Kitchen counter LED endeavor

[pete_c]

Kitchen counter LED endeavor

I am a bit hesistant to post pictures here as I do not want to lose this post. Note too this is what I did with current electrical infrastructure. Tried to post in blog section and security prevented the posting the post.


First attempt in the Kitchen due to WAF.  Over the years have tested under kitchen cabinet LED lamps in the garage and basement.  One used 120 VAC hockey puck style LEDs and the other wasn't LEDs rather it was gas filled 12VDC tubes.  Both tests had the lamps on 24/7 for 2-3 years.


This endeavor used a small footprint 120VAC to 12VDC LED power supply inside of the metal  4 X 4 box with a single metal duplex mudplate.  The power supply was switched at the light switch box using a Leviton decora style double paddle switch with a short depth.


You can now today purchase a combo LED 12VDC or 24VDC power supply with on off and dimmer built in for around ~$100 from SwitchEx.

The Leviton decora switch was around $10.


DIY'd aluminum LED light strip diffusers.  Power using standard barrel connectors.


Got in to looking at the color of the lighting whether warm at ~ 3000k or cold at around 5000k, density or lumens per foot and power consumption.  DIYing the diffuser with snap in mounting clips allows for easy change in color.


Added modular piece in line for automation.  IE: it works with or without the automation piece.  Sandbox testing.


In a small project box installed a Sonoff SV WiFi board and analog 12VDC dimmer board and dial.  The Sonoff board with updated firmware from Spain called ESPURNA  version 1.13.1.  The firmware talks Mosquitto and controls the tiny relay and GPIO ports on the board.

Hardware list:


1 - Leviton Decora style double paddle.

2 - Aluminum LED strip tracks with diffusers

3 - LED light strip on a reel.  Pick your color and density.


4 - SonOff SV - optional

5 - analog 12VDC dimmer board / potentiometer - optional

6 - small plastic project case - 4" X 2" X 1" optional


Steps:


1 - ran two wires 14 guage, white and black from overhead ceiling can to wall switch box ~ 16 feet or so to supply power to LED power supply

2 - ran two 16 guage wires out of box, red and black to under cabinet via a 1/2" hole in drywall fishing the wire with coat hanger about 2 feet or so. Put a female barrel connector at the end of the wire and mounted it on a small plastic plate.

3 - connected Leviton paddle switch, 12VDC LED power supply and 12VDC barrel connector in wall under kitchen cabinet.

4 - test connected LED light spool for color and density.  Here chose 3000k with a density of 72 lumens per foot.

5 - cut and joined two aluminum LED tracks and diffusers to extend light track the entire length of over the counter kitchen cabinets.

6 - The LED tape uses double stick tape.  Peeled off cover and fixed the LED strip to the entire length of LED track cutting it at the end of the aluminum track.  Installed the diffuser.  It just slides on the aluminum track.  Test connected it to 12VDC.

7 - Fixed aluminum track bracket clamps to wood.  Very tiny and probably most difficult piece here.

8 - Snapped LED aluminum track in to place.


Optional automation pieces.


1 - updated firmware on Sonoff SV using JTAG connections (3.3 VDC, RX, TX and Ground). You can utilize Arduino IDE in Windows, Linux or iOS or ESP easy in Python.   After initial firmware upload you can utilize OTA to update the firmware.

2 - soldered 12 VDC input wires and 12VDC output wires and in and out dimmer wires to pot.  Used hot melt glue to fix the Sonoff SV board and dimmer circuit board to small project case.  Installed potentiometer to lid of project case.

3 - configured SonOff SV relay to remember last switch position or just auto magically power on with 12 VDC power.

WAF - 10/10
 

 

[mdesmarais]

That Sonoff stuff looks very interesting!

 

[pete_c]

The Sonoff board is basically an Arduino connected to a Wifi chip with exposed for tinkering GPIO ports, relay(s), et al.
 
You can purchase these for as little as $4.00.
 
The Sonoff basic in the garage replicates the OmniPro alarm panel stuff.
 
Functions as:
 
1 - NC/NO for Garage door when down - one reed switch used and wired to Sonoff
2 - NC/NO for Garage door when up - one reed switch used and wired to Sonoff
3 - GDO button
4 - DS18B20 temperature sensor
====================================================================
 
Total cost is:
 
Sonoff - ~ $4.00
Reed sensors - $3.00
1-wire temperature sensor - $1.00
============================
Total ================= $8.00 for a multiple function automation switch.
 
You can add power draw to the arduino base if you want.
 
You can power them via 120 VAC or 12 VDC....relay can control 120VAC or low voltage.
 
This is all sandbox tinkering using WiFi for automation.   The Sonoff's are tiny Arduino based computers.  They sell glass covered touch wall switches which have a smaller footprint than a UPB switch (1" depth) and can be modified via JTAG or OTA to talk Mosquitto.
 
You can password protect the web interface and use SSL for transport.
 
 
 
It is mounted over the garage door opener.  You can access it's functions directly via the browser interface  with computer, tablet, cellular phone.
 
And you can have it talking Mosquitto to replicate in put and out put functions.
 
Here is a picture of the modified SonOff wifi basic module.  Note here put a heat sink on the temperature sensor for ambient temperature.
 


Web interface used for OTA firmware update, labeling, NTP (time) static IP address, sensors connected et al. Whatever Arduino stuff you can fit to 1Mb of space.
 

 
Modifications are to tap in to GPIO ports and 5VDC and 3.3VDC. IE: you can connect a microwave or PIR sensor to the board adding these functions to the multifunctional GDO stuff done. 


 

 

 
 
 
 

 

[mdesmarais]

thanks for the info- Yeah, those price points are kind of amazing... we'll see if I get the tinkering bug this winter!

 

[pete_c]

Personally (not sure that it will every happen) would like to see a modular automated switch that would have these features...
 
1 - analog toggle, decora toggle, glass touch in the front
2 - back modular X10, UPB, Insteon, ZWave, Zigbee and Wifi
3 - back modular Wifi, Wired ethernet, serial transport, powerline or a combo of all.
 
4 - energy monitoring, web interface, ssh/telnet et al
 
Well a little computer the size of a wall switch.

Or maybe a box o 50 automated switches, controller et al for $99.00.
 
Maybe this is just wishful thinking.

 

[mdesmarais]

That's a lot of flexibility... almost always pay extra for that. Also if you are switching high current AC, you will have to pay for that. I don't think you will ever see a box of 50 for $99. I'd be happy if I could buy an insteon type switch for $10-15. With working local buttons. ;-)
 
Found out that Housebot has some support for MQTT, so will definitely pursue this.