Relays (ELK) - What other uses besides sprinker and garage doors

[personalt]

I have a single zone sprinkler system(I live in an area between hard core city and the burbs), it services my 10'x10' patch of grass and the flower beds.
The controller that the previous owner installed is dead so figured I would hook up to ELK. I can then do some timers via CQC

I a wondering if I should get the expansion board. I figured I would wire up my one zone sprinkler valve and down the road wire up my garage door opener. We had an issue last year where my wife drove away and left the stupid door open.

But what other good reasons can i find to justify the expansion board?

 

[personalt]

I have a single zone sprinkler system(I live in an area between hard core city and the burbs), it services my 10'x10' patch of grass and the flower beds.
The controller that the previous owner installed is dead so figured I would hook up to ELK. I can then do some timers via CQC

I a wondering if I should get the expansion board. I figured I would wire up my one zone sprinkler valve and down the road wire up my garage door opener. We had an issue last year where my wife drove away and left the stupid door open.

But what other good reasons can i find to justify the expansion board?

Already thought of two other uses....

**my HVAC system Tekmar is awesome but not really automation friendly. However, they have a remote switch that can be used to change the setting from home to away etc. Would be nice to put AC in away mode when we leave and arm the alarm. That might use two relays.

**Door release
.
Guess I am getting the expansion board. Might have to start thinking about a bigger can after I try and jam this, the ethernet module and a serial module to control my lights in there.

 

[wuench]

• Landscape lighting
• Pool pumps
• Fountains

 

[sic0048]

Turning speakers on/off around the house that are used for annoucements - allows me to turn off speakers when needed at night, nap times, etc, etc, etc.

 

[Steve]

Strobe light, garage door opener, pool valves...

 

[AceCannon]

strobe light
turn off/on Elk announcement speakers
cooling fan on top of my rack and in closet wall
electric doorstrike
garage doors

 

[Lagerhead]

- Garage door open / close / RF lockout
- HVAC heating / cooling changeover
- Webcam "alarm trigger" (for specific PTZ presets)
- Trigger a burglar zone via a rule (should not have to use hardware for this)
- Activate external sounder on some alarm conditions

 

[mustangcoupe]

Halloween props
resetting devices (HA server, wifi router, etc...)

 

[tmbrown97]

I'm the last one to recommend anything other than "going big", but if you're only looking at 2-3 uses, keep in mind the panel has like 7 voltage-only outputs directly on the board that can be interfaced directly with relays. Otherwise, there's the M1RB and even the M1XOVR if you really wanna get fancy. Today I have one of each just dedicated to my garage!

 

[Sacedog]

I have both of our fireplaces hooked up to relays on the Elk too.