IPX800V3: My Electrical Wiring Overhaul

A Weekend of Wiring Wizardry at the Observatory

Just wrapped up an intense but incredibly satisfying weekend at the observatory. I finally got around to a full rewire of the electrical and home automation setup. Over time, the system had evolved through countless additions, becoming a bit of an unmanageable beast. The goal was simplification, and I think I nailed it!

I took the opportunity to ditch an aging IPPower and a K8055 USB card, replacing them with a sleek new IPX800V3 mounted neatly on a DIN rail. The old lab-style stabilized power supplies also got the boot, making way for robust 10A DIN rail power supply blocks. The main Observatory PC had its refresh a little while ago, and this time, it was the Weather PC’s turn, now humming along on a more recent Windows 7 Pro 64-bit machine.

For controlling the rolling roof with the new IPX800V3, I’m leveraging Julien Tschäppät’s ASCOM driver. It’s incredibly straightforward to configure and performs flawlessly.