Help on remote mains control device?....

[Chunky]

Hi folks,
I'm just wondering if anyone around here has any advice on a project I
am trying to build.
Basically I am trying to control a mains device using some form of
remote control.
I have built one using those RF switches which has a number of remote
plug sockets to go with it. I hacked it pretty similar to this post:
http://www.mirrorbow.com/Applications-MainsControl2.htm

The problem I have is that those RF remote control switches only have
a very short range. They are generally designed to be used in the same
room. If you go into the next room they dont work or are tempromental.
I want to control things across a house (maybe 20-30m through a couple
of brick walls).

Anyone got any ideas about how to either increase the range of the RF
switches (without breaking any radio broadcast rules) or high power RF
switches or some other form of communication?

I have got a few XRF modules from CISECO (http://shop.ciseco.co.uk/xrf-
wireless-rf-radio-uart-rs232-serial-data-module-xbee-shape-arduino-pic-
etc/) and think they willt work, but maybe there are other ways?

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Matt

[Matt Lloyd]

xrf can do it ciseco do a main really board that with the LLAP relay firmware should do what you want
im playing with xrf's at the space rite now

'RepRap' Matt

[Spencer Owen]

Mr RepRap is right :) im on my way to Hackspace at the moment so can discuss your exact needs shortly.

Spencer

[DieselDragon]

On the subject of remote (Not necessarily wireless) control devices,
I've been wanting to do something similar to control some of my gear
at home. Now I'm of course aware of the remote control mains sockets
that are widely available now, but I'm thinking in terms of operating
kettles, washing machines, refrigerators, and - Primary case in mind -
Storage and convection heating elements, most of which tend to exceed
the 2.5kW safe limit of those remote plugs by a long way.

I have given thought to just wiring some stuff up (The heating mainly)
through one or two central heating panels, most likely the relay types
used to control valves and pumps in gas central heating systems...But
would the relays in those panels be safe for carrying/switching that
amount of current for periods of several hours at a time? As a point
of reference, the isolating switches for my storage heaters are all
designed to have a minimum 5mm separation gap in all poles and the
storage elements themselves are IIRC protected by 15A MCBs.

Might building a dedicated 15A relay board and controlling those
relays with the panel ones (Similar principle to a Darlington pair) be
a better idea?
Also - As I live in social housing as a tenant - Does anyone think I'd
need to consult with my landlord before adding any control gear and/or
have such fitted by my landlord? (I do hold an old Elec. Safety at
Work & PAT qualification from 2003CE and feel competent in that kind
of work, but I'm not sure what the current regs are for that sort of
thing.)

Thanks for any info. >:-)
+++ DieselDragon +++

[Andy N]

I want to do some building automation using some form of RF almost
certainly Digi based (XBee) so if any of you on this thread (or not on
this thread even) were interested in collaberating to build something
maybe we could get together and work out a system.

I worked for Digi until Feb this year so I know quite a lot about
their products and hence 802.15.4 / ZIgbee.

Andy

[Chunky]

Hey Andy,
Definitely interested in having a play with Xbee/Zigbee and doing some
home automation.
A couple of folk on this group are CISECO folk and they supply the XRF
module, which is a replacement to zigbee (but different frequency).
The lower freq gives really long range and slightly lower power
consumption (Spencer/Miles - plug your products here....). I've used
the XRF modules as a simple serial data transmission and they worked
great. I think the XRF is a drop in replacement for Zigbee? though I
might be wrong...
I'd really like a review of the pros/cons of these devices as there
are quite a few and it'd be good to chat openly about these products.
I've not used the Digi XBee.

I think for my prototype I will be looking at using CISECO relay bords
with XRF dropped in.

Craig mentioned home automation kit including:
z-wave (UK) - http://zwave-products.co.uk/
x10 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_%28industry_standard%29
Which might be suitable for controlling loads within houses (x10 is
over power line)

Maybe a night of home automation projects and ideas would be good?
Spencer, maybe you could bring some CISECO products to play with?
Andy, maybe bring some Digi stuff?
I'm away for a couple of weeks, but what about one night in the first
week in April?

Cheers for peoples input.

Matt

[Spencer Owen]

Product plugging in 3

2

1

Yes, in their basic from as a serial pass through device, the XRF is a plug in replacement product (I warned you there was product plugging about to happen!)  For the XBee / Zigbee products.  L
Better range though (a pair of XRFs have been tested up to 3 km with standard antennas!)

The real beauty though is when they are used as LLAP devices.  The onboard micro is firmware upgradeable to allow it to run as a wireles sensor or output device that sends / receives LLAP commands.

So, for the relay board example, a command such as aDDRELAYAON- would switch on relay A for device DD.  The relay board can support 2 independent relays of either 10 or 16 amps.

A home automation workshop sounds like a great idea.  I will have a word with Miles, but I'm sure we can find some demo kit to have a play about with.

Spencer

On Mar 10, 2012 2:14 PM, "Chunky" <chunky...@gmail.com> wrote:

[deejak]

If they are any help, I have just acquired a number of 5x13A socket strips with USB control.

They don't work in the way they were sold to me, but DO have a 5V coil / 16A contact relay, and
simply turn on all 5 sockets when 5V is applied via the USB connector, so could nicely isolate the
 RF / WiFi / Hack parts from the power side.

David Clarke.