Automating Velux Venting Skylight?

[Brad]

Has anyone hacked the controls for an motorized Velux Skylight?
I will be adding an OmniPro type system to my house later and would like
to incorporate the skylight into the system.
Any suggestions?
thanks

[Brad]

Hi Bill.
Cool, that's sorta what I had in mind.
Well I don't have it yet, it is to be installed into a new room addition that
just broke ground.
I had not seen the accessory input module that you refer to in their literature
or their web site. Suppose its been discontinued?
I'm only going to have one skylight, so ordered the KES 110 control system....
the cheaper of the two available. So don't know about connecting to it, I don't
have it in my grubby little hands yet.
I actually wondered if I even needed the wall controls and could just use HA to
control the motor directly. Is this possible/wise?

Do you find that the Blinds are a needed item due to heat gain?
Mine will be facing west.
We have been undecided on the blinds. Going to wire for them anyway.
Thanks!

Bill Olsen wrote:

> Brad,
>
> When I had my Velux skylights installed in '96 I bought the
> accessory input module that connects to the main control module. I used it
> for closing the skylights from a separate thermostat when nights got cool
> (are your operators as loud and whiny as mine?). As I remember, the
> accessory input module was very pricey. I have since disconnected it and
> installed a mini IR LED emitter directly in the keypad. This is connected to
> a JDS IRexpander/Stargate/RCS thermostat combination. I now have full
> control (open/close) of two skylights and the electric blinds installed in
> them in response to various environmental conditions, skylights are
> controlled using outside temp/humidity vs inside temp. Blinds are controlled
> on an offset of dusk/dawn in the late afternoon during the summer months to
> prevent the furniture from fading from direct sunlight. Big HA fun!

[Bill Olsen]

[Bill Olsen]

Brad,

While I'm unfamiliar with the KES 110 control, I looked at
http://193.163.166.205/243.html and couldn't find it, I know that the control unit
that came with my skylights has a rain sensor input furnished with an external
sensor and a backup 24V battery, they now call it the KES 310. The keypad has a
built in IR sensor that responds to their model KEZ 505 IR remote. I needed to
purchase the remote to teach the Stargate IRexpander the appropriate codes. My
controller requires 110vac and steps it down to 24 vdc for motor operation, it also
contains all of the logic necessary to operate the glass and blinds without my
intervention. Open and close limits are determined by motor current. You would
probably be better off using Velux's control unit to maintain your warranty as
manufacturers often frown on homebrew. They also provide plenty of 14 awg cable to
connect the operators to the control unit. Reach for the best product, you will be
living with that hole in your ceiling a long time. Good luck!

Bill Olsen

Brad wrote:

> Hi Bill.
> Cool, that's sorta what I had in mind.
> Well I don't have it yet, it is to be installed into a new room addition that
> just broke ground.
> I had not seen the accessory input module that you refer to in their literature
> or their web site. Suppose its been discontinued?
> I'm only going to have one skylight, so ordered the KES 110 control system....
> the cheaper of the two available. So don't know about connecting to it, I don't
> have it in my grubby little hands yet.
> I actually wondered if I even needed the wall controls and could just use HA to
> control the motor directly. Is this possible/wise?
>
> Do you find that the Blinds are a needed item due to heat gain?
> Mine will be facing west.
> We have been undecided on the blinds. Going to wire for them anyway.
> Thanks!
>
> Bill Olsen wrote:
>

[DominicV]

Brad.

If the Velux system work on a crank system, I think Marvin windows used to
have a motor which mounted directly to the spline drive window mechanism.

Dominic

"Brad" <bda...@evansville.net> wrote in message
news:39AB0864...@evansville.net...

[richard]

Just a comment...
Do not put a skylight in a bedroom; very loud when it rains!!
R

[Brad]

Sorry, my mistake. Its the KES 210. My fat fingers hit the wrong key.
Thanks for your info.

Do you find that the blinds are needed for controlling solar gain?
Thanks!
Brad

Bill Olsen wrote:

[Bill Olsen]

Brad,
Solar gain through my two skylights is sufficient to heat my small den during
winter months of unobstructed daylight (all this according to my Stargate log reflecting
my JDS thermostat demand for heat) In the summer the 9,500 BTU A/C will run continuously
during peak sun just to maintain the room at 74F if the blinds are left open. In answer
to your question, the solar gain blocked by the blinds in the summer months IMO has paid
for the blinds and control system several times over.

Bill Olsen

Brad wrote:

[kima...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 28, 2000 at 2:00:00 AM UTC-5, Brad wrote:
> Hi Bill.
> Cool, that's sorta what I had in mind.
> Well I don't have it yet, it is to be installed into a new room addition that
> just broke ground.
> I had not seen the accessory input module that you refer to in their literature
> or their web site. Suppose its been discontinued?
> I'm only going to have one skylight, so ordered the KES 110 control system....
> the cheaper of the two available. So don't know about connecting to it, I don't
> have it in my grubby little hands yet.
> I actually wondered if I even needed the wall controls and could just use HA to
> control the motor directly. Is this possible/wise?
>
> Do you find that the Blinds are a needed item due to heat gain?
> Mine will be facing west.
> We have been undecided on the blinds. Going to wire for them anyway.
> Thanks!
>
> Bill Olsen wrote:
>

did you ever get this to work?

I have the same application
please email me and let me know

Kimarkyb

[Art Todesco]

I guess I'll bite in this 15 year old discussion. I put Velux skylights
in my old house in the Chicago suburbs. They had the build in vent flap.
It was an approximate 2" by 24" wood flap that could be opened using a
stick or the automated motor and controllers. The motors, at the time
were not cheap, but at about $40 or so, wasn't too bad. The Velux
controllers were way way overpriced. And, I had 2 skylights in the
kitchen and one in each of 2 bathrooms, so that would be 3 of the
expensive controllers. I bought the motors and 'hacked' them for my use.
Turns out they were low voltage DC motors, 15 to 24 volts. One polarity
opened until the built in limit switch cut power to the motor. Then
reversing the polarity closed the flap until the 2nd limit switch
stopped the motor. I just used a + and - power supply with a common to
both. An SPDT selected + or - to the motor, i.e. open or close. I liked
this a lot and when building the present house I put in similar
skylights, however, Velux no longer has the flap. So I had to get full
opening skylights. But, the big problem here in the mountains is
humidity, and thus, they never get opened. In the Chicago area, they
acted as a chimney, warm air rises and out it goes. Here they seem to
let in the humidity. I don't know why Velux quit making the vent flap as
it worked so well. In the kitchen, it would exhaust all kinds of cooking
smoke, etc. And in the bathrooms, it always kept the air moving.

[donna....@gmail.com]

We did this years ago with Velux venting skylights. We had an IR wire installed in the rail at the bottom of the skylight which was run back to the "head end" and connected to an Applied Digital Ocelot (with SECU16-IR). The OMNIPRO II sends a message to the Ocelot with the desired command ("learned" from the Velux remote) and the Ocelot, in turn, sends the command to the skylight.

This allowed us to put X-10 transmitters on the wall, to which the OMNI responds. This means not having to keep looking for the remotes (or feeding them with batteries).

Hope this helps
Donna

P.S. This allowed us to automated 6 skylights for about $250, whereas the then-available Velux controls were about $700 / ea (almost as much as the skylights).