Can Cai Webcontrol be used for an automation timer

Hi,
I am wondering if a CAI Webcontrol board can be used for some simple automation of Led lights. Nothing fancy, I'm thinking of a few strips of led lights recessed into the bottom of the steps that will be going on our new front porch. I would like to have them go on at dusk and off a few hours later. Is this somthing that this board can do? If yes, how much programming is involved?
 
Thanks in advance for any guidence,
 
Mike

You could use X10 modules and apparently the WC8 can support X10. Even though I still use some X10 modules with my ISY994i HA unit  I have no idea how it interfaces with X10. I don't see any hardware to accomplish this.
 
 simple plug in timer would be cheaper, simpler and faster but if you want to expand the system it could be an option. For HA you will be reinventing the wheel.

Larry, thanks that's kind of what I thought. I was also looking at a simple Altronix timer, although I can't do dusk with that, a set time will not be the end of the world.
 
Any other ideas would be great,
 
Mike

Christmas light timers are cheap and the Noma unit turns on at dusk and runs for the number of hours you set.

LarrylLix said:

Noma unit turns on at dusk and runs for the number of hours you set.

Click to expand...

Cool - I was not aware of that kind of smart timer. I'll have to remember that this Christmas.

To the OP as much as I like using WebControl for automation projects I think LarryILix's suggestion is a better solution unless
you want to be able control the lights from a web interface. In that case WC would work great. As far as dusk turn on you could
calculate it based on the real time clock or use a light sensor as one of the WC inputs.

/tom

You can get light sensor from eBay very cheap, hook that to analog input of WebControl, so that it can truly detect the light condition over whole year and turn on the light and off based on true light condition.  Other timers can not do that. If you have difficulty to program PLC to do that, we can help you on this forum.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311273120272

 
 
is light sensing resistor. hook that up with a resistor to 5V, then have the junction connected to one of the analog input, you can read value change during the day and night.  That value change can be used to turn on of off light through a relay board.
 
 
In addition, you can program it on and off through timer. WebControl can obtain its time through internet, if you hook up an infrared sensor like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271817515480

 
you can also program it turn on the light when somebody approach your door.

CAI_Support said:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311273120272

 
 
is light sensing resistor. hook that up with a resistor to 5V, then have the junction connected to one of the analog input, you can read value change during the day and night.  That value change can be used to turn on of off light through a relay board.
 
 
In addition, you can program it on and off through timer. WebControl can obtain its time through internet, if you hook up an infrared sensor like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271817515480

 
you can also program it turn on the light when somebody approach your door.

Click to expand...

Thanks all, I just received a simple 12VDC photo cell from eBay. I'm going to give that a try with no automation and see how it goes. After that i'll work on the automation. I still can always connect a relay to my CAI board to turn off remotely if needed.
 
Thanks Again,
 
Mike

You can measure the resistance at the light level you want to switch on light, then using a matching resistor to connect in series, have the one end to ground and another to 5V supply on board.  Measure the middle point will give you the best accuracy for turn on and off the light.
 
When write program, please consider the light condition can be up and down having little jitter,  so that once it reaches the level you want to turn on the light, you will need to let it turn off at slightly brighter light level, in that way, you can avoid the light bulb turned on and off frequently.  That can all be done in a simply PLC program.