Y connection?

[Jerry Kohlenstein]

Because I have very large (4 acre) display, I would like to wire my cat5 cables with with a splitting Y after the first controler. In looking at the RJ45 connectors on the board (PC series), they are wired in straight parallel, how would putting a Y in the lines be any different than daisy chaining? I'm confused!

Jerry

[-klb-]

The electrical energy would get split roughly in half, but more importantly, the buss would now have three ends to generate signal echo. If you have a USB-485B adapter, they have two RJ-45 jacks, and can be installed in the middle of the daisy chain.

So you would go from one port to your first controller, and then chain to your second controller on the right. From the other port on the USB adapter, you would go past the first controller, and to the next controller on the left. This way you are reaching all your controllers, in two branches, and only having two cable ends to create signal reflections.

[JBullard]

You can use the LOR network repeater.

http://store.lightorama.com/rsnere.html

This also allows you to "Y" the signal out in "the field" to split your network connection.

I have this product and love it! Really gives me flexability in setting up my controllers. I like it much better then the USB-485B adapter, which I also have.

[Jerry Kohlenstein]

In this case, unfortunatley, I use a serial to 485 adapter.

My other thought/option (lots more work) is to wire a connector on my multi-card controller cabinets that would be wired with 2 pair(inside) as in and 2 pair as out(outside) (1 cat5). Then in my shed put a (properly wired) hub block to allow for 4 additional lines like this ( I would make bi-pass plugs for unused jacks). This would be duplicated in my garage and out at 2 other main power feed locations.

My layout is like this;
computer - 10'cat5 - first controller(front yard) - 40'cat5 - push block terminal(basement). From the terminal block I have home run lines (5pair shielded direct bariel cat3 in place (it was free and before cat5)) going to my shed 250'and garage 50' - from the garage I go to two more remote locations 150' in opposite directions (through ravenes) - from one of these I then go "over the river and through the woods" (2pair overhead cat3)300' to the final controllers.

I know, go wireless! "no got $1500",

I guess I'm still confused, how is splitting the signal on the board any different than splitting it inline, or is it not a direct y on the board and magic smoke is added between the in and out connector?

Thanks,
Jerry

[-klb-]

The Y paths on the LOR cards are only around an inch long. Thus they don't generate enough phase shift for an echo to be destructive to the overall signal.

[Dr. Jones]

Jerry Kohlenstein wrote:

In this case, unfortunatley, I use a serial to 485 adapter.

My other thought/option (lots more work) is to wire a connector on my multi-card controller cabinets that would be wired with 2 pair(inside) as in and 2 pair as out(outside) (1 cat5). Then in my shed put a (properly wired) hub block to allow for 4 additional lines like this ( I would make bi-pass plugs for unused jacks). This would be duplicated in my garage and out at 2 other main power feed locations.

My layout is like this;
computer - 10'cat5 - first controller(front yard) - 40'cat5 - push block terminal(basement). From the terminal block I have home run lines (5pair shielded direct bariel cat3 in place (it was free and before cat5)) going to my shed 250'and garage 50' - from the garage I go to two more remote locations 150' in opposite directions (through ravenes) - from one of these I then go "over the river and through the woods" (2pair overhead cat3)300' to the final controllers.

I know, go wireless! "no got $1500",

I guess I'm still confused, how is splitting the signal on the board any different than splitting it inline, or is it not a direct y on the board and magic smoke is added between the in and out connector?

Thanks,
Jerry

Jerry

I think the repeater John mentioned above would work best for you

[Dennis Cherry]

All the information given here is good.

Last year I had a similar issue but not the long cable length problem Mine was the location of the Mini director, which only has one RS-485 port and was located in the middle of my controller chain.

I contacted Dan@ LOR and asked if I could use a standard Cat5 splitter, Dan said yes as long as the wiring is pin for pin and does not change pin numbers.

Bought one for $3.00 and had to take a small piece of the splitter case off to fit properly in the controller case. Ran the entire season last year with out a hitch.

Now my cable run to the mini-director from the center controller was only 6 feet. and my total run on each side from the center controller was approximately 50 feet of cable. Was connecting 5 controllers.