IR Remote controlled power advice needed

[chrisgeary]

I currently have a two channel IR remote control socket that I put together from some DIY kits. I use my harmony remote to control:
- Audio power (processors/amps/DVD player)
- Video power (TV/Wii/Popcornhour)

It mostly works, but sometimes the relays get stuck on. I guess I need bigger relays or a purpose built product.

Standby-saver looked like the solution for me, but unfortunately they designed it to default all sockets to on. In the event of a power cut, all my kit will be on. Not very good.

Intellipanel (AV) relies on a 'master' device being the governer of state. I don't have a suitable 'master' in my two channel setup plus it would make life with my Harmony remote even more difficult than it already is.

Are there any other options out there? X10? If X10 is doable, what would I need to make it work?

thx

Chris

[hornydragon]

DEpends what you want to spend chris I have an excelent solution at £1000+
however one of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...C=SO&U=strat15 and some of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37514 should in theory work.........

[chrisgeary]

Heh.. I already have the 2 channel IR receiver feeding another relay kit. The relays are 5A which clearly aren't up to the job. Perhaps the larger relays are the answer. Interesting that its the relay powering the TV that seems to have the most trouble - presumably back EMF or something.

[hornydragon]

what relays are you using?

I am using a few of the BETA 10A DP units to power a couple of Rotel Amps

[chrisgeary]

The kit is here:
http://www.quasarelectronics.com/3156.htm

The web page seems a bit screwy at the moment... here is some blurb:

"We have used two Goodsky RWH-SH-112D 12V relays, coil resistance 400 ohm. It is rated to switch 250VAC at 12A"

[hornydragon]

http://components.omron.eu/en/produc...s/default.html are my preffered relays often use them with higher level systems (lighting control systems for switching high current loads and remotes like the RTi XP8 and PRontoRFX9600 for switcihg power loads. The Quasar kit seems to be a couple of minture relays with a control board

[chrisgeary]

i think the good thing about the quasar board is its opto isolated. but yes, the relays are not up to scratch. it is rarely the power amp relay that gets stuck. more often its the TV one (which is basically the TV, the popcornhour and the Wii).

i could take off the quasar relays and hook up some beefier ones from maplin (they do 30A jobs on spades), or the ones you suggest. any idea how much those ones cost?

[hornydragon]

see www.rswww.co.uk for the omron units