LOR Training
Welcome Hobbyists!
Welcome Hobbyists!
LOR
LOR
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Building Controllers
Building Controllers
LOR Training
Objectives
Objectives
Have a good understanding of Electrical
Safety.
Understand basic Electrical terminology.
Know the tools and materials required to build
a light controller.
Understand the connections required to make
a light controller work.
Successfully assemble a working Light
Controller.
LOR Training
Safety First !
Safety First !
Safety is of utmost importance when working with
electricity. Develop safe work habits and stick to them.
Be very careful with electricity. It may be invisible, but it
can be dangerous if not understood and respected.
Be Shock-Aware:
! Make sure controllers are unplugged or circuit breakers are off
when servicing.
! Make sure work areas are dry.
! Keep enclosure covers on when they are not being serviced.
! Use insulated tools.
LOR Training
Safety First !
Safety First !
Refrain from using a knife to strip wires – Use
a wire stripper to protect fingers and to prevent
nicks in wires.
Safety glasses or goggles should be worn
whenever power tools are used.
Ensure that you are using proper gauge wire
for the load.
Replace wiring that shows signs of fraying or
deterioration.
LOR Training
Safety First !
Safety First !
Never increase the size of a fuse or breaker in
a circuit.
Use the proper protection, take precautions,
and plan ahead.
Never by-pass safety to save money or to rush
a project.
LOR Training
Basic Tools
Basic Tools
Wire cutters
Wire Strippers (covered later)
Screwdrivers
! 1/8 inch tip for terminal blocks
Nut drivers (wrenches)
Needle nose pliers
Electric drill (for mounting holes)
Other tools depending on the
specifics of the enclosure used
LOR Training
Basic Terminology
Basic Terminology
Ampere – a measure of the number of electrically
charged particles that flow past a given point on a
circuit in a given time.
Volt - Measures the current pressure at receptacles
and lights – Average household voltage is 120.
Watt – The rate at which an electrical device (light
bulb, appliance, etc.) consumes energy Watts=volts x
amps.
! To convert watts to Amps: Amps = watts / volts…
30 watt string of mini lights = 30watts / 120volts = 0.25amps.
LOR Training
Basic Terminology
Basic Terminology
HOT wire – The HOT wire delivers power to a device
(like a light) and normally has black insulation – Cable
with two HOT leads will have red and black leads.
Neutral wire – Once the electricity has done it's work, it
goes back to complete the circuit on the "neutral" wire,
which is most often white.
Ground wire - In addition to the neutral, the green (or
bare copper) ground wire offers current another path
should an electrical short happen.
LOR Training
Basic Terminology
Basic Terminology
Terminal Block – An insulating base
with binding posts to make
connections.
Standoff – A metal or plastic spacer
that is used when mounting a Printed
Circuit Board (PCB).
Heatsink – A piece of metal used to
help cool electronic components.
Triac – An electronic component that
acts as a switch in an AC circuit (gets
hot!).
LOR Training
Basic Terminology
Basic Terminology
Thermal Compound – A paste used to help transfer heat to
Heatsinks. Should always be used to install heatsinks. Is not a
glue and will remain soft and messy forever.
LOR Training
LOR Terminology
LOR Terminology
Communications – The means of sending control
signals to LOR controllers – LOR uses RS-485 (EIA-
485) running on CAT-5 or Phone cable.
Daisy Chain -- How LOR controllers are connected in
the network. One cable connects A to B .. another
cable connect B to C .. another connect C to D ……
Unit – A Light-O-Rama light controller – This is what
the lights are connected to (often called “Controller”).
Unit ID – Each LOR controller has a unique ID
assigned to filter out its own commands.
LOR Training
Enclosures
Enclosures
LOR cards MUST be mounted in enclosures. There
are exposed line voltage connectors that pose a
serious shock threat if they are not properly
enclosed.
Enclosures protect the controller board from the
environment and they protect you from the shock
hazard of the card.
Obviously if the enclosure is intended for outside use
it must be water resistant – LESS obvious is that you
should not attempt to make your enclosure
completely air tight. Doing so can lead to
condensation within the enclosure.
Plastic and metal are customary materials used to
construct enclosures. Both work well.
LOR Training
Enclosures
Enclosures
Metal Enclosures
!Metal Enclosures MUST be grounded!
Connect ground of supply wire directly to the enclosure.
Do not use two conductor power supply wires.
Heat sinks are insulated and can optionally be grounded.
!Connector Knockouts (be cautious)
Metal enclosures use knockouts to make holes for
connectors.
DO NOT remove knockouts after mounting controller cards
in the enclosure (Too easy to slip and damage the card).
Prepare all connectors and additional mounting holes
required for the enclosure prior to mounting the card.
LOR Training
Enclosures
Enclosures
Metal Enclosures (cont’d)
! Mounting cards
Cards with LOR heatsinks should be installed using the 4 holes in
the heatsinks for mounting.
Cards without LOR heatsinks should be installed using standoffs
(minimum of 0.5 inches in length).
If your enclosure has a back panel then mount the card to the
back panel then install the back panel in the enclosure.
If your enclosure does not have a back panel then mount the card
to the back of the box.
Never mount the card directly to an enclosure without a
LOR heatsink or standoffs installed.
LOR Training
Enclosures
Enclosures
Plastic Enclosures
! Cards with LOR heatsinks should be installed using the 4
holes in the heatsinks for mounting.
! Cards without LOR heatsinks should be installed using
standoffs (minimum of 0.5 inches in length).
! If your enclosure has a back panel then mount the card to the
back panel then install the back panel in the enclosure.
! If your enclosure does not have a back panel then mount the
card to the back of the box. If there is a LOR heatsink installed,
use short standoffs to keep the heatsink off the back of the
box.
LOR Training
WIRE
WIRE
(What size to use?)
(What size to use?)
Chose the correct wire for the job.
!The size of the supply wire should match the size
fuse you install in the controller
10 amp fuse – 16awg wire
15 amp fuse – 14awg wire
20 amp fuse – 12awg wire
!The size of your output wire should be a minimum of
18awg – LOR Showtime products use 16awg.
!If you use a metal enclosure you must use a 3 wire
supply and ground the enclosure.
LOR Training
Wire
Wire
(Determine Hot Neu Gnd)
(Determine Hot Neu Gnd)
Large Flat prongSmall Flat prongRound
US Plugs
BlueBrownGreen/White
Green/Yellow
European
Wire
WhiteBlackGreen
USA Wire
NeutralHotGround120 Volt
LOR Training
Wire
Wire
(Determine Hot Neu Gnd)
(Determine Hot Neu Gnd)
LOR Training
Wire
Wire
(Removing insulation)
(Removing insulation)
Most LOR connectors have terminal blocks
that will accept bare conductors without
crimped terminals installed.
Wires must be carefully stripped so the
conductor is exposed the proper length.
Usually stranded wire (as apposed to solid
wire) is used when building LOR controllers.
When stripping stranded wire take care not to
cut away any of the strands.
LOR Training
Wire
Wire
(Removing insulation)
(Removing insulation)
Refrain from use a knife to strip wire.
Nicks in the wire can lead to wire
failure, hot spots and fires.
The yellow handled stripper/cutter is a
good tool for both cutting and stripping
wire.
If you are going to strip lots of wires an
automatic stripper such as the one with
the red handle works great. Try to get
one with a depth gauge.
LOR Training
Wire
Wire
(Removing insulation)
(Removing insulation)
Wire should have ¼ inch of insulation
removed. Twist the wire tightly once stripped.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires to the
Connecting Wires to the
Terminal Block
Terminal Block
Once the wire has been stripped to the proper length it
needs to be connected to the terminal block.
The terminal block has a screw that holds the wire in
place.
The screw should be tightened very snuggly to ensure
that there is a good electrical and mechanical
connection.
Once you have completed making all connections go
back and RE-TIGHTEN everything. (later do it again!)
A loose connection can cause overheating and
controller failure.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires to the
Connecting Wires to the
Terminal Block
Terminal Block
Ensure wires are inserted completely into
connectors and that the ends are not frayed.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires
Connecting Wires
(General)
(General)
A LOR controller’s PCB has markings near the
terminals detailing the required connections.
Different controllers have different layouts –
Below is a representative example.
LOR Training
Connect Wires
Connect Wires
(Power In)
(Power In)
The power cord connects to the INPUT terminals.
! If you have a three wire power cord: The GREEN wire is not
connected to the card. We will cover the ground wires later.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires
Connecting Wires
(Power Out)
(Power Out)
The receptacles that control the lights are
connected to terminals marked OUTPUT.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires
Connecting Wires
(Power Out)
(Power Out)
Receptacle connected to OUTPUT circuit 4.
!It does not matter which NEU is used.
LOR Training
Connecting Wires
Connecting Wires
(The ground)
(The ground)
If you use a metal enclosure you must have a three
wire supply. Connect the green ground wire of the
supply cord directly to the enclosure.
If you have three wire receptacles you should connect
the green wires from the receptacles to the green wire
from the supply cord.
Generally lights have a two prong plug and there is a
temptation to skip the ground when three wire
receptacles are used. However if your receptacle
accepts a three prong plug it should be properly wired
with a working ground.
LOR Training
Classroom Workshop
Classroom Workshop
STEP 1 – Prepare wires ends.
STEP 2 – Connect Power Supply cable.
STEP 3 – Connect Power Receptacles.
STEP 4 – Double Check all connections.
STEP 5 – Test Units.
LOR Training
The End
The End
