Earthquake Detection

[Dave X10]

Someone recently mentioned that with all the recent earthquakes... it might be nice to have a "Earthquake Detector". The concept... is instead of being "shook out of bed" in the dark and not sure what is going on... the detector could at least turn on some lights. I added a Voice Announcement to mine. However... living in Ohio... mine may not be so handy.

I use a dangling wire and an X10 DS10A (door/window security sensor) and made it without tools... just to show none are needed. I created a YouTube Video to show and explain it.

 

[pete_c]

Dave,

Nice video. Easy modification of a DS10a

Check out a Geophone.

Geophone

I used to use one to get a measurement of traffic at a nearby interstate where I used to live a few years back.

 

[apostolakisl]

Someone recently mentioned that with all the recent earthquakes... it might be nice to have a "Earthquake Detector". The concept... is instead of being "shook out of bed" in the dark and not sure what is going on... the detector could at least turn on some lights. I added a Voice Announcement to mine. However... living in Ohio... mine may not be so handy.

I use a dangling wire and an X10 DS10A (door/window security sensor) and made it without tools... just to show none are needed. I created a YouTube Video to show and explain it.

I think you should make a "dry sense of humor" detector.

 

[Dave X10]

I think you should make a "dry sense of humor" detector.

I didn't mean to make fun of earthquakes.. or the people who live in areas that experience them. I would guess having a couple ceiling lights (and maybe some outside lights) come on and a Voice Message reminder as what to do... might be helpful.

Here in the mid-west I use a weather alert radio... as our common disaster is tornado's. In my ten years in this home we have only retreated to the basement once. Yet... I remain prepared.

 

[pete_c]

Here too its tornados. I've been in present home about 6 years and seen 2 funnel clouds with one touch down in a nearby field about 3 years ago.

 

[Waynedb]

Great idea, I should make one of these. I live only a few miles from a major fault line ( San Andreas ) and sooner or later it is going to move.

 

[pete_c]

Personally I had an issue while working with XX company in the early 2000's having two points of presence in San Francisco and Oakland feeding the all of the Pacific Rim and SW US because of this reason. I do recall an "accidental fiber debacle" near San Francisco causing panic and a major outage west (pacific rim) and southwest US because of "forgetfullness" in the use the failover Oakland pop. I imagine an earthquake would have been worse though.

I kept suggesting use of LA and WA state instead.

I know Oakland was shut down but believe that San Francisco is still being utilized today(maybe?).

It was me against a few million dollars studies that said these points of presence would continue fine. I believed at the time is was more of a "political" decision than a functional decision. So I gave up.

 

[Dave X10]

I've only experienced one earthquake myself... many years ago. During the one that shook me the power, phone, all services everything remained intact. I would think the normal plug-in emergency lights that provide light instantly when the power fails would be useful in any home. I think that is pretty much all a part of an automated home.

 

[Waynedb]

I lost power once after an earthquake, I have had a few pictures fall off the wall and after the Northridge earthquake I couldn't open my front door for about a week.
I remember when we had a couple of big ones the same day, Landers 7.3 and then a 6.5 in Big Bear, I decided to go to the local supermarket and stock up on extra food but when I got there the store was closed due to the fact just about everything in the store fell off the shelves.

 

[damage]

I lost power once after an earthquake, I have had a few pictures fall off the wall and after the Northridge earthquake I couldn't open my front door for about a week.
I remember when we had a couple of big ones the same day, Landers 7.3 and then a 6.5 in Big Bear, I decided to go to the local supermarket and stock up on extra food but when I got there the store was closed due to the fact just about everything in the store fell off the shelves.

i remember that day. i was living in huntington beach at the time and my girlfriend & i were jolted awake by the landers quake. just when we finally fell back asleep the big bear one hit. fortunately, i escaped so cal before the northridge quake. and two years earlier, i was in berkeley getting out of a CS class when the loma prieta quake hit.