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XBee Pulse I/O
What is an XBee Pulse I/O?
A Fully Populated XBee Pulse I/O Board
The XBee Pulse I/O is a simple, general purpose electronic design which can be used for many automation and monitoring tasks. It includes up to two relays which may be driven through a one-shot pulse generator, simulating pressing and releasing a button, or it may be connected and controlled directly by the XBee’s digital output pins. There are also two powered digital inputs which can be used with closure sensors or leak detectors. It’s open-source hardware: use our design, improve it, sell it to your friends, or give it as a gift to win over your enemies.
The project is a collaboration between myself and my friend Andy Warner.
The XBee Pulse I/O is open-source hardware.
Where is the XBee Pulse I/O Used?
The XBee Pulse I/O is used in automation projects such as the XBee Garage Door project; a project which connects an automatic garage door lift to a mobile phone for remote monitoring and control using iDigi.
Where can I get an XBee Pulse I/O?
At present, there are three options for obtaining an XBee Pulse I/O board.
The first is to obtain a blank XBee Pulse I/O PCB and components and solder a board together yourself. This option is good if you want to use the XBee Pulse I/O in a permanent installation.
The second option is to build a simpler XBee Pulse I/O for prototyping purposes on a boardboard. To build this design you order a smaller set of components from somebody such as Digi-Key.
The third option is to obtain the design files used to create the XBee Pulse I/O PCB and make one yourself: either by fabricating the board using your own method or ordering one from a manufacturer of your choice. This option is for advanced users or users who which to modify the XBee Pulse I/O design for their own purposes.
Ordering a Blank PCB and Components from Digi-Key
You order a manufactured board from BatchPCB here:
The bill-of-materials for the board can be found below. Please note that if you are building a breadboard design, these is likely not the component list you want, unless you'll be be building a PCB version later. The breadboard BOM can be found an additional section further down.
You may order this complete PCB bill-of-materials from Digi-Key by clicking this link which will add Digi-Key part number 6958220-KIT-ND to your order.
The all important assembly instructions can be found at Make: Projects XBee Pulse I/O Single Port Assembly Instructions.
Breadboarding a Simple, Prototype XBee Pulse I/O
The breadboard version of the XBee Pulse I/O has a reduced bill-of-materials and eliminates several of the components used to make the design more robust. Namely the breadboard design does not include a power-on protection circuit to keep the timer from triggering at power on and does not contain protection diodes on the sensor inputs.
The bill-of-materials for the breadboard can be found below.
You may order this XBee Pulse I/O bill-of-materials from Digi-Key by clicking this link which will add Digi-Key part number 6843976-KIT-ND to your order.
Complete, step-by-step assembly instructions are available from Make: Projects.
Obtaining the Design Files for the XBee Pulse I/O
The CadSoft EAGLE PCB files are available for download here:
The Dual Channel XBee Pulse I/O
For users who wants an XBee Pulse I/O with two relays and two digital inputs, here are the relavant links:
- http://batchpcb.com/index.php/Products/81282
- XBee Pulse I/O PCB BOM
- http://makeprojects.com/Project/XBee-Pulse-I-O-PCB-Assembly-Instructions/2067/1
- A link to order the BOM from Digi-Key as part 6811380-KIT-ND
- CadSoft EAGLE files: XBPIOv3.zip
Posted by jordanh at February 14, 2012 2:43 PM |
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