Beginners Question...?

[adamriggs]

First let me start by introducing myself, I am Mister E, I recently bought a house about 2 months ago and have been curious about home automation since I first heard about it years ago. After years of trying to convince my wife to let me do something, she has finally caved. So to start small I have decided to automate my outside lights. One by my side garage door and one by my front door. Well now I know what I want to do but now my question is how... I would like to set them up to turn on at a specific time and remain on for a set amount of time (different amounts of time for both), and still have them able to operate from the switch. Also I would like to be able to control all of this from my office in the garage via pc. So I hope I have provided enough information to garner a few responses, and I shall patiently await them.


Mister E.

 

[carry15+1]

Hi Mister E,

The simplest way to implement your basic plan is to purchase a couple x10, insteon, or similar switches. x10 and insteon will be the cheapest way to get started. I can't recommend the switches sold by x10.com, but you may find some bargains on eBay or such for PCS, Lightolier, etc. which are quality switches. If you won't be dimming the lights you control it's best to buy non-dimming switches. These should simply replace the switches you have now, and can be controlled locally or via a signal from your PC or a dedicated controller.

If you decide to go the insteon route, there are some of them on eBay from time to time as well.

I have had very good luck with x10 switches from ACT, PCS, Lightolier and some smarthome devices.

Once you decide on a product line (insteon, x10, etc) lots of people can recommend items to expand your installation.

 

[adamriggs]

I thank you very much for your speedy reply. From what I have read I think I will be going with Insteon. Now can anyone recomend Software from wich to run all of this from?

 

[Rupp]

I would recommend downloading a 30 day trial of HomeSeer since that's the software I use and give it a whirl. If you are going the Insteon route you will want to get the PLM and not PLC interface and you may want to spend a day or 2 readings various message boards on the highs and lows of Insteon.
To download the trial go to http://homeseer.com/downloads/index.htm and select the HS2™ Software (complete installer with trial)
There are also some good getting started guides here:
http://homeseer.com/support/tutorials.htm

If you have any questions HomeSeer has a good message board as well.
http://board.homeseer.com

 

[adamriggs]

Thanks Rupp,
Homeseer is the program I was leaning towards, just was unsure if it would be able to do what I wanted it to do and now that you have recomended it I shall be giving it a try. Thanks again!

Mister E.

 

[Rupp]

You're welcome and let us know if you have any questions.

 

[Ed Nelson]

Welcome Mister E.;

I started this endeavor in earnest about 2 years ago. Prior to that, I was using X.10 throughout the home and the phantom on/off of the lights
nearly ended the program for my wife. Since then, I migrated to Insteon in our new home with 100% reliability.

The reason your posting caught my attention is that I just completed the exact project you are starting out on. I had to primary goals for my
external lighting control:

1. Auto On and Off based on sunrise/sunset
2. All lights on (this was the kicker in my home, in order to turn on the outside lights, I have to turn on 4 individual switches around the house!!!)

As mentioned earlier, I went with Insteon modules and the Elk M1Gold unit as the control system. Elk has built in logic to support sunrise/sunset
based on my Lat/Long.

Well, as with all Home Automation projects, the initial program tends to be a jumping off point. Since then, I have added the following features:

1. Porch light turns on at sunset, but turns off at 11m, independent from the remaining exterior lighting
2. The home announces lighting state changes over the home speaker
3. Back Patio Deck lights auto turn on, when the patio door is open and it is after sunset
4. I have been able to call the home from my cell if I am going to get home after 11PM to activate the front porch light.
5. At the same sunset trigger, the kitchen pendant lights are turned on 50% so that I don't come home to a dark house

To be honest, the biggest challenge I had was dealing with wiring into 3-way lighting boxes. In order to overcome this, I had an electrician
come over and walk me through several installs and spend time helping me with safe multimeter use.

Hope this helps.

- Ed

 

[BLH]

Mister E; You can even see how the Insteon Devices install and program. Even before purchase. On the Smarthome web site. Each devices Quick Install Guide and the Full Users Manuals on its respective web page. Only exception is there are no full manuals for the 2414U/S 2814U PLC and 2412S PLM.

I have a small install compared to most and until I got a Universal Devices ISY-99i I almost gave up on Insteon with linking etc. It also can do off line timing. I did use a 2414S and Ken Miller's InHomeFree for a while. Was OK for off line timing; but no linking etc.

I have Smarthome's HouseLinc Desktop and it was not implemented very well. I understand Smarthome is redoing both the hardware and software from scratch and hope to do Beta soon.

 

[adamriggs]

Thank you all again for your responses.

Ed,

Im not to sure that my wife would be to receptive to the idea of a computer telling her that the lights are on/off. While she was raised in this new computer era as I was she doesn't exactly embrace the fact that computers can "talk" to her... I definatly need to be able to turn the light that sits by my side entry door off at a set time, otherwise it shines directly into my neighbors bedroom window. Since we live on a fairly dark yet busy (odd how that works out) street I like the idea of having the front light on longer. As soon as the wife approves my plans I will be keeping everyone updated. Thanks again for all your help.

Mister E.

 

[DavidL]

One of the keys to long term HA success is to achieve "WAF" (Wife Acceptance Factor). Make sure to include things that make her life easy that will open the gates for more support.

A very popular one is whole house music that is easy to use and your wife's playlists are easily triggered by her. Great if she is home during the day.

MainLobby can handle all of your HA and media management needs. You can start small (like Insteon lighting) and then add capability as you have time / funds / WAF.

 

[ver0776]

Your computers and house can talk now, so if you reject the technology now, it will only make adapting to the future harder. I watched my parents resist every new tech that comes out and now they are almost non-functional in this internet era. I figure if it is hard now, after years of resistance it will be harder and the concept of hiding from technological advancements will become an entrenched trait.

Maybe she will not like the house talking in some ways, and you can adjust around that and find the ways that you can appreciate, but please don't blanket out all of your options. I would not like my lights talking either, but I do like the front door to greet people coming and going... I like all the security related events to talk to me. The weather and mailbox talking is ok too. Now my caller ID talks, not sure how much I like that, but I can turn it off if I find I do not appreciate it etc. Sleep modes and other settings can control When the house can talk, and with occuancy tracking it can talk to you more when she is not home, etc. Tons of options.

So maybe a non-issue, but I encourage you to aways try and keep an open mind about new technologies and think of the positive ways they can be used.

Vaughn

 

[Ed Nelson]

Hey Mister E.

Forgive me if this goes w/out saying, but I don't know how new you are to Home Automation... Having your home provide feedback (Audiable, Page to phone, direct calls..etc) are all "options". However you are in complete control of this solution and I did not mean to infer that by going to an ELK based system locked you into voice prompts. I loved the WAF definition as it; like all marriage decisions truley is a significant consideration.

One thing that worked very well for me was soliciting my wife's support in "field testing" all phases of the project. This achieved 2 benefits:
1. She was able to become a part owner in the deployment
2. I tend to be too forgiving to technology and she provided the real world simplicity.

Enjoy...

- Ed

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Announcements such as when the garbage need to be taken out (will remind us every half hour until it "sees" the side gate open, knowing we took it out), CallerID, dryer and washer finished, announce when we both come home (vehicle notification), etc... are a big plus for our system.

Of course you want a way to easily turn announcements off as well. I do it with a keypadlinc buttons through the house.