Ideas to improve lighting automation

[JamesLewis]

Each morning my wife gets up at about 6am and go's to work she walks down the stairs through our basement to our garage. Coming back she takes the same route.

I would very much like to improve the lighting in terms of automation such as turning all of the lights on and off as she walks along this path or even a single light switch that will turn all of these or at the very least a timer motion sensor.

Currently I do not have any automation in my house and its very new to me so just want to see what my options would be.

 

[tmbrown97]

I know UPB best - there's a lot of info about it in my signature; you can do a lot with a centralized lighting system. I have one button for instance called "Snack Run" that lights a path all the way from the bedroom to the fridge... I also have different buttons that'll light different paths - like one that turns on the lights upstairs into the kids' part of the house; then another that turns off the downstairs - and each has different timing and patterns.

Of course, lighting systems can cost a few grand; so if you're in a $100 budget, you may look at some standalone motion sensors;

 

[JamesLewis]

It does sound very interesting is upstart a free item of software or do you also need to purchase that as well ?

For every light switch I want to control or program i would need to purchase a special switch do you call these the controls ?


If at a later stage I want to get in to more home automation is UPS a well support protocol ?

 

[etc6849]

There's some cocoontech links in my signature for free HA software. It's called Premise. I used it a lot and like it for its openness. Two other users and I helped developed a free opensource z-wave module for it that also supports locks.

 

[jwilson56]

You can check out my blog here on CT for some ideas

 

[tmbrown97]

UPB devices are the individual load controllers. So, if you want to control a light, you replace the switch with a UPB switch. If you want to control a lamp, put a lamp module in between (plugin). Etc...

Upstart is free.

UPB is one of the most popular protocols you'll find, with some of the best support due to the fact that it's a complete retrofit option... some of the hardwired options don't get as much support because they're so much less common. Retrofit options always have a larger market. It's supported by all the major hardware and software systems; but also has the ability to run completely standalone without any controllers.

 

[pete_c]

I just added a 15 AMP UPB relay switch for my landscaping lighting transformers. Here is what you see when you configure the switch with Upstart.

 

[pmb1010]

There's some cocoontech links in my signature for free HA software. It's called Premise. I used it a lot and like it for its openness. Two other users and I helped developed a free opensource z-wave module for it that also supports locks.

Seems like the file source servers in the link are down. Rooting around, I did find a "secondary" file source link.
When I installed Premise software, it tells me it cant import because the software is expired (needs some type of authenticaton key???).

 

[video321]

I had just got it rcently from the site which had the video tutorials - check the premise pinned thread (I think).
No problems getting it to install on Win7 x64 with a minor tweak.

 

[pmb1010]

I had just got it rcently from the site which had the video tutorials - check the premise pinned thread (I think).
No problems getting it to install on Win7 x64 with a minor tweak.

yeah I think thats where I got it:
http://www.mediapcforums.com/node/7

I;m installing on Win7/32. What was the minor tweak?

 

[video321]

1. Disable UAC (User Access Control)
2. Right click Setup.exe and go to properties. Set compatibility mode for XP Service Pack 2 and check run as administrator.
3. Double click the EXE. It should freeze on "Status:" and you should see a green bar that is almost complete.
4. Use task manager to stop the Premise Home Control Software application. Leave the windows uninstall process alone. If you stop it, Premise will be uninstalled!
5. Reboot.
6. Stop the two Premise services named "Premise SYS Server" and "Premise SYS Monitor"
7. Double click the Setup.exe again and select repair. The install will now fully complete.

 

[JamesLewis]

Thanks work2play,pete and others. Sound like UPB is the way to go just some final questions. Can UPB be prrogramed to turn lights on from a door open trigger event if certian conditions are met eg turn the lights on if its after 5pm ?

After that I guess i better spec out my lighting path and work out how much this is going to cost me

 

[pmb1010]

The install will now fully complete.

Edit.. never mind. got it working. needed to start those 2 server services, then it saw "local' and am configuring it now...


I do get it installed but I cant import the zwave driver. Tells me the expiration time limit is past due entering the activation code