Connecting Devices to the
Nerve Center
There are numerous ways to connect devices to the Nerve Center, however, we are going to illustrate what we believe is the most efficient way.
Whether it is a strobe light, air valve, motor or something else, any device you connect to the Nerve Center will require power. The Nerve Center does not provide power to devices, it is, simply put, a programmable relay. What this means is that you can control when the Nerve Center turns on and off a device, acting like a lightswitch. You will still need to have power going from a source such as a receptacle to the device. Below we will discuss how to achieve this through the Nerve Center.
Many of the devices you will want to connect to the Nerve Center will have their own power cords. While you can use the steps demonstrated below to connect the device to the Nerve Center, we recommend finding a sacrificial extension cord like the one in the picture below to use instead. This serves a few purposes. First, it saves you from ruining your device and cutting up it's own cord. Second, it allows for easy connect and disconnect of your device either prior to or after your prop is built. The extension cord pictured is an inexpensive cord found at Wal-Mart for about $1.00. Please note that this is rated for indoor use only. If you plan to use your prop outside, we suggest buying a cord rated for outdoor use. These steps primarily apply to devices using 110 VAC (house current). However, devices using lower voltages such as DC, apply many of the same principals.
PLEASE NOTE: Working with electricity is extremely dangerous. Be very cautious when working with it, and never, NEVER, plug in your extension cord until all steps are completed, or you will get electrocuted.
After you have your extension cord, lay it out on a table. Somewhere in the middle of it you are going to use a utility knife to separate the two parts of the cord. Use caution when doing so, you want to cut exactly in the center so as to not cut into one cord or the other and expose bare wire. This would leave the cord a danger to potential shock and possibly shorting out the Nerve Center, your device and maybe your house.
Once you do that, pull the two wires apart as in the picture below.
Using wire cutters, cut one of the wires and then strip their ends about 1/4" back.
Insert one of the wires into COM1 or COM2 on the Nerve Center. Then, insert the second wire into the corresponding terminal number of either NO (Normally Open, which will keep your device off until activated) or NC (Normally Closed, which will keep your device on until activated). Make certain no bare wire is left exposed. If there is bare wire, insert in fully into terminal blocks. If you have tried and there is still exposed wire, than there is too much wire exposed. You will need to snip off a little of the wire in order for it to seat firmly in the terminal block.
And that's about it. Now you can plug your device into the female end of the ext. cord and the pronged end (male end of the ext. cord) into a wall outlet. And your device remains intact and undamaged.
