Newbie from NJ

[linuxha]

Hello from NJ, I wrote a book on home automation (Linux Smart Home Automation For Dummies). I'm here to learn more about home automation (a book doesn't make me an expert). I've already picked up Dan (electron)'s "Wiring your new house 101.zip" (thank you). My setup consists of X10 and Insteon, lots of serial ports, IR, digital and analog I/O and other items of control (a lot of other stuff). The software is Misterhouse under Linux. I have an EET degree and I program. I'm a DIY'r but I'm trying to learn a lot more about HA. I'm also trying to put together a presentation for various PC user groups and hopefully the Trenton Computer Festival in April. My wife is happy with the automation (when it works and it's working better). She is even suggesting things to automate as long as I keep to a high SAF (spouse acceptance factor).

Right now I'm just beginning to realize the extent of what I don't know about security systems, entertainment systems and mid to high end systems. So I'm here to learn. I'm actually not sure where to start but I've got about 140 slides for my presentation.

 

[roussell]

Welcome to Cocoontech Neil! I have your book, and even though I don't run Misterhouse anymore; I still use Linux all through the house and your linuxha site has been very beneficial to me. I think you'll find that the members here are a lot like the ones on the MH list - they're extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to help out.

Terry

 

[TeleFragger]

what parts of NJ?
I am down here.. down south.. right outside of Philly...


ya got insteon working... NICE... im going to get mine up and running....

I am running x10 and gonna start insteon... and maybe z-wave down the line....

 

[DJK]

Neil,

Welcome to cocoon. I'm just getting into HA myself and this forum has TONS of great information. A very lively and welcoming community.

Enjoy!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Welcome to CT. Take a look at our "How-To" forums, especially the one on installing a security system. That will get you started with the physical running of wires and sensors. The Elk M1 Gold is the security system of choice for DIY types, especially when wanting home automation integration with it.

 

[TeleFragger]

Welcome to CT. Take a look at our "How-To" forums, especially the one on installing a security system. That will get you started with the physical running of wires and sensors. The Elk M1 Gold is the security system of choice for DIY types, especially when wanting home automation integration with it.

hmm maybe I should look at that too!!!!! :lol:

 

[linuxha]

Welcome to Cocoontech Neil! I have your book, and even though I don't run Misterhouse anymore; I still use Linux all through the house and your linuxha site has been very beneficial to me. I think you'll find that the members here are a lot like the ones on the MH list - they're extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to help out.

Thanks for buying the book!

I'll keep the linuxha site going for as long as possible (longer if necessary! :lol:. Right now I need to clean it up (not happening any time soon) but I also want to expand it a bit more. I just haven't quite figured out what yet. No Windows coverage as other sites handle that well enough. I'd love to get my hands on an ELK system but they're expensive (or I don't know how to start small with them).

BTW, if Wiley ever asks me to update the book out will come a lot of the X10, in will go the Insteon. I'll cut out a few sections of dangerous stuff that Wiley asked others to write for me such as the HVAC section (Chapter 12, section: Understanding the Linux DIY Zoning Project). I can't believe they did that! HVAC is a difficult subject and I'm no expert, too many people think that they can save money by just turning it off until they need it. My wife is guilty of this. My home has electric base board heating (split level). In unoccupied rooms my wife turns off the thermostats then she wonders why there is a wind when she heats the living room (the middle floor between the first and second floor). I've made suggestions but she doesn't like them (too ugly). It's also the reason I can't put solar on my home (panels would go on the front of the house - too ugly). Sometimes she's a blessing, keeping me from doing ugly and stupid things other times she can be a pain when she doesn't want to understand why something is that way. Ah, I'll keep her!

Oh, I'm going to build my own thermostats for each room. I can no longer get the Oullette X10 Thermostats and I haven't found any that work as well. The simple bi-metal thermostats I have now work well enough they're just as ugly as sin (from the 1960's). I like the PWM that Oullette used. It kept the house from dimming when a heater came on.

 

[DavidL]

Welcome to Cocoontech Neil! I have your book, and even though I don't run Misterhouse anymore; I still use Linux all through the house and your linuxha site has been very beneficial to me. I think you'll find that the members here are a lot like the ones on the MH list - they're extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to help out.

Thanks for buying the book!

I'll keep the linuxha site going for as long as possible (longer if necessary! :lol:. Right now I need to clean it up (not happening any time soon) but I also want to expand it a bit more. I just haven't quite figured out what yet. No Windows coverage as other sites handle that well enough. I'd love to get my hands on an ELK system but they're expensive (or I don't know how to start small with them).

BTW, if Wiley ever asks me to update the book out will come a lot of the X10, in will go the Insteon. I'll cut out a few sections of dangerous stuff that Wiley asked others to write for me such as the HVAC section (Chapter 12, section: Understanding the Linux DIY Zoning Project). I can't believe they did that! HVAC is a difficult subject and I'm no expert, too many people think that they can save money by just turning it off until they need it. My wife is guilty of this. My home has electric base board heating (split level). In unoccupied rooms my wife turns off the thermostats then she wonders why there is a wind when she heats the living room (the middle floor between the first and second floor). I've made suggestions but she doesn't like them (too ugly). It's also the reason I can't put solar on my home (panels would go on the front of the house - too ugly). Sometimes she's a blessing, keeping me from doing ugly and stupid things other times she can be a pain when she doesn't want to understand why something is that way. Ah, I'll keep her!

Oh, I'm going to build my own thermostats for each room. I can no longer get the Oullette X10 Thermostats and I haven't found any that work as well. The simple bi-metal thermostats I have now work well enough they're just as ugly as sin (from the 1960's). I like the PWM that Oullette used. It kept the house from dimming when a heater came on.

A thermostat for each room? I assume there is already a way to turn the heat on / off per room (as your wife has apparantly figured that one out ) For simplicity, consider a 1-Wire temp sensor in each room, and use the PC to send out commands to a suitable relay to turn the heat zones on / off. I would not recommend this strategy for areas that are in jeopardy of freezing (use a commercial thermostat there), but might be less expensive and provide for automation capability using the 1-Wire approach.

Welcome to cocoontech.

 

[linuxha]

what parts of NJ?
I am down here.. down south.. right outside of Philly...


ya got insteon working... NICE... im going to get mine up and running....

I am running x10 and gonna start insteon... and maybe z-wave down the line....

Hi TeleFragger, I'm in Central Jersey just above Rt 33 (8a on the Turnpike). They haven't turned it into Northern NJ yet (like Rt 17 up north).

Insteon is working well, lessons learned from X10 experience have helped with Insteon though Insteon does get around many of X10's problems by itself (but it's not perfect). I'm looking forward to getting a lot of their new hardware. I'm also busy automating my friends home with Insteon. It's working much better than X10 in his home and the new products have fixed a few of the holes in X10's product line (though Smarthome may have covered that with their X10 *Linc products). Right now I need to get some router bits and make some new face plates for my switches so I can mix the paddles, keypads and standard up/down switches around the house (we like wood).

I have one RS232 Z-Wave interface on Misterhouse, it's very much like an X10 interface (it's pretty stupid) but you can poll the Z-Wave device for it's status. Z-Wave seems very featureless (maybe that's because I don't have a manual for it). It does work. I may also end up wth an XTB X10 Transmission Booster to keep the X10 working with the Insteon. There are a few things that X10 has that Insteon doesn't. Also Misterhouse now has support for UPB and the Elk M1. Seems Misterhouse has things pretty well covered. :lol:

 

[linuxha]

Oh, I'm going to build my own thermostats for each room. I can no longer get the Oullette X10 Thermostats and I haven't found any that work as well. The simple bi-metal thermostats I have now work well enough they're just as ugly as sin (from the 1960's). I like the PWM that Oullette used. It kept the house from dimming when a heater came on.

A thermostat for each room? I assume there is already a way to turn the heat on / off per room (as your wife has apparantly figured that one out :lol: ) For simplicity, consider a 1-Wire temp sensor in each room, and use the PC to send out commands to a suitable relay to turn the heat zones on / off. I would not recommend this strategy for areas that are in jeopardy of freezing (use a commercial thermostat there), but might be less expensive and provide for automation capability using the 1-Wire approach.

Welcome to cocoontech.

Yes each room has a one of the old bi-metal thermostats for heating control. You can't go wrong with those. I'll be adding the 1-wire soon I have about 30 sensors. Hiding the wires will be fun (must keep a high [acronym="Spouse Acceptance Factor"]SAF[/acronym]). Later I'll build a micro controlled thermostat (either PICs or AVRs, I hope) because nobody sells nice programmable thermostats. We have a few Honeywell thermostats but they are too rigid for our needs. Don't worry I'll have a bi-metal thermostat in parallel setting the lowest acceptable heating point. Someday I hope to afford a nice ground source heat pump system. The duct work will probably cost us more than the actual system.

 

[linuxha]

Welcome to CT. Take a look at our "How-To" forums, especially the one on installing a security system. That will get you started with the physical running of wires and sensors. The Elk M1 Gold is the security system of choice for DIY types, especially when wanting home automation integration with it.

hmm maybe I should look at that too!!!!! :lol:

I just did a quick search and it looks like the ELK M1EZ8 would make a good starting point (within my budget).

 

[TeleFragger]

Welcome to CT. Take a look at our "How-To" forums, especially the one on installing a security system. That will get you started with the physical running of wires and sensors. The Elk M1 Gold is the security system of choice for DIY types, especially when wanting home automation integration with it.

hmm maybe I should look at that too!!!!! :lol:

I just did a quick search and it looks like the ELK M1EZ8 would make a good starting point (within my budget).

this is what I may start looking at also....

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

HERE is a comparison between the Gold and the EZ8. The big thing is there is no voice capability with the EZ8. Also, not sure what goodies would and would not work with the EZ8 in lieu of the Gold model.

 

[linuxha]

HERE is a comparison between the Gold and the EZ8. The big thing is there is no voice capability with the EZ8. Also, not sure what goodies would and would not work with the EZ8 in lieu of the Gold model.

Thanks, that made the comparison much easier. I'm not sure which one I want but I can now compare.