Help for a Newbie....Thermostat control and more??

dublin

Member
Hiya Folks,
An absolute newbie when it comes to home automation so if this is improper to be posting such elementary questions, kindly say so and I'll go away. I have a cabin that I would like to be able to control the thermostat/furnace remotely. Specifically, I believe I would need to go with a phone controller linked into a 2-stage thermostat (there's no high speed internet access....all I have up there is dial up). I've been looking around and have stumbled on a number of ways to do this and some are more complex but offer more future expandability should I want to go there. I've been looking at the specs for the Sensaphone systems (the 400), Wisdom Wireless Security controller, the Aube CT-241 phone controller, and a number of other options that I haven't delved into all that much yet. It's a small cabin at around 1000 sf and I've no real plans to add window or door sensors, etc... but like some of the options that the Wisdom offers in terms of being able to add these later should I chose to do so. It might be nice as well to add in exterior environmental sensors just to see what the weather's doing up there (ie. temp, wind) in which case, the Sensaphone appears to be a better unit. Oh, I'd also like to be able to remotely turn on the outside light independent of turning the thermostat up. I think I would prefer to do things wireless although I can hardwire the thermostat. I was considering using some sort of an X10 controller/switch for the light and using the aformentioned products to control that using my commands via phone. So here are a few of my questions. One, have you found that just installing a phone controller, thermostat, light control is enough or is there a tendency to all of a sudden want to expand? I know this depends on personal habits but I hate to buy just a phone controller and a year later wished I had a more extensive system. Two, are there alternatives to the Sensaphone and Wisdom that I should be considering? Three, am I just way off base on my approach and need to re-group? I really appreciate all the help and look forward to your suggestions.
Thanks very much,
jlc
 
I'm a long time HomeSeer user and when I first started using HomeSeer it was to do exactly what you desire. I bought HomeSeer and HomeSeer phone and used my dialup to connect automatically(using HomeSeer) 4 times per day so I could adjust my thermostat and check on my weather station. That was over 9 years ago and I still use HomeSeer but now I have a full time connection. The beauty is using HomeSeer phone you can call in and trigger and event that will dial into your internet provider which will allow you to connect to the cabin and manage your tstat as well as lights, appliances and any other hardware you want to interface to. The HomeSeer bulletin board is a good source of information on this home automation package. http://board.homeseer.com
 
I'm a long time HomeSeer user and when I first started using HomeSeer it was to do exactly what you desire. I bought HomeSeer and HomeSeer phone and used my dialup to connect automatically(using HomeSeer) 4 times per day so I could adjust my thermostat and check on my weather station. That was over 9 years ago and I still use HomeSeer but now I have a full time connection. The beauty is using HomeSeer phone you can call in and trigger and event that will dial into your internet provider which will allow you to connect to the cabin and manage your tstat as well as lights, appliances and any other hardware you want to interface to. The HomeSeer bulletin board is a good source of information on this home automation package. http://board.homeseer.com


Thanks. I just surfed their website a bit today. Looks like powerful stuff but lordy, their controllers are pretty pricey. Is there a way to do this without having to buy a full controller? As you can see, I'm a real NOOOB!
Thanks,
jlc
 
Welcome to CT!

If you have the budget, I would personally install an Elk M1 system. It's a hardware home automation & security controller, has a great phone interface, and supports thermostat control. There are many expansion options (including temp sensors etc), supports most automation protocols, and would be a better (and cheaper) choice for a remote setup than a PC.
 
Thanks. I just surfed their website a bit today. Looks like powerful stuff but lordy, their controllers are pretty pricey. Is there a way to do this without having to buy a full controller? As you can see, I'm a real NOOOB!
Thanks,
jlc
Not sure what you are referring to as controllers but all that is required is a PC and the HomeSeer software.
 
Ditto on the Elk for your setup. Having a non-PC control that is also much cheaper electricity wise, plus you can do roughly 18 bazillion things other than Thermo with it. I know my electric bill sucks as is, so keeping that low is a real consideration for me.

Plus, when you're ready, you can control the Elk via a PC (i do this), between the combo there's nothing you can't attain.
 
Welcome to CT!

If you have the budget, I would personally install an Elk M1 system. It's a hardware home automation & security controller, has a great phone interface, and supports thermostat control. There are many expansion options (including temp sensors etc), supports most automation protocols, and would be a better (and cheaper) choice for a remote setup than a PC.


I see that the ELK is very popular here. I may consider that for my primary residence but what I'm trying to do now is figure out what to do for the family's cabin. I really don't want to spend that much. Looking at the Sensaphone at around $360 is probably beyond my budget as well but I was still looking at it. Hence, I've gotten into looking at stand-alone phone controllers. I'm gonna keep looking though!
Thanks.
jlc
 
Thanks. I just surfed their website a bit today. Looks like powerful stuff but lordy, their controllers are pretty pricey. Is there a way to do this without having to buy a full controller? As you can see, I'm a real NOOOB!
Thanks,
jlc
Not sure what you are referring to as controllers but all that is required is a PC and the HomeSeer software.


Gotcha. I didn't realize you were implying that I use the PC. This would mean leaving the PC on 7x24 which I really would rather not do for a couple of reasons. One, the additional power consumption and two, the area up there sees power issues on a regular basis (from the utility). Additionally, given I may not get up there for a month or two at a time, I wouldn't trust Windows to last that long without a reboot! I will tuck the "Homeseer" software into my brain for when I think about this for my primary residence but for now, I'm looking for something a bit more standalone. One question regarding Homeseer and the PC though. What sort of an interface would I need to bridge the computer and devices/sensors? Thanks for the help.
Cheers,
jlc
 
Ditto on the Elk for your setup. Having a non-PC control that is also much cheaper electricity wise, plus you can do roughly 18 bazillion things other than Thermo with it. I know my electric bill sucks as is, so keeping that low is a real consideration for me.

Plus, when you're ready, you can control the Elk via a PC (i do this), between the combo there's nothing you can't attain.

Thanks IVB. So it sounds like the ELK can be used as a standalone system? I really don't like the price that comes with it however and for this small application (one hardwired light, thermostat, and MAYBE down the road, some security/weather devices) I just can't justify spending this kind of $$. This is the reason I was looking at the WisDom and Sensaphone (even it makes me a bit uncomfortable with the price). I think for my primary residence, I will consider the ELK.
Cheers,
jlc
 
Also keep in mind, you don't have to buy the full package, for HA use, you don't even need the keypyad, so you could try to find a very basic system. You do have to get a serial port module (M1XSP) and a new thermostat, but IMO, it would be worth it.
 
Also keep in mind, you don't have to buy the full package, for HA use, you don't even need the keypyad, so you could try to find a very basic system. You do have to get a serial port module (M1XSP) and a new thermostat, but IMO, it would be worth it.


No doubt the Elk looks to be the "creme de la creme". I can't justify spending $500 on it to just control a thermostat and one light. Or am I completely missing something here? The cheapest systems I'm seeing (and honestly, it's just a quick perusal) is still upwards of $400 which seems extreme for what I want to do. That being said, I do want to do this right and not end up with something that'll I'll be replacing in a year or two anyway. I was looking at this:
http://www.smarthome.com/300602.html coupled with this: http://www.smarthome.com/300600.html and then tie it into the hardwire of the cabin for the one light. Thoughts?
Thanks for the help.
Cheers,
jlc
 
That combination should work just fine in your situation.


Thank you Rupp! Now I just gotta figure out how to get an X10 module into the light switch. I think I need a "universal module" that will connect to one of the outputs of the phone controller and an x10 (or insteon) switch. Appreciate the help.

I must say however, that after this discussion, you guys all have me salivating over doing a full system in my primary home.

Thanks much,
jlc
 
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