Simple home automation setup

Hi,

I'd like to set up my outdoor lights to turn on at dusk (at a variable time) and turn off at around 1am or so. There are three light fixtures controlled from a wall switch. I'm wondering what X10 products are recommended to do this kind of setup (and where they can be purchased reasonably cheaply). Thanks in advance for any replies. Pointers to any web pages with helpful info would be appreciated also - I've never had much exposure to home automation stuff, and a friend said that X10 products would be a good way to accomplish what I'd like to do.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Andy Simms

Reply to
Andy Simms
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They also make a pc interface with a free Activehome software. It can calulate sunrise and sunset on a daily basis. You can write a program to turn the lights on and off based on sunset and 1am.

Reply to
Brett Griffin

Hi,

This is kind of what I was thinking of. I've browsed through the X10.com website, but it's not that easy to figure out what components work with the software, and what items are needed to get things to work. Is there a FAQ somewhere for X10 products? Also, is X10.com the cheapest/most reliable source for these products, or are there resellers? I've checked eBay, and it seems that there are a lot of X10 products there for much less than the X10 website.

Andy Simms

Reply to
Andy Simms

Take a look at

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You need an X10 wall switch to replace your existing switch, an X10 timer to turn them off at 1am and an X10 Sundowner to turn them on at dusk. This is a minimum configuration. Look at their product line and you'll see other ways that also give you more functions. Enjoy the exploration and ask away if you have more qestions.

From:Andy Simms snipped-for-privacy@home.invalid

Reply to
BruceR

Be a bit careful if you try Active Home Pro (I'm not sure the original Active Home is still available)

See

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and the bug reports section. There seems to be many folks that have had a lot of problems with AHP

You can also checkout

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has a similar controller, but is said to be more reliable.

Be forewarned... Whatever approach you choose, you may need a phase coupler and/or noise filters too...

What the phase couple does, is (if you have 220 v power in the house) is transfer the x10 signals between the two 110v legs. If you have the modules and the controller on both legs (different circuits), without a coupler, a module might not see the X10 command.

The noise filter(s) are for devices that may reduce or obscure the x10 signal. I good example is a PC with a cheap power supply

Reply to
AZ Woody

It's hard to beat X10's prices when you consider the free shipping they offer. If all you want to do is operate the one porch light switch you need nothing more than what I posted earlier. If you want to get into some more advanced control, the ActiveHome controller package is a good start. You'll still need the switch and either a Sundowner or another light sensing unit.

From:Andy Simms snipped-for-privacy@home.invalid

Reply to
BruceR

I agree. I think this is an ideal job for a Sundowner and a mini timer. IIRC, they both have more signal strength than CM11A-based controllers and both are more reliable because they are simpler.

The Sundowner will track daylight (and full eclipses!) without having to implement macros or any kind of control program. The minitimer would shut the lights off late at night, as the OP requested, (which the Sundowner wouldn't) and could even turn them off within a randomized time window with their "security mode." The stronger signal and lack of need for AHP or some other program with this method means it's likely to be very reliable. The minitimers have battery backups, too.

If he wanted to expand to motion sensing, that could be easily accomplished with Eagle Eyes and a TM751 RF transceiver. In a house without a repeater or coupler, CM11As are getting to be more and more problematic.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

time) and turn off at

When you say "variable time" what exactly are you thinking off? Do you want to have them come at different times to avoid looking mechanically timed or are you concerned with the common problem of summer lites working from a winter time schedule and vice-versa?

If you just want "ON" times to follow dusk, then this is what you need:

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Save 40% on Mini Timer Controller and Lighting Control Kit Order Today, Get a FREE Sundowner! Save $20! - 1 day left!

Use this:

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to knock some money off if you want to but additional, non-sale items like a wall switch.

Hell, it's so cheap *I'm* going to buy the kit!

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

Both, actually. As a follow-up, I looked into using X10 equipment, but stumbled upon a timer at Home Depot that suits my needs perfectly. It's an Intermatic EJ500 wall-switch timer

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that automatically adjusts for changes in sunrise/sunset and can be programmed separately for each day of the week.

For $30CDN, I think this was the simplest way to put the lights on a dusk-to-1am schedule.

-Andy Simms

Reply to
Andy Simms

I honestly had no idea that a wall-switch timer that met my requirements even existed - I just happened upon it while browsing at the local Home Depot. The timer I found not only automatically adjusts for changes in sunrise/sunset over the course of the year, it also automatically adjusts for DST and has a "random" function that shifts the on/off times by up to twenty minutes to avoid making the lights look 'automated'.

In any event, I'm glad to have looked into the X10 stuff, but I think it's just too complicated for what I was looking for.

Reply to
Andy Simms

stumbled upon a timer at

automatically adjusts

dusk-to-1am schedule.

I'd have to agree, particularly if you didn't have any other use for X-10 technology in the house. Wall switch timers sure have come a long way since the last time I looked at one! Thanks for the follow-up lettting us know how you solved the problem.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

just too complicated

The Intermatic really seems to be ideal for the job. Don't ever lose the manual, though! Programming that sucker looks every bit as complicated as X-10! I'm glad to see they added a latitude adjustment. I assume you chose "North" - eh?

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

Actually, programming was pretty simple, actually. It only took me about ten minutes to enter in the date, time, location (yes, "North"), and an adjustment for the sunset/sunrise times. The default sunset/sunrise times were about an hour off, but that's to be expected. It doesn't get really dark here until after 10:00pm this time of year (the down side is that in December, it's pitch black by 5:00pm).

In any event, I highly recommend the Intermatic EJ500 for anybody wanting to automatically turn on their outside lights when it gets dark, and turn them off at a pre-set time.

-Andy Simms

Reply to
Andy Simms

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