One of the simplest and at the same time effective ways controlling the operation of electrical appliances at a distance is the use of a device such as a remote control (RC) socket.

Classification

To date, the choice of a particular model of a remote-controlled outlet should be dictated by its compliance with specifications operating conditions. First of all, we are talking about the power of the device and the maximum range at which its operation can be controlled.

The most popular types of such devices are:

1. Wireless socket controlled by radio. The cheapest and most practical type. To ensure its operation, a remote control is required that allows you to turn on and off individual consumers or their groups from a distance of up to 30 meters.
2. GSM socket. It is controlled by a mobile phone, thanks to which the distance from which commands can be given to turn it on or off is practically unlimited. This device does not require a special remote control, however, it cannot be used in areas where the mobile signal is weak or muffled. In addition, such products are quite expensive today, which is perhaps their main drawback.
3. WiFi sockets. These devices are controlled using a smartphone or laptop via the Internet. The socket is connected to the control device using a WiFi router. The disadvantages of these models include a rather high price with a not too wide list of additional functions.

The design of remotely controlled devices

It should be noted right away that the devices in question cannot be fully considered classic power outlets that are equipped with an additional remote control unit.

The remote controlled models currently on the market are products that appearance most of all resemble an adapter or an outlet with a timer. That is, they are equipped with a standard electrical "plug", which is designed to plug the remotely controlled module into an ordinary power outlet.

The main purpose of this device is to open or close the power circuit to which the electrical appliance is connected. This allows you to control the operation of the consumer at a distance, without making any changes to its design or to the power supply network. In fact, the same function is performed by switches with remote control, of which there are a fairly large number on the market. The main difference between these devices is that the connection of the outlet is much simpler and does not require intervention in the wiring design. This makes it easy to move it from place to place, which is extremely convenient when working with some consumers.

Thus, a remotely controlled socket is essentially a switching device that, on command from the control panel, opens or closes the electrical circuit.

Radio controlled device

The most common option for remotely controlled devices that are part of the home electrical network today is a socket with a remote control.

In order to ensure reliable transmission of control signals, it uses radio wave transmitters that allow you to broadcast a signal over a distance of 30-40 meters and are insensitive to interference. Unlike infrared remote controls, their radio wave counterparts provide reliable reception of the control signal within the declared range even if there are concrete walls between the source and the receiver.

The remote control is usually powered by 9 or 12 V batteries. One such power source lasts about a year.

Most models of radio-controlled sockets come in a kit, which includes from 3 to 5 separate devices controlled from one remote control. Accordingly, such a remote control is equipped with buttons, the number of which depends on the maximum possible number of devices connected to it.

Thus, a radio-controlled socket is the cheapest and at the same time quite effective device designed to turn on and off consumers of electricity at a distance.

Connection

Before starting work, the wireless socket is combined with the remote control, for which you need to press the corresponding buttons on its case and on the remote control itself. At this moment, both devices are paired with each other via one of the radio channels available to the remote control, the successful completion of this process is signaled by a light indicator on the socket housing.

It should be noted that a theoretically unlimited number of devices can be controlled via the same radio channel, the only limiting factor in this regard is the functionality and ease of use of such a system.

Since the purpose of these devices is to provide remote switching on and off of any consumers of electricity, the scope of such sockets seems to be extremely extensive. An example of their use is:

1. Management of lighting systems of apartments, houses, as well as extensive outdoor areas.
2. Switching pumps and fans on and off.
3. Work management garage door and electric door locks.
4. Opening and closing windows or shutters in ventilation systems.
5. Remote control telecommunication systems.

This socket allows you to send a command to reboot the equipment in case of software failures.

Benefits of using remote controlled outlets:

1. Significantly improve the ease of managing remote consumers electrical energy. This quality is especially valuable for people with disabilities.
2. Easy to connect and operate the device. The ability to move it to any place where a standard electrical outlet is installed.
3. No need to make changes to the electrical wiring structure when installing such a device.

Flaws:

1. The use of radio waves may in some cases interfere with devices such as pacemakers or hearing aids. Therefore, before installing remote control sockets, check them for electromagnetic compatibility with the above devices.
2. Additional elements in the design of any electrical network inevitably reduce its reliability. The connection of such switching devices can cause unintended operation and unexpected switching on of consumers. It is mandatory to provide for such a possibility and take measures to prevent the negative consequences of spontaneous operation.
3. It is not recommended to control most models of sockets with remote control from a distance of less than 1 meter.
4. Installing radio controlled sockets in walls that are covered sheet metal significantly reduces the range of these devices.

When choosing sockets with remote control, you should pay attention to their characteristics, which determine the permissible operating conditions and the power of the connected load. So, most models of such devices allow you to connect electrical appliances with a power of 1 to 1.5 kW, in some cases this is not enough, so you should pay attention to more expensive sockets designed for power up to 5 kW.

With regard to operating conditions, remote control sockets are classified according to IP (degree of protection of the shell) in the same way as other electrical appliances of this type. For example, the RCS 1044 N socket, which has an IP44 rating, is protected against objects larger than 1 mm inside its housing, as well as splashes falling in any direction. Such characteristics make it possible to use this device on the street.

These devices are an extremely convenient variety of remotely controlled sockets. As their name suggests, these devices can be controlled using a mobile phone. To do this, a slot for installing a SIM card is provided in the GSM socket case.

A card provided by any of the mobile operators is suitable. Management can be carried out by calling or sending a message (empty or with a specific text). It should be noted that the transmission of control commands to such an outlet is not possible from any mobile phone, but only from the one whose SIM card number was previously registered in the device’s memory. The maximum number of such numbers, as a rule, does not exceed 5 units.

The main advantage that a wireless outlet has is the ability to control its operation from anywhere where there is a mobile connection. Another positive point is that there is no need to use the remote control, which requires power from a separate battery and, moreover, can be easily lost.

To manage the power supply of computers, special GSM modules outlets with up to 6 individual sockets. Each of them is assigned a serial number, which allows using the phone to control any device individually or all at the same time.

The disadvantages of GSM sockets include their relatively high price and the need to purchase a SIM card. In addition, using the phone it is often impossible to determine the current state, that is, it is not clear whether the device is on or off at the moment.

WiFi sockets

The operation of many modern devices can be controlled using a wireless WiFi connection. The electrical outlet is no exception in this regard.

The main advantage that WiFi sockets have is the ability to control their work using a computer or tablet via the Internet. In addition, such devices are often equipped with timer functions, which are very convenient to set up in a special mobile application.

To connect and configure this product, you must use a package of drivers, which can be downloaded completely freely from the Internet or downloaded from the installation disk included in the delivery. After installing the application on a smartphone or tablet and connecting the socket to the home WiFi network, the socket must be found in the smartphone menu. After that, a connection is established between these devices.

You can control the operation of such an outlet both via the Internet and directly via a WiFi connection. However, for this, the smartphone and the socket must be within the range of the router.

The main disadvantage, which significantly limits the popularity of sockets of this type, is their high price with rather modest functionality.

Despite the ability to connect to a computer, such a device cannot be considered an element of the system " smart House”, because it does not provide for full integration into an intelligent control system. In addition, almost all models of WiFi sockets produced today are not able to receive and transmit information about the connected load, current and voltage, as well as temperature. environment and other data affecting the operation of the power supply system. Respectively, installed program cannot make any decisions if these parameters deviate from the norm.

1. Room temperature control. When a certain value is reached, it is possible to independently turn on or turn off the outlet.
2. Timer functions.
3. Possibility to control the outlet from several separate devices (usually at least 5 users).
4. The presence of an autonomous power supply that allows you to save the settings of the device in the event of a power failure in the network.
5. Informing the user about the occurrence of emergencies, such as a sharp increase in temperature or a power failure (switching on) in the network. Thus, additional redundancy of the fire alarm can be carried out.

Often there is a need for remote control of a remote object, for example, control of heating, alarm country house etc. Traditional methods of management will not help here. In this case, cellular communication will come to the rescue. But simply taking a cell phone will not help matters, a DTMF code decoder is required, which, when a particular number is pressed on a cell phone, will switch one or another channel on the decoder. It is this decoder that is presented to your attention.

Main parameters of the decoder:

• has 10 independent control channels;
• password access;
• maintaining the state when the power is turned off;
• sound confirmation of events;
• automatic recording of the state of the outputs, if enabled;
• automatically lock the device if password access is enabled.

The decoder circuit is quite simple and does not need to be adjusted. All functionality is implemented on the microcontroller PIC16F883 .

As a decoder DTMF signal, a specialized microcircuit of the brand is used MT8870. At the output, buffer stages are installed on ULN2003, which allows the relay windings to be connected in series.

I assembled a trial version of the device on a breadboard

The circuit provides for the installation of three jumpers, their purpose:

• S1 - Enable saving the state of the outputs;
• S2 - Reset password;
• S3 - Enable password access.

The algorithm of the device is very simple:

We call the phone and by pressing the buttons on the phone we control the device. If jumper S3 is installed, a password must be entered before switching the state of the outputs (default 0000). Next, to turn on the required channel, press the channel number and number 1. To turn off - the number of the selected channel and number 0. For example, turn on and turn off channel number 5. Press 51, and then 50. If you want to turn on all channels at once, press two asterisks (* *). To turn off all channels at once - two gratings (##).

To change the code, enter the following combination: *#*# followed by four digits of the new code. If you have forgotten the entered code, it is easy to reset it to the standard 0000 by briefly setting jumper S2.

As a rule, in country houses there are frequent cases of power outages, as well as short-term loss during strong winds. To save the state of the outputs, it is possible to write the state to the non-volatile memory of the microcontroller and restore this state when the power supply is restored. For this, jumper S1 is used.

Chochu pay special attention to the pinout of the connector for connecting the device to a cell phone. Different manufacturers solder this connector in the phone in different ways! If the device does not respond, swap the leads, or look for a pinout specifically for your phone. The auto-up feature is available in almost any phone!

A small video review on working with the device

The TV remote control system of the 3-USCT type is not code-compatible with most modern imported and domestic TVs and other equipment. Therefore, the signals sent by the old RC-3, RC-4 consoles are not perceived in any way by more modern RC-5, RC-6 and higher systems. Similarly, the remote control system for older TVs does not respond to signals from modern remotes.

This circumstance is very convenient, as it allows you to use both systems in the same room without causing errors. And on the basis of the set of encoder-decoder chips KR1506HL1 (SAA1250) and KR1506HL2 (SAA1251) you can make a universal control system household electrical appliances- lighting, ventilation, etc.

The literature has already proposed remote control systems for electrical appliances on such element base, but many of them have specific disadvantages. For example, in L.1, a scheme is proposed in which the levels of the binary code for switching programs are directly from the output of the KR1506KhL2 chip fed to switching keys. Of course, this is convenient from the point of view of saving details, but not from the point of view of the user. It turns out that there are 16 remote control buttons, each of which corresponds to a certain combination of on and off loads. For example, if you want the floor lamp and fan to be turned on, and the chandelier and heater to be turned off, press button 11, and if you want only the chandelier to work, and everything else to be turned off, press button 3. It turns out that you need to bind to the remote control on string weighty instructions for use. Well, if you know the binary code, and what bits your loads correspond to, then, with varying degrees of success, you can use such a system. But what about, for example, your grandmother? But, by definition, such a remote control system should primarily be designed for older people with limited mobility.

It will be much easier if four loads are switched by a remote control with five buttons, four of which will serve to switch loads, and one to change the status of the load. Such a system can be used not only by a grandmother, but even by a child. preschool age. The decoder circuit is shown in Figure 1.

The decoder is made in the form of a complete independent module connected to the power grid. To control four loads, electromagnetic relays are used that allow current through the contacts up to 5A at a voltage in the circuit up to 250 V.

The switch on the relay, unlike the thyristor, does not distort the shape of the mains voltage and allows you to control almost any equipment. A standard photodetector for 3-USCT TV remote control systems is connected to connector X1 (Fig. 2).

Chip D1 KR1506HL2 is included according to a simplified typical circuit, in which there are no adjustment and shutdown circuits, only program switching circuits are left. Moreover, all four digits are used (pins 8, 9, 10, 11). Since the levels at these outputs change according to the law of the binary code, then one at pin 8 (on other outputs zeros) will be when the 2-program is turned on, one at pin 9 (on the other, zeros) when 3 programs are turned on, one at pin 10 (on others, - zeros), - 5 program, and one at pin 11 (on others, - zeros), - when 9 programs are turned on.

The circuit on the D1 chip serves as a source of control signals, and executive devices performed on triggers D2 and D3. Flip-flops are included according to the divider-by-two scheme, but delays are introduced into the data receive input circuit on RC circuits C5-R15, C7-R13, C9-R11 and C11-R9. These delays are needed in order to avoid multiple trigger switching in the event of a signal interruption or interference. Thus, each flip-flop, for example, D2.1, can be switched to the opposite position only after charging the capacitor C5 through the resistor R15 to a logical one level.

When any and four of the above commands are given, a unit appears at the corresponding output of the D1 chip, and when the fifth “status” command is given, zeros are set at all D1 outputs. The appearance of a logical unit on one of the outputs D1 leads to the formation of a control pulse using one of the RC circuits - C3-R2, C6-R3, C8-R4 or C10-R5. This impulse enters the corresponding trigger input, and this trigger changes its position to the opposite one.

The fifth “status” command is needed in order to be able to turn one of the loads on and off on its own, without having to turn on or turn off other loads first. Suppose we need to turn on and then turn off relay K1, and in doing so, we do not want to change the states of other relays. First we press the button S1 (Fig. 3).

The remote control sends a command and a unit appears at pin 8 D1 (Fig. 1). Circuit C3-R2 generates an impulse and flip-flop D2.1 takes the zero state. The unit from its inverse output goes to the key on the transistor VT1 and turns on the relay K1. After this happens and we release the button S1 of the remote control, the logical unit will remain at pin 8 D1 (Fig. 1) and will be there until we change the state of the outputs by giving another command. If we press S1 again, nothing changes and turnip K1 remains on. In order to turn off this relay, we must first set pin 8 of D1 to zero. This can be done by submitting another command, or you can reset all outputs of the D1 chip (Fig. 1) by pressing the S5 button (Fig. 3). At which the activation code of the first TV program is generated, - 0000, and all outputs D1 (Fig. 1) are set to the zero state.

Therefore, to turn off K1, we must first press the S5 button, and then release it and press S1 again. When you press S5, the unit on the pin. 8 D1 will change to zero and the capacitor C3 will be discharged through resistors R2 and R18, as well as through the internal diode of the D2.1 microcircuit (at the inputs of the K561 microcircuits there are back-connected diodes that limit negative voltage surges).

Then, press S1 and a unit will appear again at pin 8 D1, the C3-R2 circuit will generate an impulse that will switch the trigger. In order for all relays to be set to the off state after a power interruption, for example, caused by a power outage, there are circuits C4-R6 and C1-R1, the first of which forcibly sets all triggers to a single state (zero on the inverted output), and the second, - sets all outputs of D1 to zero.

The power supply is unstabilized, its output voltage is about 14V. This voltage feeds the entire decoder circuit, including the relay and the D1 chip. According to the passport data, the supply voltage of the KR1506HL2 IC should be 18V, but as practice shows, this microcircuit also works well at a reduced voltage.
The control panel diagram is shown in Figure 3. This is a simplified typical scheme turning on the KR1506HL1 chip, which uses only five commands.

The KR1506KhL1 chip can be replaced by any type of "...1506KhL1" (K1506KhL1, KM1506KhL1, KS1506KhL1, EKR1506KhL1) or imported SAA1250. The KR1506KhL2 chip can also be replaced by any type of "... 1506KhL2" or imported SAA1251. K561TM2 microcircuits can be replaced with analogues of other series, -K1561TM2, KM561TM2, EKR561TM2. But,
It is not advisable to use the K176TM2 microcircuit, since its supply voltage cannot be more than 12V. Or, you need to feed it undervoltage and make level matching circuits with D1 on resistive dividers.

Power transformer - Chinese small-sized with voltage on secondary winding 12 V. It can be replaced by another similar one. In any case, the voltage at the output of the rectifier (at C13) should not exceed 15.5V (the maximum rated supply voltage for K561).

Electromagnetic relays can be replaced by others with windings for 12V voltage and contacts that allow switching the network load, for example, the KUTs-1 relay from the USSTST TV remote control systems. Quartz resonator - from TVs or VCRs. The infrared LED AL 156 can be replaced by any infrared LED used in remote controls.

The scheme of the photodetector (Fig. 1) was copied from the scheme of the DU 3-USCT system. You can make a photodetector on a different element base, for example, on a K1056UP1 chip. The cable connecting the photodetector to the decoder unit must be shielded and must not be longer than 1 meter. - Installation of the decoder assembly is completed
partly printed, partly voluminous on printed circuit board remote control module 3-USCT. A ready-made photodetector is also used from the same system. The remote control is assembled in a volumetric way in a small school pencil case. For control, imported instrument buttons without fixation (with fastening with a nut) are used. You can also use a ready-made remote control such as RC-3, RC-4, by redesigning the keyboard according to the diagram in Figure 3. Extra buttons can be removed or deepened by cutting out the rubber contacts.