To control my points without having to use long cable runs I decided to use WiFi to send switch position information to the points out in the backyard.
To achieve this I will use a WiFi capable Raspberry Pi5 and ESP 8266/ESP01S WiFi Relay Modules.
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| ESP 8266/ESP01S WiFi Relay Module |
A 12V Sealed Acid Battery, topped up by a solar panel, will provide 5V (via a step down converter) to power the relay modules, the associated servo tester point controllers and the servos as previously used.
A python program running in the background will monitor the GPIO pins of the Pi to detect any change.
The operation goes like this;
- Switch is closed and the associated GPIO pin is changed from High to Low.
- With the change of state of the GPIO pin the python program sends a signal to the ESP 8266/ESP01S (relay module).
- The WiFi relay module then changes the state of the relay connected to the servo tester, controlling the point throw mirroring the change of state of the switch (acts as a proxy switch) as was used in the previous iteration.
- See Simple Inexpensive Servo Controller and Servo Controlled Points
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| Line Drawing of servo Tester |
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| Servo Tester used to control point throw |
I am looking at using a similar program to control signals using these as a inspiration
The change of state of the switches will also be read by a python program that is running a Graphic User Interface (GUI) program to display a line drawing the external portion of my that will let me know at a glance the point direction and signal settings (More on that at a later date).
All three python programs (GUI, Points and Signals) can run on the Pi at the same time.
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