HAUS Slave Module

The slave module represents any module that only recieves messages from the master module to perform some task. In the case of my module, the slave modules are responsible for controling appliances to which they are connected by controlling the flow of electricity. They are also responsible for alerting the user to updates from the master module through an LED.

Preliminary Design
The starting design was to word around two models. One model would actually be built into the electrical socket itself. With this model the design is low key but would be complicated to build. If a seperate power source were to be used, say a 9v battery, that would require the removal of the plate whenever the battery died. If power were to be drawn from the outlet itself, that would require the voltage to be changed from AC to DC and stepped down to a voltage the microcontroller can handle. Trying to contain all of the components, the transformer, or power supply, relay and circuits pertaining to the controller, would be extremely difficult to try and fit into the standard socket size.

I tried to shrink the design into a smaller form factor by manufactoring my own PCBs. The process is extremely useful to know and it takes hobbyist electronics to a new level. I laid out all of the circuits in Fritzing, printed it out on a laser printer, ironed it onto a peice of copper then etched the conductive layer away leaving only the traces. The problem with this technique was that the process of creating the boards only worked some of the time, I was not using the proper paper and I only perfected the technique a short time ago. The other problem was lining up the holes for the relays and the proper reversing of the etching, everything was backwards when it came time to place the components.

Processor
PICAXE-08M -

Purhcased from SparkFun Electronics

Software
HAUS Slave Module SourceForge

The code for the PICAXE chips is written is their software editor, so in order to view and edit the programs, you need to download it.