Smart Home Automation Systems with x10 controllers

Posts Tagged ‘smart home automation’

It doesn’t happen to often, but when it happens it’s the most annoying thing ever; locking yourself out of your own house. Your mind starts racing. Where are the people who also own a key of your place? Your looks become one of a burglar. Didn’t I leave the backdoor unlocked? Isn’t there a window open somewhere? What will be the smallest damage to my house when I brake into it?

Of course you could have hidden a key somewhere in your garden. But is that something you really want? Maybe today, it is something you want. But you would be worried for the rest of your life, worried if not somebody saw you picking up that key or hiding it away.

There is a simple solution however to your problem, a Smart Code Deadbolt.

The Smart Code Deadbolt can be as simple as a deadbolt which can be unlocked by a key as well as with a code. The bolt is a true locking dead bolt due to its motor driven bolt inside. The activation code is set by a 4 to 8 digits string of numbers. Locking is done by pushing one simple button and the code is not needed for this action. Nothing new so far, this technology has been on the market for a while and is used all around.

The true Home Automation System connection comes with the Smart Code Wireless Z-Wave Deadbolt. The bolt is able to talk wireless to your installed Home Automation System. This is home automation taken to the level it should be taken to. Imagen while unlocking your house with a simple code, the lights turn on, the alarm system disarms, the thermostat goes to high and the entertainment system turns on. Coming home has turned into a real coming home feel.

The system even takes it a step further. What about locking your house from your smart phone. Or receiving a message on your smart phone telling the children just came home. Or what in case of an emergency to be able to unlock all the doors of your house (remote if you need to) with only one command. Features which will make your life easier and saver.

Installing the system is a matter of minutes. The Smart Code Deadbolt runs on 2 AA batteries and no extra wires are needed to install the bolt. Simply remove the current bolt and mount the Smart Code Deadbolt in the door and the job is done. Remember the Z-Wave products are fully incorporated with the X10 Home Automation System. Which runs over existing electrical wires in your house. All in all, no extra wires are needed.

The bolt comes in brass, nickel, bronze, or just a simple black colour.

Next time when locking yourself out of your own house, a simple code lets you get back in.

Home alone and the doorbell rings unexpectedly. What to do, open the door or ignore your visitor? It might be a friend who drops by, it might be that person you wish you hadn’t opened the door for. A little peek through the curtains might give you a view of your visitor.  That is when you are lucky to have a window looking out over your front door. The Video Door System provides you that opportunity to have the safety of your home and still allows you to talk and even see the person who is ringing your doorbell.

With a simple push on your doorbell, your visitor will activate the Video Door System and indoors you will be notified of your visitor by a ringing bell and at the same time the monitor on your indoor console will turn on. By simply picking up the handset you can talk to your visitor and decide to open the door or not.

The system exists out of a video camera which will be mounted outside at your door and an indoor console with a handset and a monitor.

When buying a Video Door System consider the following options:

Remote Door Unlock System
Upon deciding to open the door, wouldn’t it be convenient to do it at the indoor console? An unlock button on your indoor console will give you that option. In this way the console can be located in any spot in your house. Right there in the living room or maybe the kitchen is a better spot.

Night light
When light is fading and it is getting dark, the video camera will not anymore pick up the image of your visitor. An automatic turned on night light will give you the light you need to identify your visitor. There are several possible scenarios for the light to turn on. The light can automatically turn on when it is getting dark or it can be connected to a motion detector so it will only turn on when a visitor enters your property. It can also be setup that is will be activated by pressing the doorbell. This might surprise some visitors though.

Knocking visitors
Not every visitor will always use the doorbell. For whatever reason, there will be always that visitor at your door which prefers to give an old fashion knock on your door. In this case the Video Door System will not turn on. A good feature to look for on your system is a “turn on system” button on the indoor console. In this way you can active the Video Door System from the inside console.

Extra handheld indoor console
Not wanting to walk to the indoor console when the doorbell is ringing, an extra handheld indoor console might be the solution for you. This little device can go with you, wherever you are in your house.

For convenience and personal safety a Video Door System might be the Home Automation System you are looking for.

Your home Audio Video System is beautifully placed in the corner of the living room. Electrical wires, and also the television cable wire are nicely build in the wall. All looks good. Except what about another Audio Video System in the recreation room. Suddenly another Satellite box has to be ordered, another DVR has to be bought, another audio system has to be on the list for the next Christmas. And what about the new wiring, cables rerouted through the house. The simple desire of having a relaxed time in the recreation room, suddenly exploded in a cost and time consuming project.

The solution, an Audio Video Sender / Receiver system.  This little apparatus, the Sender, is able to transmit the signal from your cable box, your television, your VCR, your DVR, your DVD player, your TiVo, your satellite TV, basically from any audio video system with an RCA output and send it out. The signal will go through doors, walls, and floors. From the basement to the kids rooms upstairs, the signal will penetrate every single room in your house for a crisp and clear Audio Video experience.

An Audio Video Receiver will be hooked up to the receiving system, the new system in the recreation room.  The Receiver should be positioned within 100 feet of the Sender, to be able to pick up the signal of the Sender.

And thats it. Home Entertainment throughout the house, with no extra wiring and for just a low cost. Systems on the market at the moment range from $350 to as low as 50$.

Something to note when looking for the perfect system for your house:

Systems come with and without the possibility to transmit an Audio signal. Shop around for the best available system, suiting your needs.

The audio signal can be transmitted in Mono or Stereo. Only when you are on a low budget, the Mono Audio system would be something to consider. Otherwise, Stereo it is.

Some systems come with a remote control included in the price, and by simply pointing at the Receiver, the Audio Video System in the living room can be controlled. It is just not feasible to walk up every time to the other room to change a channel. Look for the extra components coming with the system.

Some systems can be easily expanded by adding an extra Receiver.  Because why only installing a extra Audio Video System in the recreation room, while there can also be easily an other Television installed in the bedroom.

Most systems are easy plug and play installments. It will only takes 5 minutes to set up your new system. No drilling needed, no new cabling, no contractor hassle, no nothing.

The simplest way to start Home Automation is to start controlling lights. Here 3 light switches discussed.

X10 PLW01 In-Wall Light Switch
The switch can carry loads ranging from 60 Watts to 500 Watts. Take care, because this switch can only handle incandescent bulbs.

The switch can be controlled directly at the panel by simply pushing the button. This will cause the connected light to turn On or Off. The trick sits behind the panel, where 2 dials are located. Here the home code and unit code of the switch is set, to allow the X10 controller access to the dimmer. Be aware, the dimming function can only be controlled via the X10 controller, and not directly at the panel. Below the main button a small button is located for direct total power turn off, for save bulb replacement.

X10 PLW02 Three Way Master and Slave Switch Set
This is a so called Three-Way system. A term used for a light that can be controlled by 2 separate switches. These systems are most commonly used to control a hallway light which is connected by stairs to another level. To replace the Three-Way system with a Home Automation Three-Way switch set, a master and a slave switch has to be installed. The master switch is the unit where the home code and unit code can be set. The slave switch doesn’t need a code, as it follows the master code. More than one slave switches can be connected to one system.

Also this switch can carry loads from 40 Watts up to 500 Watts and also here only incandescent bulbs can be connected. Both the master and the slave unit have a single button for turning the connected light On or Off. The dimming function is also here only possible by the X10 controller. The master switch has a second local total power off button, to be able to replace the connected bulb.

X10 XPD03 Decorated Dimmer Switch
The switch can carry a load up to 500 Watts and as low as 40 Watts. Connecting the switch to a lower load then 40 Watts, a flickering light might be the result. Take care, because this switch can only handle incandescent bulbs.

By setting the home code and unit code, located behind the panel, the Dimmer Switch can be controlled via the X10 controller. But for the quick dimming, the switch can also be controlled directly and that is different from the PLW01 In-Wall Light Switch. A short paddle stroke will turn the connected light On in 3 seconds, in which it fades up from Off to On. Another short paddle stroke fades the light Off in again 3 seconds. By holding the paddle down and releasing it at the desired fading/dimming mode, the light is set to an intermediate light level. The switch has a second button for a total power Off mode, to be able to replace the connected light bulb safely.

Not only in the USA does Home Automation becomes popular, also in Europe this phenomenon is taking shape. Here Home Automation is called Domotica. Derived from the word Domus which means home, and the word Telematica, the term used for the fusion of telecommunication and informatica (information technology).

Since the industrial revolution people are seeking for more automated machinery and Domotica is seen as the next step in this trend. After automating factories, house appliances took over the domestic work and now Domotica is automating these same house appliances and connects them together. It’s the next step in a world where life become more convenient and automation frees up time for leisure and pleasure.

In a Domotica house, communication, relaxation and caring tasks are made easier by electrical apparatus and information networks.

A definition used nowadays for Domotica is:
Domotica includes all the apparatus and infrastructure in and around a house, which uses electronic information to measure, program and drive functions for the benefit of its inhabitants.

In this way Domotica adds value to the daily life by contributing in an effective way to pleasure and the value and sustainability of living.

Europe defines 7 categories in its Domotica domain:

Caring,
This can be done by turning on and off lights automatically.

Communication,
With remote control of appliances from a smart phone or an remote internet connection.

Working,
In the form of teleworking or tele shopping.

Relaxation,
With on demand audiovisual systems in each room at each time of the day.

Comfort,
With automated heating systems for the perfect temperature every moment of the day.

Energy saving,
By use night electricity and closing or opening curtains when external heating has to enter or kept out of the house.

Buildings,
In the form of safety and alarm systems to give a worry free life.

That some people in Europe take Domotica serious is clearly observed on the bwired website. Here you can not only monitor the house’s water consumption or energy use. But this family gives you a peak trough their security camera, let you monitor their answer machine and even shows you the data collected on their personal scale.

On a more serious note, this family runs their washing machine at 10 pm to make full use of the night / weekend rate available in their country. On a less serious note, they drink their last coffee at 9 pm according to customs….

Of course you don’t have to go to this extend to automate your house. And of course there is no reason to share all this information with the world. It is however nice to see that Home Automation is not just confined to the USA, but is also spreading in the form of Domotica in the rest of the world.

The whole Home Automation System is based around one main apparatus, the central controller. Via this system all the Smart Home devices are controlled. Most controllers use about 10W of power under normal operation, that is only 0.24 kWh for a full day of operation. This amount will be easily saved by the energy saving capabilities of the Home Automation System. Installation is only a matter of plug-and-play and can be done by any of us. It is important to do some research before buying this important central device. It will determine your whole system and all the features and benefits it can supply you with.

If you are building a new house, this is the time to think of your Home Automation System. Where to install your build in control panels, where to mount your build in smart outlets. Make drawings and discuss them with your contractor and explain your desires.

When you already have a house, it is still not a bad idea to make a plan. What are the features you want? Which rooms will be involved? Which systems do you want to be automated? What is your budget? This will help you to make your research for the right components a bit more structured.

To following items are some things you want to concern in your research:

1. Do you want a standalone controller or do you want to control your system via your computer?

2. Check if the controller communicates via the slow RS-232 protocol or the much faster USB protocol.

3. Do you want only local control for your Home Automation System (from within the house) or also remote control (via a smart phone, iPad or remote computer)?

4. Do you want your system to communicate via Wi-Fi to all your automated devices, via the electrical network or both?

5. What are the features you want now and in the future to be automated? Is the brand you choose able to provide all the hardware you need?

6. Think of an extra touch screen to control your Home Automation System by every member of your household. A single push of a button can be even taught to the youngest among us. There are build-in units or table top units available on the market.

Some companies include a touch screen interface with their controller. Check for deals.

7. Check for starter packages, this will help to ease you into the whole automation process a bit more relaxed.

Home Automation can get very exciting, don’t get over confident though. It can get quickly very overwhelming also. Do your research, take your time, make a plan, stick to it, and start simple. Automated lights are the easiest to start with and give you immediately that big energy saving and comfort level you were looking for. Soon you will get confident with the system and can add more features. And before you know, your house is turned into a full automated home.

Energy
In the modern world, energy is delivered to each household in the form of electricity. The definition of electricity is according to the dictionary: electrical current used or regarded as a source of power. The unit of energy is Joule (J).

The definition of power is: the rate in which energy is generated or consumed. The unit of power is Watt (W), which is joules per second (J/s).

Combined together we can now rewrite the unit of energy: Joule = Watt second (Ws). Taking into account the general consumption of an average household, electrical companies use kilo watt hour (kWh) for residential electrical bills.

In practice, a 1000W heater running for 30 minutes will use 0.5 kWh and a 60W lamp burning for 5 hrs. will use 0.3 kWh.

Energy sources
Electricity has been generated at central stations since 1881. Today the USA mostly relies on coal and natural gas for its electrical needs. A smaller part comes from nuclear and hydroelectric, and only very small amounts from renewable sources like solar energy, wind generators, geothermal sources, and tidal harnesses.

Distribution
The main consumers of electricity are of course industries. With rising energy prices in the last couple of years, major cut backs have been made. More has to be done, and that is up to all of us, us the employees. It is an easy thing to turn off that computer leaving for home. It might be a little harder, but why not develop that new product process to a more energy saving way of producing. It saves the company some money and gives our environment a break.

Residential energy use still accounts for a fifth of all the energy used. Here the individual can make a quick difference. There will be always people around telling that small steps don’t have any effect. Don’t get encouraged. If everybody makes that small step, it will add up in the end. We can make a difference together.

Storage
Still a main flaw in the electrical network is the lack of a storage capability. Demands for electricity fluctuates throughout the day and electrical companies can only react in a binary way; an extra generator is turned on, or turned off. There are many small start-up companies focusing on generating renewable energy, but the main breakthrough will come from companies concentrating on energy storage. Smaller batteries with higher capacity and other still to be developed technologies will send us more comfortable into the 22nd century.

Night rates
With a low demand for electricity at night, energy companies can offer electricity at a lower rate. With the residential Day-Night service, the nighttime service rate is about two-thirds the cost of the daytime service rate. However, there is a higher monthly meter charge, and the cost per kWh for electricity used during the daytime service hours might be higher than normal. Therefore, it’s important to review your use of electricity carefully before switching to Day-Night service rate. Check with your local energy provider about their Day-Night service package.

Home Automation System
With a Home Automation System, many appliances can be programmed to run during the lower night rate, the washing machine, the AC, the electrical water heater, and the dish washer. No more delay calculations, but a simple close of the door of your appliance and things will be taken care of for you. Maybe can you can save some energy and money in an easier way than you think.

Hawking is a relative newcomer to the Home Automation System market. One system is worth mentioning though: The Hawkings Home Remote Pro – Home Automation Gateway. A comprehensive system that is capable of remote monitoring, remote controlling and remote securing your home.

Via the installed gateway the Home Automation System can be accessed remotely via a web browser or via a cell phone. This suddenly opens up all kind of extra features for your Home Automation System.

Remote monitoring
With installed security video cameras a peek in your house from all over the world becomes reality. Keeping an eye out on the kids, or the pet, right from your cell phone or your secured webpage online gives you the comfort you need.

Remote control
You can log in your Home Automation System straight from work, and set the security system with a new access code for your early arriving friends. After a specified set time the code will be deactivated again if you like.

Remote secure
Your Home Automation System can act as a notifier and send you an alerts on your cell phone when a security breach occurs.

The Hawkings Home Remote Pro Home Automation Gateway comes with a small service fee. The Basic Level service comes for free.

As with everything, starting simple is the best way to tackle a project. For Home Automation this would be starting with one of the most basic automation system, a Smart Home Light System.

The Smart Home Light System is an investment which will pay back for itself over time. It will detect motion in a room and turns on/off the lights. This will save energy and make your life a little more easy and comfortable and even smarter!

How it works
A motion sensor is a passive system that detects infrared energy. Humans have a skin temperature of 93 F (34 C), which emits waves in the infrared spectrum (8-10 micrometers). The motion sensor detects these waves and sends a signal to turn on the lights.

The detector is set to react to rapid changes of infrared energy. This avoids the system to react to heaters turning on, or electrical blankets warming up. In this way only a person walking into the motion detectors field of view, will set the system in working and turns on the light.

The trouble
Picture yourself in bed, reading a book. Not much motion is going on and the Smart Home Light System will turn off the lights automatically after a while. You find yourself waving to the dark ghosts in your room, to turn the lights back on. This is a real problem and the Smart Home Lighting Systems fails in those instances.

The best alternative is to switch off the light in a series of dim downs. As the light dims, you find yourself still waving to turn the light back on to full power, but this time at least not in the total dark.

One alternative that is being suggested is to let the Smart Home Light System detect when an object, in this case the human, is on stage and only turns the light on. The person determines the length of the stay and turns the light off upon exit. No more waving, but the main advantages is lost in this way. Automatically turning off lights in rooms not occupied. I would not call it a fully automated lighting system either.

Another alternative is to pre-set a specific time before the Smart Home Light System will turn of the lights again. Very workable for a garage, but not a very desirable solution for the bedroom or kitchen.

The near future
Instead of infrared based motion detectors, full optical detection systems (cameras) can be used. A simple version (used in detecting cars waiting for a traffic light) is based on the differences between the image of an empty room and an occupied room. No object can however be moved in the room, without recalibrating the system. A better but still to expansive optical detection system would be a system used in the Xbox-Kinect. This system has a 3 dimensional face recognition feature inside, which would be a little bit over the top for our Smart Home Light System.

An extra benefit!
Connecting your regular lights with the Home Automation System now turns them into dim lights.

Further exploring
The one leading company in the Smart Home Light System is Phillips. In April 2010, the special program, Philips Dynalite Dimension was launched and gave the Smart Home Automation a considerable push forward.

X10
Home Automation can be as simple as to group controls (think of when opening the garage door, the lights in the house switch on), and can get as complex as remote control over all appliances in your house (think of turning on the heater on the way home, or even better the coffee machine).

What all the systems will have in common is a language to communicate between each individual appliance in the system. A language originally coined by a Scottish company called Pico Electronics in 1975 is X10. Even nowadays X10 is still the most common used “system” for Home Automation.

Functionality
The communication is done over ordinary electrical wiring. But there is also a radio protocol defined (this however needs some additional hardware). The X10 signal consists out of little bursts of radio waves representing a digital signal.
The protocol consists out of 3 segments: a house code, a unit code, a command code.
The 4 bit house code (A to P) can divide your house in 16 areas (the kitchen, the office or all lights, all heaters).
The 4 bit unit code (1 to 16) can address 16 different appliances within a house code.
This makes a total amount of 256 (16 house codes x 16 unit codes) possible addresses (read appliances).
The command codes are handling the message send to the address.

So for example:
The garden has house code B.
The lights in the garden have unit code 3.
The sprinklers in the garden have unit code 5.

Sending the code: B3-off followed by B5-on, will turn off the lights in the garden, before turning on the sprinklers. All from within the comfort of your house. It gets even better when programming the system with a routine. At 7pm / B3-on, at 9pm / B3-off and B5-on, at 9:30 pm / B5-off and B3-on, creates an automatic garden watering program without exposing the turned on lights to water.

Phase Couplers
The X10 system operate seamlessly on most devices but runs into issues with high voltage appliances like washer, a dryer and the electric stove. This can however be solved by introducing additional phase couplers to distribute the X10 signal between the different phases.

Repeaters
Like any other signal the X10 signal incurs loss over a distance greater than 240 feet of electrical wiring and that includes the junction boxes. For houses larger than 2000 square feet, this is not an uncommon situation. In this case a repeater system which boost the X10 signal is needed.

Further recommendation
With this brief introduction into X10 for Home Automation we have provided you with a starting point in getting your “Do it yourself automation project” on the roll. Here is an easy to understand home automation book to get your projects on the way.