Comments on: USB switched power strip

By: Kredit

Kredit — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:22:54 +0000

I have this site bookmarked. Thanks from Kredit

By: dan murrow

dan murrow — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:03:08 +0000

anything less than 500volts is actually low voltage

By: MoJo

MoJo — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:35:39 +0000

I have been working on a “real” USB device similar to this – i.e. with the computer actually able to control each outlet. The idea is to allow me to turn my printer on and off without having to reach around it all the time.

It’s fairly simple to do with an AVR microcontroller, so I am adding an IR interface to it as an extra feature.

By: djdropit

djdropit — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Costs $30 for a whole power strip that works the same way off USB, but they are currently out of stock:

http://www.theecostrip.com/index.html

By: haarp

haarp — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:33:33 +0000

Why not just use a mechanical relay? A 6V relay works fine with 5V in my experience.

By: sl

sl — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:39:58 +0000

@diy audio projects: some motherboards have a jumper to select what you want it or failing that you could hook it up to the 5v rail on your computers power supply. That should be off when the computers off ;).

By: diy audio projects

diy audio projects — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:28:50 +0000

My usb ports provide continual power if the computer has been shut down using the operating system. To stop power from going to the usb ports I have to flip the power switch on the power supply.

By: julian

julian — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:33:48 +0000

why is it old computers had a power connector for this purpose, which only leads energy while the computer is running, and nowadays, no one provides this feature?

By: mworks

mworks — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:10:19 +0000

This can be done for about $10 or less.
Use the usb cable to power an optoisolator that controls
a ac-dc converter that powers the relay.
only 4 parts needed.
Optoisolator
AC-DC converter
Relay
Diode

Totally isolated from the pc .
Or if you don't care about isolation.
A relay and diode+usb cable is all that is needed.

By: SL

SL — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:24:20 +0000

I created something similar using a timer socket (the ones that let you set a time for a light to come on etc) for the relay and a usb cable hooked up to an opto isolator connected to control circuit on the pcb total cost < Â£10 (+ a 4 way).
Its not a solid state relay but it works well enough.

By: error404

error404 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:33:49 +0000

Fuses and transient protection diodes don’t provide isolation, they’re just protection. The only isolation in this circuit is in the relay itself.

By: AndrewNeo

AndrewNeo — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:19:20 +0000

Does anyone know how much these cost to buy ‘retail’? My friend had one, to turn on his RAID power supply when the computer came on. Was just a USB cable, with male A at one end, and a male and female electrical pass-thru on the other.