The Lab Remodel

Note: If you’re not familiar with the home control system project see here.

Some time in January of 2018 I received version D of my IO board PCB from manufacture and decided that it was time to run the analog and digital cables from the closet where the control system will be located to the various locations. I also needed to run a 120V circuit to the closet for the power supply for the panel. All this work would involve cutting into drywall which would require for me to disassemble the lab. So I figured that as long as I’m disassembling everything, might as well remodel the lab as well. I estimated the remodel would take about a month worth of weekends. It took about five months. Turns out I’m terrible at estimating.

Anywho, here’s a couple of before pictures. Yes that’s a printed-cardboard floor and a popcorn ceiling. I didn’t do that. The house came like that.

Amongst other things I am terrible at, I’m also terrible at taking the before pictures. There were taken after I disassembled the lab and started the demo work.

 


After five months of back-breaking work here’s where I’m at:

Turns out that at some point the house had wallpaper applied. Then at some other point the wallpaper fell out favor. So the occupants painted over the wallpaper. I tried peeling it off and ended up stripping one of the walls to the studs and installing new drywall. The upshot is that this is the wall against which my computer bench sits. I was able to install a network jack and replace the duplex outlets with double duplex.

The picture with the bench shows an incomplete setup. Since that picture was taken I made another hutch for the bench. Initially I was planning on lining the walls with shelving, but after all that work I put into fixing the drywall I decided that no way in hell am I putting holes in it if I can help it.

The picture with the knot of wires is the side of the data closet where I moved all of the communications equipment. The cable model is there, the firewall, a WAP, etc. Bellow the shot is the Dell PE1900 and the UPS serving all of the equipment. The other side of the closet is where the control system going to be installed.

So that’s that. Five months later and I’m back to design of the control system.