Automated Home Forums

Automated Home Forums http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/ On the web since 1996, Automated Home is the centre of the UK Smart Home community. Our most popular features are the regularly updated News Section, Reviews, Wiring Guide, Mailing List and these Forums - www.AutomatedHome.co.uk en Sat, 19 May 2012 08:49:43 GMT vBulletin 30 http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/images/misc/rss.jpg Automated Home Forums http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/ Uk style momentary wall switches! http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3376&goto=newpost Fri, 18 May 2012 15:16:41 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quinten (Post 16457)

Can I ask how they 'feel' when you press them? Do they require much force to press, or are they light? Do they make any noise when you press them?

I found the MK grid switches I have to heavy to push, and the ones I now have from Crabtree look horrendous.

Hi quinten,

I would say they are as close in feel to a standard on/off switch as you can get! The only point you notice a difference is when they spring back at you! The old clipsal ones were also very stiff to the point you almost had to lean your weight in against them to switch them on/off

Sound? Not sure how I would describe it except that it wasn't something that struck me at all until you brought it up which prob means they sound normal I suppose! What I would do before taking the plunge perhaps is just order a sample switch and plate etc!

Regards
Eamon ]]> General Discussion Wexfordman http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3376 X10 troubleshooting http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3390&goto=newpost Fri, 18 May 2012 13:30:17 GMT With regard to the random switching on and off of lights, I managed to solve the problem by using different addresses. I had it set up like this:... With regard to the random switching on and off of lights, I managed to solve the problem by using different addresses.

I had it set up like this:
Living room light: A3
Hall light: A4 (with two motion detectors transmitting on A4)

It seems that sometimes the living room was picking up an A3 from one or both of those motion detectors.

I changed to this:
Living room light: A4
Hall light (and motion detectors): A15

All seems to be fine now.

Thanks again for all the advice! ]]> X10 beev http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3390 New here on the forum! http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3393&goto=newpost Thu, 17 May 2012 13:24:21 GMT Welcome Nickolaus. M. Welcome Nickolaus.

M. ]]> General Discussion Otto-Mate http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3393 <![CDATA[Light On Dimmer Won't Turn Off]]> http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3391&goto=newpost Thu, 17 May 2012 07:24:48 GMT Some sort of Reflex issue might be implicated if the module switched the light on only when network power was applied but in the case of the QLD... Some sort of Reflex issue might be implicated if the module switched the light on only when network power was applied but in the case of the QLD network power is required to drive the electronics which control the output via optoisolators. So suggests leakage in one of the output components. ]]> Idratek Karam http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3391 Humidity sensor http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3392&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 16:13:51 GMT Came across this while I was looking for a suitable temp sensor for a R-Pi based heating control system. ]]> General Discussion toscal http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3392 Cortex PC power down options http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3364&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 10:40:27 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viv (Post 16441)

An update for Marcus.

In the next version (26) of Cortex, the API will accept a command to 'Anaesthetise'.
This will shut the network down, save database and then close Cortex.

We will supply a program that can be executed (Anaesthetise.exe) that then communicates with the Cortex API and causes the shutdown.

Viv

Wow, fab for taking this into the the Suggestion Box and executing so quickly on this!

Cheers Viv. ]]> Idratek marcuslee http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3364 Cortex PC suggestion http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3137&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 10:39:37 GMT ---Quote (Originally by marcuslee)--- Hi Guys, Just as a follow up, the above is NOT a good solution for Cortex. Upon real life testing (ie un...

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcuslee (Post 16270)

Hi Guys,

Just as a follow up, the above is NOT a good solution for Cortex. Upon real life testing (ie un anticipated power drops to a production network!), it seems that the USB module interrupts the PCU USB. What results is that some time after the reapplication of power, the USB serial disappears from Device Manager.

Naturally though, the built in BIOS option listed in the thread is a nicer solution.

Hi All,

Follow up to my follow up, turns out it does actually work ok. The problem in my case was that when power was dropped, the dock station would drop out as well and as it happens, that's where the PCU was homed to! ]]> Idratek marcuslee http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3137 xAP Hub for Linux (Archlinux) http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3387&goto=newpost Sat, 12 May 2012 10:04:40 GMT Yes and yes. The wintel viewer on same said box is showing all of the messages. I have 6 individual xAP applications running on one wintel... Yes and yes.

The wintel viewer on same said box is showing all of the messages.

I have 6 individual xAP applications running on one wintel box. 5 are just 1-wire multiple sensors. The one that is sending automation commands is not getting to the Arch Linux box and it is using a different broadcast address. I read somewhere though that Linux doesn't hear it anyways. I've tested the viewer on a few of the wintel boxes and can get all of the device broadcasts on some and not on others. I am thinking (and maybe I am totally wrong here) of installing an xAP hub on the Archlinux box.

I haven't tried yet to rebroadcast the message with the viewer; it is short. I have though done a comparison in response speed relating to a test just using a W800 X10 repeater. It is as quick as a direct connect to the HA server.

Pictures are of the legacy setup and migration over to the Seagate dockstar running Archlinux and touchscreen of the application running on the Archlinux box.

IE: I currently have my Sprinkler system configured with 2 Rain8 nets directly connected to the Archlinux running dockstar. I am inputing weather information (both internet and live) via xAP to the Dockstar.

I have multiple devices hooked up to the wintel mothership (house is a sandbox - so have UPB, Z-Wave, X-10 and Insteon running). I only test the sprinkler solenoids in the spring and fall here and typically use an old X10 palm pad to turn on and off the solenoids.

I circumvented the issue by running another instance of another xAP program to get the broadcasts over to the Archlinux box; which works fine but makes my automation server run another application which it really didn't need to do.

The final goal though isn't related so much to the Archlinux sprinkler system but rather a few of the Jogglers running xAPFlash interfaces to the HA mothership.

I am very impressed with the response times showed to the xAP messages to and from each device on the network.

Historically always used xAP for just listening to the broadcast device (weather) but not so much for the back and forth messaging.

Here's a picture of my Archlinux / Dockstar / Rain8 dot net in the "Rainbird" box. The touchscreen has gone from a 7" 16:9 resistive to a 4:3 resistive and now maybe going to a 16:9 Joggler capacitance instead. I have two more cat5 cables running into the box where as I could connect a 1-wire 9097 / Temp0X directly to the box and run it on the Archlinux OS; but I would rather just use xAP.

Attached Images

	Garage-1.jpg (56.8 KB)
	Dockstar.jpg (44.4 KB)
	TS-1.jpg (75.6 KB)

]]> xAP pete_c http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3387 Motion detector fiddly bits http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3389&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 09:27:52 GMT Thanks, I'll give it a try! ]]> X10 beev http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3389 <![CDATA[CM15Pro & Shion software]]> http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3374&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 09:09:12 GMT Don't have a MAC ]]> X10 toscal http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3374 iSmart http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3381&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 07:50:11 GMT This is a very good development, I think. As far as I can tell, iOS integration has so far only been possible if you have a computer running on... This is a very good development, I think.

As far as I can tell, iOS integration has so far only been possible if you have a computer running on the same wifi network as your mobile device and connected to your home automation system. This gateway seems to negate the need for having the computer on all the time.

I just wish it was available for X10 instead of PLCBus! ]]> General Discussion beev http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3381 Is x10 right for me http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3268&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 07:41:39 GMT I've been using X10 as I'm a beginner and it's probably the simplest and cheapest system to start fooling around with. However, it definitely does have its shortcomings and PLCBus seems a lot more attractive when you start getting into slightly more complex systems.

PLCBus units are a bit more expensive, but it's probably worth the extra if you can afford it and if you plan to do anything more than the most simple automation.

Having just wired my new flat for X10, I might have to look into these X10/PLCBus gateways. ]]> X10 beev http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3268 DIN Mounting / Enclosures http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3382&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 05:55:08 GMT Hi Allan, Any chance of some pics of your setup? Paul Hi Allan,

Any chance of some pics of your setup?

Paul ]]> Idratek Paul_B http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3382 xAP Weather Schema Schema add change request http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3300&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 20:45:30 GMT Hi Kevin, Cumulus already supports these readings from Davis Vantage weather stations and hopefully steve can add this to Cumulus xAP output. ... Hi Kevin,

Cumulus already supports these readings from Davis Vantage weather stations and hopefully steve can add this to Cumulus xAP output.

UV Index

Range 0.0 to 16.0

Resolution 0.1

Solar Radiation

Range 0 to 1800

Resolution 1

Units W/m²

Thanks Brian ]]> xAP scrapit85 http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3300 Zwave HA for sale http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3388&goto=newpost Mon, 07 May 2012 13:38:43 GMT Hi Glen,

Nice selection of stuff for sale however you would be better listing it in the 'For sale' forum section.

Good luck with the selling! ]]> Z-Wave bailers http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3388