Home Automation

bmw_apprentice · Oct 28, 2009

Hi all,

We were having a rather interesting discussion in the office about how we could use automation in our own homes... some may say were "geeks" but hey i love that title!

We couldnt really come up with anything really practical. We had a wine cellar with a crane system and chiller units and then a database that says exactly what wine and beer i had in my chilled cellar.

Dunno if anyones got any fun ideas... including literally anything automated. Robots, PLCs, SCADA etc etc etc etc....

Just a bit of fun

Cheers

Bmw_apprentice

Oakley · Oct 28, 2009

I (and a buddy of mine) make projects using the Arduino.

So far, we have done power monitoring, a sprinkler system, and are currently working on a HVAC project.

I'm sure we will do more.

bh307 · Oct 28, 2009

I run my pool and sprinkler system on a slc 5/05 with enet and a panalview 600. I can run any thing on my pool and sprinkler here from work.

JeffKiper · Oct 28, 2009

Going to build a custom security system for the garage. This system will do lighting as weel as the Zone control for the radiant heat in the slab. I haven't decided if I want to use it to control the gas boiler

jstolaruk · Oct 28, 2009

I've accumulated enough surplus equipment to do something but just haven't made the time yet; if its halfway nice out you'll find me on the golf course.

pacifico · Oct 28, 2009

I always thought it'd be neat to set up one switch for the in-sink garbage disposal since I occasionally forget to run the water first. User activates switch, faucet turns on, 3 seconds delay, disposal turns on, do your business, user deactivates switch, disposal turns off, 3 second delay, faucet turns off.

Might be too expensive for an otherwise mundane task, though.

longshanks · Oct 28, 2009

I did some automation of my house and a solar heating area that I built several years ago. Uses a Mitsubishi FX1N PLC along with a FX2N-8AD modulr for analog inputs. The interface is a Beijer E710 HMI and allows changing setpoints, graphing of temperatures, etc. It controls my primary Air Fan and my Heta Pump in both Heat/Cooling modes. The solar area has a pair of fans that input heat into my basement during cold weather (I can get a diff of 90 - 100 Degfees F on a sunny day) and with the use of some homemade slide gates also brings in cooler air at night during the summer. 80% of our cooling is done with "fan only" during the summer and I get about 20% of my heating from the sum in the winter. All of it done automatically. The system has a total of 24 (24vdc) inputs and 24 (both 24vdc and 120vac) outputs in addition to the analog.
I've made changes over the years to get the best usage with the least energy. Sure has worked out for us. Fornatually we have a full basement, so there are wires all over the place. In it's current configuration, the system has been online since 2001. The PLC also does data gathering, keeping a years woth of maximum and minimum indoor/outdoor/solar temperatures, daily and yearly rainfall, etc.
Ideas are only limited by your imagination. Most of my equipment was gotten from Ebay.
I'm a retired PLC programmer with experience since 1981. Worked with most brands of PLC's over the years.

mconner · Oct 28, 2009

Nothing as fancy as some of your projects. But this one was fun. I set-up a Panasonic FP-x and GT21 (and assorted left over sensors) for my home irrigation system. System displays all zones in a graphic of the yard, you touch each zone and it reports water usage, schedule, etc. Additional features; alerts for broken sprinkler heads (flow abnormal), standard shut offs for wind/rain, Drains entire system when temp is below 40 for xhrs, And coolest of all, it blows the system dry when temp is below 32 for more then 2hrs. You gotta love the "Geek" lifestyle. Good thread BMW-A

Oakley · Oct 29, 2009

My biggest challenge is that sure I can get PLC equipment off of ebay or the scrap yard ... but what about the software.

I don't want to be accused of using my employer's resources for personal gain. And I can't afford the software that the manufacturers are demanding.

The nice thing about the Arduino is that it is open source ... free!

Tom Jenkins · Oct 29, 2009

You need to be practical.

A former intern set up a fridge in his frat house with a control system and a quarter barrel. It included temp control of course, but it was also combined with a scale system so they could track beer usage, alarm when the supply got low, etc.

THAT is an appropriate use of technology.

Doug_Adam · Oct 29, 2009

Considering the time of year, Christmas lights may be a goer.

I have also been giving some thought to an automated home brew project.

JeffKiper · Oct 29, 2009

Tom Jenkins said:
You need to be practical.

A former intern set up a fridge in his frat house with a control system and a quarter barrel. It included temp control of course, but it was also combined with a scale system so they could track beer usage, alarm when the supply got low, etc.

THAT is an appropriate use of technology.

Tom do you need any more interns? I will donate my time to be the one that reduced the weight in the fridge.

icky812 · Oct 29, 2009

Doug_Adam said:
Considering the time of year, Christmas lights may be a goer.

I have also been giving some thought to an automated home brew project.

I never want to try using a PLC for Christmas lights with Light-O-Rama being as inexpensive as they are. It's just not worth the headache when I can spend $300 and have a better system than I could ever hack together.

mconner · Oct 29, 2009

Tom, I always thought the term " Bud level lo warning" was a slang term for being thirsty. I feel enlightened now.

StoneMan · Oct 29, 2009

longshanks said:
I did some automation of my house and a solar heating area that I built several years ago. Uses a Mitsubishi FX1N PLC along with a FX2N-8AD modulr for analog inputs. The interface is a Beijer E710 HMI and allows changing setpoints, graphing of temperatures, etc. It controls my primary Air Fan and my Heta Pump in both Heat/Cooling modes. The solar area has a pair of fans that input heat into my basement during cold weather (I can get a diff of 90 - 100 Degfees F on a sunny day) and with the use of some homemade slide gates also brings in cooler air at night during the summer. 80% of our cooling is done with "fan only" during the summer and I get about 20% of my heating from the sum in the winter. All of it done automatically. The system has a total of 24 (24vdc) inputs and 24 (both 24vdc and 120vac) outputs in addition to the analog.
I've made changes over the years to get the best usage with the least energy. Sure has worked out for us. Fornatually we have a full basement, so there are wires all over the place. In it's current configuration, the system has been online since 2001. The PLC also does data gathering, keeping a years woth of maximum and minimum indoor/outdoor/solar temperatures, daily and yearly rainfall, etc.
Ideas are only limited by your imagination. Most of my equipment was gotten from Ebay.
I'm a retired PLC programmer with experience since 1981. Worked with most brands of PLC's over the years.

Longshanks,
Any way you would be willing to share some pics of your system? I have been talking to my father in law about something similar I had read about, the guy is heating a mobile home in Colorada with a home made air chamber with river rocks in it and using old pc fans to pull the air into the mobile. Supposedly getting ~125 degrees out during the day and the rocks hold heat for the night.

Home Automation

bmw_apprentice

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Oakley

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bh307

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JeffKiper

Lifetime Supporting Member + Moderator

jstolaruk

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pacifico

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longshanks

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mconner

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Oakley

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Tom Jenkins

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Doug_Adam

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JeffKiper

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icky812

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mconner

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StoneMan

Lifetime Supporting Member

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