I am building an automation system, and I was thinking about various ways to use the raspberry pi in this process. One of the main problems I had was figuring out how to connect all my I/O for things like sensors and relays and so on. Then it occurred to me that twisted pair CAT3 and CAT5 would be perfect for this, along with RJ12 and RJ45 connectors, which is wonderful for fast reliable connection and disconnection. Home Depot, like most hardware vendors, sells wonderful modular wall plates that you can snap in various options, like HDMI, USB, CAT3/5, and so. (USB pass-through can be used as power if you’d like.) That makes this a natural solution for this sort of I/O problem. Though that brings up the problem what do you mount it to? Because the standard blue utility box is a poor fit. It’s not designed for external use. So I designed a box that is.
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Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!