (Cactus).205 LAN = Pink Cat-5 (Red Cross)LOR Network = Purple Cat-5 w/ network number color tape (Regular = 1, Aux A = 2, etc)ITW Network = Purple Cat-5 w/ black tapeVideo over Cat-5 = Yellow Cat-5 w/ camera number color tape The only two things that share purple cable are the IT Watchdog environmental monitor and LOR RS-485. They won't hurt each other, and even ignoring the color tape marking, only temperature sensors get plugged into the jacks for the IT Watchdogs and that never changes. I normally keep Cat-5 in stock in Blue, Green, Purple, and Yellow, and also Cat-6 in Orange. I build all my own cables. The only exception to that is I bought a few cables for the other colors because I only use a small amount of that and it seldom changes. For example the Pink and Black cables only go from the LAN port of a router (different router for each LAN), and a switch in the same rack. No point in buying a 1,000 foot box for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 LOL! You've gotta be kidding! And then I'd have to be able to tell all those colors apart as well as remember what color is which thing. My belly might be stretching but my brain sure isn't that elastic anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I just try to keep is simple,Green lor network 1Grey lor network 2Orange E1.31, nice and bright to remind me not to plug in into LOR equipment lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I color code as well: Grey is Cat 6 switch to switchRed is PoEYellow is RoutedBlue are 5E PatchBlack are 6 Patch Green is LOR in the lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 Underside of the RS485D board looks good. I hooked it back up this morning and it still works. I plugged it into the USB port of my computer (not Ethernet like last night) and connected it to m Input Pup (small and easy to move around) and I was able to autoconfigure a comm port and talk to the Input Pup. I'm sure that burning smell took some of the life out of this little adapter so I put it on the backup pile with a note attached. When I did color code green was for cross overs, everything else was color coded for length. This was in a lab. At home I have the color it was when it was on sale, or what they happened to be selling at Altex at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 ...and by the way, who is Alex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 ...and by the way, who is Alex? Shhh.... That's how we secretly communicate with the Aliens. You're gonna get us all assimilated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisquit476 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Shhh.... That's how we secretly communicate with the Aliens. You're gonna get us all assimilated! Mike, you so funny. John, Alex is Dans son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Mike, you so funny. John, Alex is Dans son.SHHHH!!! We all need to switch to a garlic shampoo now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 Cool, I found a Light-O-Rama Easter Egg, when do I get my prize?A Pixcon16 would round out my Youtube channel nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Cool, I found a Light-O-Rama Easter Egg, when do I get my prize?A Pixcon16 would round out my Youtube channel nicely.Wrong key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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