Category: Home Automation
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Adding interrupt driven automation events
So I now have the new version of the automation software working. I am having reliability problems with one of the Ardiuino locations and I’m not sure if it’s a hardware or software issue. However, theere is a need to not continually poll infrequent, and non sampling events. especially high frequency ones. To…
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IoT project – added robustness trial by fire
Well only a few days after putting my latest version up, the system was tested in a very real way. A large winter thunderstorm moved through New Jersey on Wednesday night. One bolt of lightning made my wife and I jump out of our seats with a noise inside our home. It was so scary…
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Internet of Things (IoT) Project-Project Plan
Start with the End in Mind. Goals Understand the nature of the temperature gradient relative to a heated building with attached enclosed space Notify me when there is a risk of garage stores beverages freezing (and possibly bursting) Notify me when data logging has stopped Reactivate a long dormant project Use Wireless Mesh Network…
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The Leaning Zombie – High tech Halloween project
This project is for fun and to get my kids exposed to project based work, the typical problems that come up, dealing with constraints and trade-offs and more. The Idea: In front of our house, there are decent sized trees. The idea is to have one or more scary monsters lean out from behind a…
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Looking for a laptop for running my automation system
I am in the process of finding a low power consuming laptop that will be left on 24×7 to run my home automation system IMHO the laptop needs to be a low power consuming one as it will otherwise eat up my savings from the automation I plan on doing. I played around with my…
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My Primary Sensor Modules
I found some modules made by Olimex that hit the sweet spot for me. They haveboth motion and temperature sensors on them, use both PIC microcontrollers, and use a Zigbee network for wireless communication. My plan is to add a small solar panel (2″x2″) to recharge batteries for the outside mocules. I’m not quite sure…
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My High level Home Automation Plans
Once all my stabalization projects are complete, I plan on moving to automation. Below is the basic plan Phase 1 – Establishment Get some basic X-10 Energy savings executing Learn about how to control and interface selected Digital Modules (Olimex – zigbee Mod-PIR) Phase 2 – Digital Wireless Get basic temperature monitoring going (basic rooms,…
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The Energy Saving Economics of DIY vs. Contractors
If you have even decent skills, there is no comparison of the economics. Energy Saving projects are generally a marginal effort and the returns are over long periods of time. For example, I estimate that sealing, improving soffit ventilation, sealing my Air Handler in the attic, and the basement sill plates will, at most, save $75-$100 per…