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Home Automation Tips and Tricks Archive
October 1997

1. Items Required

• a. Digital light meter. (analog can be used if hooked to an analog capable sensor)
• b. Existing Home Automation System.
• c. Existing or planned arboretum/Solarium with lighting system as described below.

2. Many people with an arboretum, especially in northern climates find it difficult to maintain their plants in winter due to reduced sunlight. The tropical plants used in an arboretum are used to an unvarying environment in their natural habitat and are forced to adapt to less than ideal conditions in the home. A typical plant day in the tropics begins with gradually increasing, indirect light from a rising sun, a full day of direct sun interspersed by cloudy periods, and a gradual decline of light intensity as the sun sets. The total photoperiod on the equator, including pre-dawn and post- dusk, is about 14 hours. Contrast this with the cloudy, shortened days of winter in our northern climes and you can see why some plants simply are not at their best in winter. Existing lighting systems can help with the length of photoperiod but for full effect we must address the plants need for light intensity and graduation.

3. The first order of business is to connect the light meter to the home automation system. How this is done depends entirely on the system itself. Most manufacturers are more than happy to either sell you a light meter or help you connect one. The light meter should be digital and must be capable of sending a value, on/off meters won't do. Next you must program your system to accept the value from the meter and use it to control the lights. light intensity can be controlled in two ways. If you have incandescent lights in the arboretum, a dimmer will do nicely. The other alternative is to use multiple fluorescent fixtures each individually controlled where the number of fixtures on at any time will determine the light intensity. Graduation can be achieved by setting a specific light intensity that must be achieved at any particular time of day and having the lights make up the difference when the sun is obscured or sets too early late in the year. The light intensity should increase gradually at dawn and decrease gradually at dusk.

4. You should find that with, a good lighting system, this method will go a long way to giving you healthier, more vibrant plants year round in your arboretum. Try putting some bird cages or small animals in there as well, they will be more active and less nervous when exposed to a more natural photoperiod than is available in the house. Who knows, you might even find it more relaxing. Daniel G Van Koughnett also known as...

Havoc Lord High Priest Of VRAN Church Of The Benevolent Emu (alt.religion.vran)

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The Problem:

So you've automated your lights and appliances with X-10, and enjoy the convenience of bedside control, but you grasp for more automation and cringe when you see the price-tags of those high end PC based home automation systems.

==> I want to push a single button on my 4 channel bedside transmitter that will turn off all of my lights inside the house and turn on my outside lights.

==> I want to push a single button on my 4 channel bedside transmitter that will turn on some of my outside lights for only 15 minutes.

==> I want to push a button on my 4 channel in-wall transmitter to turn off the kitchen and family room lights and dim the dining room lights

==> I want the outside lights on at sunset every weekday until 11:30 p.m.

==> I want all the lights off every weekday morning at 8:30 a.m.

==> I want the TV off by 2:00 a.m. every day

The Solution: Timed Events: An inexpensive way to add timed X-10 features to your X-10 system is by using the X10 Powerhouse CP290 Home Automation Interface. This unit, available from Home Automation Systems, INC (www.smarthome.com) is only $39.99 and maybe even cheaper if you shop around. This is how you realize 7 day, 24 hour Timed Events.

Now, lets expand on what an 'Event' is:

Events (Macros) When I think of an event, I don't think of turning a light on or off; I think of 'controlling groups of lights or appliances' But how do you do this? Well, you could use a Macro controller for $75 available from (www.smarthome.com).

Using the two devices above, for about $110.00 you can add both 'timed events' and macros, but there is still a better, cheaper way.

The cheapest, most versatile way to realize timed events and macros:

For about $39.00, you can buy a kit from Weeder Technologies (513-752-0279) called the Home Automation Controller (WTHAC-K) which converts ASCII RS-232 commands to two-way X-10 signals for the TW-523 Power Line Interface ($17.00) available from Home Automation Systems, INC. Kits which do the same thing are also available through Home Automation Systems, INC., but they are more expensive.

Basically, all you need is a 'gateway' from your PC to the X-10 Power Line Carrier Interface. Then, you can write a simple basic program to:

Execute X-10 commands on certain days or dates at certain times (to realize timed events)

Execute X-10 commands in response to other X-10 commands (to realize macros)

Recommendation: If you do not wish to tie up a PC to perform your events and macros or you are not comfortable programming in basic, I recommend using the first solution The CP-290 ($39.00), a TW-523 ($17.00), and a Scene program module (HAS-1165 $75) Total price: $131.00 and very to use!!

If you like to tinker and remember how to program in basic, I recommend the latter solution from Weeder technologies: The WTHAC - K for $39.00 and the TW-523 for $17.00. Total price: $56.00 and very versatile!!

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I am new to home automation and I am not sure if this can be done but here goes.

'Canadian' Man's Best Friend As a maker of homemade beer, I have an annual challenge in the winter. The beer must remain at a fairly constant temperature during the primary and secondary fermentation. However, in the winter, we like to lower the thermostats while we go to work to save on heating costs. When I am finished researching X-10 solutions for my home I will be sure to include a small heater and an a X-10 compatible thermostat in the closet where I store my beer. This would allow me to keep the temperature constant and also slowly lower the temperature automatically as it gets into the latter fermentation stages. And for complete peace of mind, it should also send that all important pager call if the temperature goes to a critical stage.

Components: rough idea only and I welcome suggestions on the details... X-10 compatible thermostat. Appliance Module very small electric space heater Home PC with X-10 monitoring & controlling software & MODEM

Price: unknown

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I have the my pool filter / underwater lights on set up as a macro with a motion detector ( Without lights). Since a pool / Spa filter should run when swimming and we use our pool at different times I used an X-10 motion detector to send the signal to the ActiveHome software. When I go into the pool area it turns on the Pump and the underwater lights. The pump is wired through a 220v x-10 switch and the low voltage lighting uses the fluorescent light switch. With a time delay of 2 hours it turns the pump / light off approx 1 hour after we are done swimming. I also have a rain sensor which operates the power flash module. This disables the Pool filter daily operation ( Which I have found that it is useless to run the pool equipment during rain storms ). This same power flash module also disables the sprinkler system.

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I Wired a powerflash module across the terminals of the "Safety Electric Eye" which came with my new genie garage door opener. This is set to the code to operate a chime module centrally located in the house and turn on a light so I know that something or some one entered the garage even if I was out back and didn't hear the chime module.. Now when the garage door is open I am warned when someone walks into or drives into the garage. This has already saved me from locking the neighbors cat in the garage after mowing the back lawn and prevented some construction workers from "borrowing" a garden hose.

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