Replacing old CardFrame with a bazillion relay cards

fogled@mizzou

I'm in the middle of replacing an ancient Cardframe system with a modern NI controller. One of the things I missed during the planning phase is the fact that the cardframe controls a Lutron lighting system through 17 relays from 3 old relay boards, going to 5 GRX-AV Lutron relay interfaces.

All the relays in the new controller are already taken up with screen and door interlock controls. I'm using 2 of the 8 IO ports as well. I need to either get a relay expansion rig with 16 ports, or get an RS-232 interface for the Lutron system. I'm getting pricing and availability for the Lutron GRX-CI-RS232 now.

Does anyone have recommendations for relay expansion options?

Thanks!

HARMAN_Chris

Will the EXB-REL8 work for your needs? Two of them.
http://www.amx.com/products/EXB-REL8.asp

fogled@mizzou

AMX_Chris wrote: »

Will the EXB-REL8 work for your needs? Two of them.
http://www.amx.com/products/EXB-REL8.asp

Yes it would.

I have sort of another philisophical question about this though; which way *should* I go? Just duplicate the relay setup, or convert to RS-232? The only thing I'm doing is calling presets with the relays. But I'm a bit spooked by potential unknowns/gotchas switching over to RS-232.

Thanks,

ericmedley

When you say "Old Card Frame" do you mean one of the old frams that housed a controller master card? If so, you can just take out the master card, leave in the frame controller card and simply use the relays as AxLink devices. Just hook up the AxLink buss of the card frame to the AxLink buss on the new Netlinx master and you can use them as is. I've done this several times and it works just fine.

DHawthorne

Personally, I'd convert to RS-232. Lutron protocols are pretty straightforward, and you have less to go bad. I've used the GRX 232 adapters before and never had any issues with them.

fogled@mizzou

I ordered the Lutron RS-232 interface module, plan to convert to RS-232 control (all the other Lutron systems I handle use RS-232). Nice to know I could recycle the relay cards in that old cardframe if I have to though.

Thanks!