Whole House Automation
Jeff
than outside that a fan could turn on. Of course that would be dependant
on the season and some other factors like actual temperatures. Add
another room and something else you'd like to do (like the solar air
heater) and this could be a lot of hardware.
So, it seems to me that what I'd like to do is string up some of those
one wire sensors and have a small dedicated computer handle all the
logic. I could expand or modify that as needed.
Anyone have any suggestions on getting started with that? Frugal
suggestions?
Jeff
Martin Leese
Take a look a www.phidgets.com. They sell
sensors and actuators which can be easily
connected to a computer through a USB port.
--
Regards,
Martin Leese
E-mail: ple...@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID
Web: http://members.tripod.com/martin_leese/
Rod Speed
> I'd like to control ventilation in my house. Say if a room is warmer than outside that a fan could
> turn on.
Makes more sense to only do that when the room temp isnt ideal
and doing that will help to get it closer to what is ideal etc.
> Of course that would be dependant on the season and some other factors like actual temperatures.
In practice its better driven by the temp required etc.
> Add another room and something else you'd like to do
> (like the solar air heater) and this could be a lot of hardware.
> So, it seems to me that what I'd like to do is string up some of
> those one wire sensors and have a small dedicated computer handle all the logic. I could expand or
> modify that as needed.
> Anyone have any suggestions on getting started with that?
Just do it.
> Frugal suggestions?
Use an obsolete PC and onewire kits.
DJ
wrote:
> > Anyone have any suggestions on getting started with that? Frugal
> > suggestions?
>
> Take a look awww.phidgets.com. They sell
> sensors and actuators which can be easily
> connected to a computer through a USB port.
Or the stuff over at X10.com.
DJ
Bob F
"Jeff" <dont_...@all.uk> wrote in message
news:xxdji.4924$zA4....@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
Go explore comp.home.automation.
Bob
Logan Shaw
> I'd like to control ventilation in my house. Say if a room is warmer
> than outside that a fan could turn on. Of course that would be dependant
> on the season and some other factors like actual temperatures. Add
> another room and something else you'd like to do (like the solar air
> heater) and this could be a lot of hardware.
>
> So, it seems to me that what I'd like to do is string up some of those
> one wire sensors and have a small dedicated computer handle all the
> logic. I could expand or modify that as needed.
When engineers design custom control systems for industrial applications
(like factories, water treatment plants, etc.) they use PLCs (programmable
logic controllers).
These are little bitty special-purpose computers design to do simple
control tasks like this. They have a dead simple design (no operating
system to speak of, etc.) and they have built-in analog and digital I/O
(inputs for reading sensors and outputs for controlling things like
switches). Some of them are modular and allow you to plug in additional
I/O units. Most of them are programmed over serial port or USB.
Because they are so simple, it's pretty easy to get them to work reliably.
There is no operating system (or not much of one) to crash, and so on.
There are several sites that sell PLCs, ranging from cheap to really
expensive. You can get cheap ones (that would suitable for home use)
at http://www.automationdirect.com/ . Specifically, here:
http://web1.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/PLC_Hardware
If you decide to go this route, keep in mind that the hardware has
limits on maximum number of I/O points, and to get beyond a certain
number of points of I/O, you eventually have to go to a more expensive
model. So do your planning with that in mind.
Another option sort of along the same lines as a PLC is that you can
get I/O modules that run on Ethernet. Many of these are designed to
operate with PLCs that have Ethernet ports. I don't know if they can
work with PCs, because you would need software to speak whatever
protocol they use.
- Logan
nicks...@ece.villanova.edu
And the TU System with 128mb ram + 512mb flash + Desktop Linux = $115 from
It uses 15 watts now, and "5 watts soon," they say.
A ventilation control might use 2 $44 TAI 8540A 1-wire temp/RH sensors from
http://www.aagelectronica.com/aag/index.html?target=p_2.html&lang=en-us
and a $27 DS9490R 1-wire adapter with OWFS as a 1-wire driver and an X10
interface, eg the $69 2414u from http://www.smarthome.com/2414u.html or
Home Depot with X10 controllers for an AC, a heater, 2 fans and a damper,
eg $11 15 amp AM466s from http://www.x10.com/automation/am466_s.html,
and bwbasic.
http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=24 has more fun stuff.
Nick
bowgus
> I'd like to control ventilation in my house. Say if a room is warmer
> than outside that a fan could turn on.
Fwiw ... I find that a central heat/vent system ... or a whole house
approach ... (if you can have one or can install one) works just fine
for me. Right now I'm in the basement with the forced air furnace fan
turned on pulling the cool air out of the basement and moving it
through the house ... else it would be too cool and the air too
"stale" down here. I could add a fresh air intake/stale air output to
the system but so far there's no need ... just leave a few windows
open overnight.
And there's no possibility of a hassle with insurance, inspections, as
the system is approved ... unlike any kludges comprised of a PC,
controllers, sensors, wiring, and fans that one might come up with.
And fwiw, I once had a bathroom vent fan catch fire ...
Jack
> DJ <dj_macint...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Martin Leese <ple...@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> wrote:
>
> >> > Anyone have any suggestions on getting started with that? Frugal
> >> > suggestions?
>
> >> Take a look awww.phidgets.com. They sell
> >> sensors and actuators which can be easily
> >> connected to a computer through a USB port.
>
> >Or the stuff over at X10.com.
>
> And the TU System with 128mb ram + 512mb flash + Desktop Linux = $115 from
>
>
> It uses 15 watts now, and "5 watts soon," they say.
>
> and a $27 DS9490R 1-wire adapter with OWFS as a 1-wire driver and an X10
> interface, eg the $69 2414u fromhttp://www.smarthome.com/2414u.htmlor
> Home Depot with X10 controllers for an AC, a heater, 2 fans and a damper,
> eg $11 15 amp AM466s fromhttp://www.x10.com/automation/am466_s.html,
> and bwbasic.
>
> http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=24has more fun stuff.
>
> Nick
Great post!!!