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Ask Slashdot: Options For Cheap Home Automation?
New submitter goose-incarnated writes I'm looking at cheap and simple home automation. Unfortunately I'm not too clued up on what my options are. There are such a wide array of choices, none of which seem (to me) to be either cheap or simple. I'd like to:
Turn switches on/off (lights, wall sockets, general relays, etc); Read the status of on/off switches; Read analog samples (for example, temperature sensors); 'Program' switches based on analog samples/existing switches (for example, program a relay to come on at 30C and go off at 25C, thereby controlling the temperature); Similarly, program switches to go on/off at certain times; Record the samples of analog or digital inputs for a given time . I'd like to do the above using smartphone+bluetooth (for when I'm in the vicinity of the room), or smartdevice+WiFi (for when I'm in the house, somewhere), or even in a pinch, using HTTP to access a server at home from 600km away (which is what I'm willing to do). I'm definitely not willing to stream all my requests/data/responses through a third-party so third party cloud subscription solutions, even if free, are out of the question. Finally (because I know the Slashdot crowd likes a challenge :-)), I'd like something that is easily reprogrammable without having to compile code, then reflash a device, etc. What languages for embedded devices exist for home automation programming, if any. A quick google search reveals nothing specially made for end-users to reprogram their devices, but, like I said above, I'm clueless about options.
I'd recommend looking at Insteon. It is the closest to what you are looking for off the top of my head.
If you want to avoid going through some service they own/control, you might need to roll your own management system, but as far as cheap devices you can control programatically I think they're probably what you want.
I'd like something that is easily reprogrammable without having to compile code, then reflash a device, etc.
Architecturally you probably want the devices to be dumb. They can report information or accept commands. Leave any logic to some kind of centralized controller.
Bonus note: avoid x10 (if it's still even around). It's dirt cheap but pretty much the shittiest system out there. I lost much sanity to it back in the day.
Personally I did the x10 thing back in the day using at first an ocelot controller and then eventually my own hacked together system using the ocelot as a modem. The shittiness of x10 aside, I grew bored with it fairly quickly. It's all fun and has a neat "house of the future" feel, but I didn't find a great deal of utility in it, and what utility there was is already covered by purpose specific devices (smart thermostats, etc).
All this is dirt cheap to do yourself if you're able and willing to spend some time to do it.
You can source Arduino Uno clones from China/eBay for as low as ~$4 apiece. A reed switch for a window/door sensor is ~$1-2, a Wifi module (ESP8266) ~$3.
You don't have to start from scratch putting everything together, there's plenty of schematics and code online to start you off (and complete projects).
You can get yourself a VPS to coordinate everything online, starting from $3/YEAR for a IPv4 NAT IP. Check out http://lowendspirit.com/
I've been happy, for several years now, with my Insteon setup. I think it will meet many of your needs:
:-( I renovated/re-wired my home such that all the wiring ran first to the switches, then up to the lights - you need this arrangement.
:-) In fact, Insteon contantly refers to "scenes" where you would do exactly that: press one single swtich to bring down your home-theater screen, close curtains, dim lights, etc. Personally, I don't use this feature
-For a central controller, I use the Universal Devices ISY-994i. This provides a web-interface for status, and quick toggle-controls, but it's also where I do my "programming"
-if you buy and install an Insteon switch, it will "just work" as a regular switch - others in your home will have zero learning-curve.
-they do have some universal I/O modules with dry contacts, etc. You may be able to work with these to perform your temperature monitoring and control, along with water-level detection, etc. See if it would work for you.
And, here is a bit more "geek" for you to ponder:
The Insteon signalling uses both a data-burst on the AC power-line, and also a radio-frequency data burst. Each device will repeat a burst (up to 3 hops only, or something like that) - in practise, I've found it really, really reliable. I started with just a controller and a couple of (AC-powerline-only) switches, but this required me to add a hardware phase-bridge, so data-bursts on one phase of my house-wiring could reach devices on the other phase. As I added more devices, especially more wireless devices, the mesh got better and better.
The Insteon switches will require 3 wires in your switch-box:
1) Hot wire. The Insteon switch will use a bit of power, as well this is what powers your light or other device(s). Typically it's a black wire.
2) Load wire. This is what goes to your devices.
3) Neutral wire. Typically this is white, and can sometimes be a problem. My older (1950's) home had all the hot-and-neutral wires run to the lights first, then a pair of wires ran down to the switches... this won't work
Each Insteon switch is internally pretty cool: it's comprised of two parts:
1) a switch part, that detects when you press the switch, and reports this data-event
2) a responder part, which receives a data-event and closes the circuit (with relay, or whatever).
So, you can actually have a single switch act to control several devices, if you want
The "programming" is not really very geeky: it's more just a set of conditions and actions, selected from drop-down dialogue boxes. That said, you can do some fun stuff, like:
- change actions based on sunrise-sunset times (great for lighting)
- use a motion-detector, which also contains an ambient-light sensor! I use one of these outside, to tailor my lighting to the Pacific Northwest's gray and dreary winter days.
HTH,
Unrelated, you can just say "Because they're a nerd" and avoid that awkward he/she construct.
X10 is lacking in many ways, and I still use some of it, but the biggest problem I've had was with durability. Many of the components were horribly made and just broke. Stanley, GE, Radio Shack, didn't matter. Old Sears parts lasted longer but still just died. I can't comment on how vulnerable the others are, but X10 is very vulnerableâ"from outside sockets and other units on the same transformer. North Koreans aren't going to hack your house from Pyongyang, but sneaky neighborhood kids can. I think you can filter the signals from the incoming power lines, but that's not commonly done. Also, you need to bridge the two incoming 110V legs so that X10 signals get across, otherwise parts of your house might not talk to other parts. Still, to play around a bit, there's no cheaper way than X10.