nayr's home automation build out...

[networkcameracritic]

You can use a ZWave setup like a Vera Lite from MiCasaVerde. You can setup ZWave light switches that carry out scenes. For example, you can have a series of light switches that control lighting, maybe one for watching a movie where it dims lights to 20%, closes curtains, turns on TV and DVD player, maybe another one for dinner that turns lights to 60% and turns fireplace on, one for breakfast that opens the curtains and turns lights off. For example, when I unlock the front the door, it turns a lamp on. If I'm watching TV and don't hear someone opening the door, I can visually see the light come on, then shuts off when it's locked. All this can be controlled from a smartphone through their app for IOS and Android. '

If you just want to control lighting from a phone, there's plenty of WiFi controllable light bulbs like the Philips Hue that even has an assortment of apps - http://www2.meethue.com/en-us/apps-more/apps-we-like/ I just prefer to go with something that's more comprehensive that works with lights, door locks, thermostats and such from one app.

I think the relay bit is quite cheap but I want the ethernet controller -I'm trying to figure out a way to rig up a lighting controller that works from an Android phone.
These are another device wit I/O ports
Here

View attachment 1663

 

[nayr]

I did a bunch more work to my system this weekend, started moving logic and automation over to a software suite called Domoticz, its very much like the software you find in VeraLite and other automation controllers.. very clean, fast and well designed software thats exceptionally easy to integrate with, oah and its open source and all coded in C++ so its exactly what Ive been looking for, ive tried several other OSS Automation controllers and they did not compare in quality.

I am able to create virtual switches and configure them to connect to a URL or run a script for the switch to go ON/OFF, and using json my remote beagles can update sensors and let the logic start to execute.

For example, to change my thermostat to 75 degrees I would simply request this URL:http://localhost:8080/json.htm?type=command&param=udevice&idx=24&nvalue=0&svalue=75

Screenshots:

 

[nayr]

forgot to mention that Domo has rudimentary IPCamera support, I configure the snapshot JPG URL's and then i can associate the camera with certain sensors, and then when notifications go out from those sensors they include a snapshot from the camera.. I am using it with a service called Pushover which lets me send notifications instantly to all my devices..

It also provides a Security Panel and security logic programing so it will become my security control system too, lots of work to do.

 

[Jim W]

Looks good
How many beagles do you have in your place?

I'm ust trying to figure out what devices I can get so I can have a doorbell chime in all my buildings running off the network.

 

[nayr]

I got two right now, one in the Garage doing sprinklers, garage door, rain sensor, garage temp, front door light, and car heater and some security sensors.

I am working on the one for the basement now, I'll post photos as I get further along.. Its going to monitor temp of 2 fish tanks, current sensors on washer/dryer/dish washer, bug zapper, server exhaust, and also have some more security (motion/door contacts) sensors.. I am waiting on a few parts to start bench testing it and finishing up code.

A series of scripts monitors the sensors and when there is a change they do a https json request to Domocotz to update status, there is also an https server running that you can post json updates to and change switches.

 

[Jim W]

Sounds complex to me
I like the Robot Electronics device as it has the inputs and outputs but it lacks internal processing power so to can't use it as a standalone device.
You can view the status of the inputs ie voltage from the analogue input or on/off on the digitals but it can't even handle an external on/off switch to trigger the relays-only a command via the network will trigger the relays

 

[nayr]

yeah it could be done simpler, but accessing gpio's in linux is pretty easy and having a full linux operating system and network connectivity on it lets me install apps and programing environments of my choice and then the sensors/io are very easy to wrap in a web server and then you get all the benefits of encryption tls authentication for security... It is then very easy to integrate whatever logic processing I want as all gpio's are now network controllable and readable.. Slap together some html with javascript and I can quickly make a web app where the browser queries various sensors and interacts with them directly, greatly reducing latency and increasing security. Integrating my existing controls with this automation logic control panel was a piece of cake because I am not locked into any vendors or technology.

I also have a shit ton of GPIO's and I can easily expand to hundreds of sensors/devices if I needed to while having plenty of processing overhead.. in the end its cheaper and more flexible, but yes its more complicated.

reasons why i choose beagle:

• Great Ethernet Performance
• Full Linux Environment of my Choice (ArchLinux Arm)
• Hardware Watchdog (reboot automatically if bug hangs hardware)
• Real Time Clock (can hardwire battery backup), keeps accurate timing.
• Onboard Storage, no micro-sd card for operating system
• Great Performance, well supported in linux.
• USB Console and USB Host Port
• Multitude of GPIO's for all sorts of use and microSD for extra storage if needed.

using a linux os lets me control watchdog, set time, connect to network and internet, run a webserver, perform certificate authentication, schedule events, and run all sorts of other software without writing a single line of code... A few lines of PHP and perhaps C or something else and a GPIO is controlled via web with almost no noticeable latency.

 

[nayr]

So I had to break down and design my own board for this project, the problem is multifactor:

• Need to Protect the GPIO Pins on BeagleBone from all sorts of bad things.
• BeagleBone only outputs 3.3v @ 6mA, not enough voltage to make it very far and not enough current to drive much.
• Home Security systems work off 12v logic levels @ 50mA to drive relays and send signals over long twisted pairs.
• Need to handle up to 12v signal inputs to handle switches/contacts/motion sensors at a distance.

So I created a board that does all the above, it uses OptoIsolaters that can run off 3-15V provide 50mA current.. Whatever I power them with is what is outputted, so I can power the board with 5v and get 5v outputs at 50mA or 12v and get 12v outputs at 50mA. The board can be switched around to take 12v/5v signals/inputs and output them at a safe 3.3v

Optoisolaters are basically LED's and a Light collector, you light up the LED and the collector completes the circuit.. since high and low levels are coupled with optics there safely isolated from eachother.. and the beaglebone only needs to output enough current to drive a LED to send a high level signal, so 6mA is more than enough.

I went through all sorts of iterations, with Relays and Mosfets and Transistors and Diodes and decided to settle on the OptoIsolator because its the most robust.

The board is basically an 8ch logic converter and IO isolator, nothing too fancy.. its got nice screw terminals to to wire into, I choose 8 channels because I am doing 24 inputs and 24 outputs in the main security panel and OSHPark who will fabricate my boards does them in batches of 3, so I will make 3 boards on the first run then if all goes well make 3 more on a 2nd run.. then maby 3 more in future for Garage BeagleBone to drive 16 outputs and 8 inputs or vice versa.

here is the current drawing and schematics, it will cost about $10 a board to fabricate and less than $10 to populate.. not exactly cheap but not bad either.
just a current revision, likely to change before I send them off to fab:

cant wait to put my reflow soldering oven back to use, but I used large surface mount and through hole components so its easy to do by hand.
dont let the image fool you tho, the board measures ~2x2.75in.

once I test it all out and it works to my expectations I will release the board, schematics and a bill of materials CC-BY-NC, basically meaning anyone can use it free for non commercial uses.

 

[nayr]

Ive got a full size elk security cabinet in my server room, the plan is to take a big piece of acrylic.. mount the beagle kinda in the middle with 3 boards on each side stacked on top of each-other.. so 24in on the left and 24out on the right.. might be a small proto board under the beagle with a few more headers broken out for serial and dallas 1-wire sensors.

I will stick the CuBox in the cabinet too, ive got a 5v 5A power supply that runs off 9-30v input that will be hooked to my big ass 60A 12v linear psu, eventually I will put couple golf cart batteries in my racks and a small solar panel on the roof and attempt to make my entire security system off the grid.. even the cameras

 

[Jim W]

Nayr that's all over my head but it looks great !

Can you knock up something similar to the Robot electronics device but slightly different and similar to the
http://www.controlbyweb.com/webrelay/ but cheaper !

 

[nayr]

those are pretty neat, but im looking at 24 outputs not just one at a time

so after all that work and a good rest my google foo was on the mark and I think the board I posted above is going into the archive.

I stumbled across this: http://www.ezsbc.com/index.php/featured-products-list-home-page/ls2.html#.VGnRCVfF-FM
which does pretty much what im looking for, its much cheaper... wish id of found it sooner.

 

[nayr]

Here is betaBone, the beaglebone in the garage with an OpenSprinkler carrier board.

this is kinda temporary, it will all go into a nice locking box when done.. but what you see so far:

Red/White Pair - Rain Sensor
Green/White Pair - Onboard Relay to trigger Garage Door
4 Wire Ribbon cable - Temperature and Barometer
Big Green - Sprinkler Common
Assorted Colors on Bottom - Sprinker Zones 1-8 (Ive actually got more zones, some doubled up.. I will get an expander eventually)

Eventually the betaBone will get:

• 8in/8out 12v IO's for turning on/off stuff in garage and some hardwired security sensors (glass break/door contacts)
• GPS Receiver to provide local Stratum 1 NTP Server.
• Serial Connection to an OpenEMon device to monitor hole house power usage.
• 8 Zone Irrigation Expander, with extra outputs for Greenhouse/Garden expansion.
• Nice Locking Plastic Enclosure w/internal GFCI outlet

More Details: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e5qwuGchTx6Yto0kveV828DSeQRBCd38ZO4KTEHXZIY/pub

 

[nayr]

Today I wired the Mailbox to the Z-Wave network, my automation controller then sends my PTZ a command to change to preset #7 which is setup to zoom in on the mailbox.. Ive got some rules that push a notification to our phones the first time the mailbox opens up after 12-noon, that should be the mail being delivered.

I put the EcoLink Z-Wave Sensor in a plastic waterproof enclosure with a silica packet and mounted it to the bottom of the mailbox, eventually I will paint this black so its invisible. I did this to mount the sensor on the outside, clear away from the metal mailbox so it could get a good signal to my Z-Wave network inside.. The Sensor is safe from the elements in its enclosure, and I'll get a really nice lithium battery so it keeps working in the coldest temps.

The Z-Wave sensor can be hardwired to an external NC contact switch, for wiring leads I just used a solid twisted pair from some left over ethernet cable.. I think I'll go back in and put some wider metal foil tape over the wires, once I locate the roll. the wire comes out the bottom of the case and goes into a predrilled hole in the bottom of the mailbox.. A little glue helped seal the hole and maintain waterproofness, although likely not needed.

Once things continue to work reliably for a few days I will drill some holes in the mailbox and use some rivets to hold the contact in place and some locking bolts to hold the case to the underside of the chassis.

I am going to put a lil CCTV sticker on the inside of my mailbox door, so anyone opening it will see the contact, the decal and look right up into the camera before scattering

There is a slight delay in this setup, unlike my direct wired sensors.. but my PTZ is still fast enough to catch the person at the mailbox even if they open and close it really quickly.

Now I am basically going to do the same thing to any windows/doors that my PTZ can see, so it can watch all sorts of things out of view. The plastic enclosure I used for this is large enough to fit another contact switch, I am thinking a beam sensor for the driveway.

 

[nayr]

some updates, I wired my roof top Evaporative Cooler into my Z-Wave thermostat finally with this custom made apparatus hidden in the attic.

installed another beagle bone black in my aquarium, got a multi-channel LED light, plumbed it into a RO Water source and drain in the basement and wired in a few dosing pumps and cooling fans for a fully automated planted fish tank that changes its own water and doses its own nutrients. This was a MASSIVE project you can follow more closely here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=845170

 

[nayr]

and I abandoned the board I was working on earlier in this thread once I found this baby: http://weblightingcontroller.com/node/4

 

[catseyenu]

From this:

To this:

This isn't just tech cool, it's a work of love and art.
Thanks for the update!

 

[icerabbit]

Haven't been on ipct much recently (even though I've got a few things that I still need to sort out)

Just want to give Nayr a big :encouragement:
Love the mailbox idea.
And, your aquarium, plumbing plus automation ... way cool, and actually fantastic! :cool2:

My tank is/was (fish went outside into ponds) like analog from the stone age ... haha!

 

[nayr]

thanks, yeah the fish tank has been a journey and a lot of fun.. but after 3 months of working on it I am glad to be on the home stretch.

The mailbox sensor has been working perfectly, it survived the winter here no problem and has been 100% reliable.. Came in very handy with setting up the fish tank as I ordered alot of fish and plants off the internet; with our unusual weather this spring I could not let them linger outside at all.

Another thing I did was get a fake fire log, put it in my fire place and tie that up to the automation system.. when it gets below a certain temperature outside the fake fire turns on, above it turns off.. Ive also installed Z-Wave Dimmer Switches throughout most of the house and written alot of scripts to turn them on/off intelligently.

The Aquarium is right under the Door Bell Chime, here soon I am going to wire the door bell up through the aquarium controller to allow monitoring of that remotely.. just need to pull a few wires up the wall.

 

[icerabbit]

Another thing I did was get a fake fire log, put it in my fire place and tie that up to the automation system.. when it gets below a certain temperature outside the fake fire turns on, above it turns off.

O M G ... What a neat idea!

I have a couple of those standalone cold temp plug through wall socket warts that will turn on a lamp and maybe a small heater (would have to check the specs) but HA turning on a secondary and decorative electric heater is pretty neat idea I wish I had come up with

At some point I may dive deeper into HA with the insteon stuff I have. Too many other projects I need to finish before then. Plus I'm waiting a bit to see how Apple HomeKit is going to flesh out and hoping that the third party iOS app I use will get an update.

Keep up the great work! Love seeing the things you come up with and automate.

 

[kmatt]

This is great! I just ran across this while searching for the best alternative to the Hikvision 8 port poe NVR. The hardware seems pretty basic and I thought I would look to do something more powerful than the NVR without going to a full blown PC for the sake of saving power...

I had considered a Firefly development board like this http://www.amazon.com/Development-Rockchip-Cortex-A17-Processors-Bluetooth/dp/B00VGE1HZ6 but it lacks esata and USB 3.0.

The Cubox-I4x4 looks like it may be the better option.

Any thoughts? Also have you expanded your system any further?