- Thu Nov 10, 2016 10:29 am
#57931
Some more feedback, TrackerJ:
You mentioned chaining additional modules on the 12c bus for up to 64 relays, and I wondered if your programs VARs usage would reach the 100 var + branch limit before reaching 64 relays, so I connected up a PCF8574 module and checked for myself.
I was a bit thrown by the apparent illogical button branching, and needed to put things back to a 1-1, 2-2 etc relationship for myself, but I guess that corrects hiccups with the pcb track routings of the gpios.
I was very impressed with the efficiency of your code, and the fact that it only uses 1 variable in addition to the 8 branches. So yes, the var+branch limit of 100 would still allow daisy-chaining 8 modules of 8 relays on the i2c bus in theory, not sure how they'd all be indiviually addressed though.
Remembering back to my X-10 home automation modules, I added an 'All ON' button to accompany your All OFF (button 9) - which proved very easy to do, and got me to thinking what other enhancements might be worthwhile, so here are a couple of suggestions...
1. Direct individual web relay control (something like '192.168.4.1/relay#=on' rather than gui only) allowing for various remote devices to control individual relays.
2. Possibility for daisychaining i2c I/O modules configured as INPUTs, offering hybrid local switching and control of the relay modules.
Both those possibilities are basically just alternative software options, but which might open doors to wider markets... I hope you don't mind such suggestions, at the very least they show proof of interest.
Thanks for offering full project details. It makes it possible for others to benefit from your time and efforts of course, but speaking for myself, if and when I have need of such items - and have already been able to prove out their feasibility - I would most certainly prefer to justify investment in your ready-made professional product rather tempt fate with a bread-boarded hodge-podge.
I was very thankful of your i2c scanner for getting my differently addressed module configured B.T.W, and because you are the undisputed Esp_Basic i2c King, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that something like the PCF8591 multi-A2D may be on your todo list.
