X-10 technology in Basic Stamp?

tsindos

Having a basic circuit of a battery, 7 bulbs (voltage, power, etc does not matter) and a switch,·can I switch on an individual bulb using a Basic Stamp?

The idea is to use a simple (and single) circuit to turn on individual lamps - like with the X10 technology.

Mike Green

This is actually a much more complex question than you might think. X10 technology is implemented in all of the Stamps except for the BS1. There's a detailed description in the BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual in the chapter on the XOUT statement. You do need an interface to the AC line as described in the chapter.

If you're talking about controlling a switch, you can mechanically toggle the switch using a servo motor. You can use the Stamp to control a relay. Depending on the voltage and current involved, you may need some kind of transistor to drive the relay. Again, depending on the voltage and current, you might be able to use a transistor directly to drive the light bulb(s). If you're just talking about LEDs at low currents (20mA), you can drive those directly from a Basic Stamp.

The Industrial Control tutorial that's downloadable from the Stamps in Class Downloads page on Parallax's website has a chapter on controlling relays and lamps using a Stamp.

Forrest

FYI, here's a link to Al Williams article on interfacing an X10 Firecracker (wireless) module to a Stamp www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/books/AlJan2000.pdf