Securifi Community Forum
Sensors and Home Automation => Home automation => Topic started by: LGNilsson on August 09, 2013, 12:45:43 am
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I thought I'd take the opportunity to throw out a question here.
What kind of sensors are you the most interested in getting and why?
You can simply vote in the poll above or give a more detailed answer below.
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I really just want someone to make a Zigbee/Z-Wave Coffee machine. It ain't Home Automation if it can't make me a Pot of coffee.
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Hi
I like to have a divice that i can remote whit 1-10v signal. That is for My centralheating system.
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Here I have personally divided up the whole sensor thing some going back a few years ago starting with a simple weather station that included temperature, wind speed and direction. I then got a bit carried away and built a "lighting strike sensor" using piezo kind of technology with a counter. Again then went to seeing what I could do with a counter. I went to installing water meters and connecting them to counters and then a rain tipping bucket using the counters. Thinking I did use an eye dropper and counted 1000 drops of water to calibrate it. Then barometric sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, light and dark sensors, piezo motion sensors, geophone sensors and PIR and microwave sensors and optical beam sensor and moisture sensors. (here using both occupancy types and regular PIR types of interior motion detection).
I have been intrigued by power and energy usage sensors but have not utilized them. I don't know if I can get used to watching these sensors clock like. Sometimes for me though its better that I do not look (personal thing?)
HV (high voltage) and LV switches are a different thing here. They are used extensively. I like that my switches today talk to each other and utilize these methods of tranport to carry over switch to switch commands. I like the fact that I can program a multitoggle or multipaddle switch to manage other switches virtually (in 3-4 way switch conversations with no wires between them). My wife is better with these switches today than I am. The switches also are little independant computers with their security, addressing and diagnostics which is really nice. I check signals between switches and between switch to controller which is a nice feature. The switches can be programmed to function independant of the controller simpled timing of events and mulitiple touch control. IE: one touch auto dims lighting to say 40%, a double touch goes to 100% and said device / switch provides live status of what its doing.
Recently here switched out my exterior low voltage 12VAC toroidal coil transformers to DIN 12VDC electric. That said I was playing with individual automated appliance type switches for each of the (5) 1000 watt toroidal transformers. I had occassional problems switching the loads on with the surge from the automated switch throwing the breakers. I have over the last few years switched out the multiple LV outdoor lighting zones to LED lighting using much less power and easier to maintain still automating the illumination; now with one switch only. The neighbor nearby took his LV LED lighting to storage batteries and solar panels which now has worked for some 3 years.
What is neat about this that you can write "automation" scripts reading the status of multiple environmental sensors and using these to talk to the HV or LV switches. I did a follow me lighting thing for my wife a while ago. The garage door thing is in a world by itself with multiple sensors integrated into the door and a bunch of if then stuff. IE: the garage door left open tickles the HA box and it will utilize text to speech to remind me that I have left the garage door open or text me that I have left it open.
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Here are my ideal devices.
HVAC Thermostat
Door Lock
Alarm Panel integration with EnvisaLink 3 https://www.eyez-on.com/EZMAIN/envisalink2ds.php (https://www.eyez-on.com/EZMAIN/envisalink2ds.php)
Something like FilterWatch http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/333435704/filterwatch-low-cost-easy-to-use-air-filter-monito (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/333435704/filterwatch-low-cost-easy-to-use-air-filter-monito)
and SchmartDoor http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2049114646/schmart-door?ref=search (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2049114646/schmart-door?ref=search)
These are just a few idea I have right now.
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I'd really like to get some kind of servo motor that I could control my blinds with.
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I'd really like to get some kind of servo motor that I could control my blinds with.
There are some in the market, but they're quite expensive and also quite large and heavy from what I've seen.
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There are some in the market, but they're quite expensive and also quite large and heavy from what I've seen.
Yeah that's the biggest problem. For right now I've just been looking at a little Arduino setup with a servo motor to slant them open / closed but eventually I hope to have it controllable through the Almond.
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Historically here I have purchased from all ellectronics dot com relating little electronic projects type stuff. Servo motors and robotics type things. You might want to see what they have available.
Over the years though have noticed as mentioned above the high priced window mfg stuff and the lower priced battery stuff with IR remotes. Typically though in prewiring home endeavors a 14-16 guage pair of wires is utilized for just the motor power with two more wires utilize to control it. Most likely using Z-Wave or Zigbee wireless you would still need to provide some mechanism or means to power the motor for the blinds.
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Not so much a sensor but an always LV powered device with some 12 addressable relays on it that could be controlled either using Zigbee or Z-Wave.
I have recently converted my landscaping lighting to LED's. That said its some 10-12 zones of lighting with some maybe 100 plus LED lights on it. Originally it was set up with 4 1000 watt toroidal transformers. I did keep throwing the fust panel breakers with a variety of automation switches (Insteon, UPB and Z-Wave) and ended up digressing to old X-10 switches to keep from kicking on the fuse panel breakers.
Right now its connected to a few 12VDC regulated power supplies (DIN mounted). I am looking to move it over to just 12VDC batteries charged by solar cells. That said the entire system/ charging et al would be outside. I would like to control each of the lighting zones remotely / wirelessly via some 12 relay addressable wireless controller. That and now playing with color changing LED lamps with remote controls (interesting effects).
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I really just want someone to make a Zigbee/Z-Wave Coffee machine. It ain't Home Automation if it can't make me a Pot of coffee.
The problem with that is that you need to somehow still add water and coffee grinds to the machine. Otherwise it has already been done I think.
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In addition to just smoke detectors I think carbon monoxide sensors would be useful.
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HVAC systems, like the Danfoss A2/A3 (or W2/W3, same unit)
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Not so much a sensor, but what I'd really like is a garage door opener.
I know folks have cobbled them together from an outlet switch and a relay, and I suppose I'll do the same if I have to. But isn't there a manufacturer out there that has a z-wave enabled garage door opener? If properly integrated, it could know the current state (e.g. open 15%, fully closed, opening, etc). And then I could open it (perhaps only partway) for half an hour to let the garage cool off at night, then close it automatically.
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There is a Wayne Dalton garage door conversion module here:
http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/ (http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/)
Here I went with multiple sensors (for two garage doors) and DIY'd my own closure stuff. I did leave all of the saftey mechanisms in place (optic beam and so forth). I also added an IP camera and use a motion sensor and RFID on the automobiles such that the house announces when they come and go plus status whether they are in or out of the vicinity.
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There is a Wayne Dalton garage door conversion module here:
http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/ (http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/)
Here I went with multiple sensors (for two garage doors) and DIY'd my own closure stuff. I did leave all of the saftey mechanisms in place (optic beam and so forth). I also added an IP camera and use a motion sensor and RFID on the automobiles such that the house announces when they come and go plus status whether they are in or out of the vicinity.
That is so cool. So how can I cobble together a Z-Wave Coffee Maker? :D
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A Z-Wave appliance switch would work.
I just looked at the display panel on the retro coffee pot. It has multiple buttons relating to time keeping etc. That said an appliance Z-Wave module would not work.
The engineer in me would redesign the coffee pot.
On a tangent here about making coffee at work... I would grind my coffee beans in the afternoon and just use a french press. It involved a bit of work and did make good coffee.
I would want to integrate a wireless Z-Wave module inside of the coffee maker that did more than just turn on and off the coffee maker.
Maybe show some environmental variables, how full the pot is, how long it brewed the coffee, the temperature of the coffee and how much electricity it used making the coffee; and yeah would want to automatically sync the time via the mothership.
Might as well utilize a little LCD screen Almond size and give it a tiny OS.
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I really just want someone to make a Zigbee/Z-Wave Coffee machine. It ain't Home Automation if it can't make me a Pot of coffee.
I already have this... Zwave appliance module turns on/off my espresso machine twice a day. It is all hot and ready by the time I'm ready to drink.
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I've been looking into motion/light sensors and also video cameras (hopefully to also use as motion sensors as well as recording activity)
You should add (motion) to the PIR listing, as I didn't know what it was until I googled it.
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This was just an informal poll in the forums, but you're correct and we'll add that in the future when we mention PIR products, although some of them can be more than just motion sensors.
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BTW (by the way) welcome to the Securifi forum Jbeaman.
Here I utilize Optex combo analog cams and they have built in PIRs. I power the camera with DC voltage and there are three sensors in it.
Lately too migrating all legacy analog cameras to IP HD cameras. Picture is way better.
That said I also do video analytics for motion trigger events using multiple defined zoning plus various methodology weighing:
1 - Sensitivity presets are:
Fast low sensitivity
Fast medium sensitivity
Fast high sensitivity
Best low sensitivity
Best medium sensivity
Best high sensitivity
2 - Alarm check methods
Blobs
Alarmed pixels
Filtered pixels
and more.
Algorithms are way better today than yesterday and much faster.
That said it still not a perfect science. It only works so so. Even the best and most expensive video analytics isn't right yet.
Here I depend on a combination of different technologies for outdoor motion and use them in combination to trigger alarm events and motion recording events.
A bird, fly, bee or rain or trees moving messes a bunch with video analytics. In the home its much easier to do than the outside.
Look at the attached picture; the lines you see are the video analytics.
(https://db.tt/GPpYz14n)
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IP Cameras.
Recently there is the ONVIF IP Camera standard and if you integrate with the latest Onvif Standard protocol then this will open the door to use thousands of IP Camera selections!
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ONVIF sadly doesn't quite work like that, as you still need to add additional options for each camera if they any form of "non standard" features, i.e. PTZ, audio etc.
We're looking into what kind of support we can give for IP cameras, but we have no announcement at this point in time.
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There is a Wayne Dalton garage door conversion module here:
http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/ (http://www.z-wave.com/frys/safety_security/)
Here I went with multiple sensors (for two garage doors) and DIY'd my own closure stuff. I did leave all of the saftey mechanisms in place (optic beam and so forth). I also added an IP camera and use a motion sensor and RFID on the automobiles such that the house announces when they come and go plus status whether they are in or out of the vicinity.
Pete,
What RFID reader did you use?? I'm looking for one to integrate in to my home, but I only found one:
http://www.amazon.com/Zipato-Mini-Keypad-Z-Wave-WT-RFID-US/dp/B00IA89R8K
Don't know if it will work with the A+ or not.
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I really want the Aeon Labs Multi sensor supported. I covers 4 device types at a good price point. I would also like cameras, key pads and a weather center integrated (especially sunrise/sunset info, currently have a generic lighting rule based on time of day, would rather have it connected to sunrise/sunset).
http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-Aeotec-Z-Wave-Multi-Sensor/dp/B008D5TYGU (http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-Aeotec-Z-Wave-Multi-Sensor/dp/B008D5TYGU)
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I got a multi now and I'll make sure it goes to our software team.
Also talked to them today at CES and we're pretty much going to clear their pod for them and take all their working samples with us so we can add support for all their sensors ;D
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Pete,
What RFID reader did you use?? I'm looking for one to integrate in to my home, but I only found one:
http://www.amazon.com/Zipato-Mini-Keypad-Z-Wave-WT-RFID-US/dp/B00IA89R8K
Don't know if it will work with the A+ or not.
I doubt that work, as it most likely works as a secondary controller. Not even seen that product before, so don't expect support for it any time soon, if ever. Sorry :-\
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I doubt that work, as it most likely works as a secondary controller. Not even seen that product before, so don't expect support for it any time soon, if ever. Sorry :-\
Ah dang. No worries though. Eventually someone will come out with one maybe. Or I'll get some free time and learn how to develop a solution ;)
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I got a multi now and I'll make sure it goes to our software team.
Also talked to them today at CES and we're pretty much going to clear their pod for them and take all their working samples with us so we can add support for all their sensors ;D
Any word from them on whether they're ever going to ship their touch panel switches? It would really meet my need of wall switches that don't actually connect to the house wiring. see http://aeotec.com/z-wave-wall-switch
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Mishakim,
Those touch panels do connect to the house wiring. They are mains powered. Though technically they connect to Aeon Labs' micro switch line which connects to your mains power. I was overall not impressed with their look when I picked up a few of the single switch versions during a brief distribution last year.
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Any word from them on whether they're ever going to ship their touch panel switches? It would really meet my need of wall switches that don't actually connect to the house wiring. see http://aeotec.com/z-wave-wall-switch
They had them on display at CES, but as far as I understood, but I might be wrong, they still had a bit of work to do on them.
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Many water utility companies are installing smart meters with AMR capabilities. Would be great to have an integrated reader that could display the information within the Almond app.