Home automation

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
i just purchased a couple z-wave elv dimmers. hfs, i gotta sell some stuff.
 

hotsauce

Well-Known Member
Closing on a new apartment in a month and starting to think about "smart" home stuff. I really just want the ability to control the HVAC when away and allow remote access to the apartment for guests occasionally. I'll add on switches, etc as necessary over time but other peripherals don't seem worth it yet.

My current wish-list is below. Does anyone have experience with these or competitors that are better?
  • Wink Hub 2
  • Kwikset Z-Wave deadbolt - Wanted to use Schlage but the apartment has two front doors (one on each floor) and I want the same keys for everything without hiring a locksmith.
  • Ecobee3 - x2 for 2 zone HVAC (is this worth it over the Ecobee 3 lite?)
  • Netgear Orbi 2200 - apartment is a steel and concrete duplex and I'll need great coverave since we're planning on ditching cable
  • Echo dot
Edit: I'm not really considering anything made by Google/Nest since Google is horrible about updating products over time and Nest x2 is $100 more expensive than Ecobee x2.
 
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rlb

Well-Known Member
My ecobee has been great since I installed it, no troubles at all. I don't use the app as much as I thought I would, but it's nice to occasionally remember to set the temp on the way home if we've been out all day on a weekend. Otherwise, the scheduling does it's thing and it'll sense when we're home/not home despite the schedule and adjusts accordingly.

In terms of hubs and other peripherals I've stuck with insteon. I have a handful of light switches, a fan controller for the bedroom, and a bunch of leak sensors (under the sinks, in the laundry room, next to the sump pump). The hub allows for scheduling lights on/off (outdoor lights and front entryway go on at dusk) and I have the living room light linked up to my harmony remote so I can turn that on/off when vegging in front of the tv. The fan controller is nice, as I can adjust that using the phone from bed. However the app (android) logs in every time you open it, which takes too long.
 

hotsauce

Well-Known Member
@rlb, thanks. I have no outdoor space or basement so not as much real estate to cover. I didn't think of leak sensors under sinks. I'll add them to the long list for later on.

The Insteon hub looks little behind the other guys if starting new at this point. The Wink hub seems to support many more protocols which is what drew me to it.
 
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gtluke

The Moped
the english language is stopping me from having a good time searching google for this but I'm looking for a way to turn on my backyard lights from a place that's not the light switch.
Due to the way the back of my house is situated, putting a wired device near the back door is impossible. there are no walls, just a door and window.
BUT
Does someone make a smart light switch I can put where the current light switch is, and a wifi/cordless REMOTE I can stick somewhere that I can tap a button, hit a switch, whatever to turn on the lights.
I know I can do it with google home, but maybe I'm an old person but talking to my appliances just seems weird to me. I'd just like to tap a button please.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Not sure what the range is, but I have this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087EIDRS/

I bought it because my garage is a mess, and walking out there to plug in/unplug the xmas lights was annoying. So I put this on the outlet and can sit on my couch to turn the outlet on and off. Amazon is good at feeding my laziness.
 

taylor185

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
the english language is stopping me from having a good time searching google for this but I'm looking for a way to turn on my backyard lights from a place that's not the light switch.
Due to the way the back of my house is situated, putting a wired device near the back door is impossible. there are no walls, just a door and window.
BUT
Does someone make a smart light switch I can put where the current light switch is, and a wifi/cordless REMOTE I can stick somewhere that I can tap a button, hit a switch, whatever to turn on the lights.
I know I can do it with google home, but maybe I'm an old person but talking to my appliances just seems weird to me. I'd just like to tap a button please.
these work pretty well but the "remote" is your phone via the Wemo app: http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F7C030;jsessionid=205404287CCF388D0A79AE5A3196DADB/

also cool because you can easily set rules for auto on/off based on time, sunset/sunrise, etc.
 

gtluke

The Moped
these work pretty well but the "remote" is your phone via the Wemo app: http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F7C030;jsessionid=205404287CCF388D0A79AE5A3196DADB/

also cool because you can easily set rules for auto on/off based on time, sunset/sunrise, etc.
hmm not sure I want to use my phone either. Would love to slap a button on my way out the door to turn on the flood lights.
@JimN's solution may work if it was for a switch instead of a plug. And now I do see that those exist. Looks like I have to run a neutral wire to my switch box though. poop. Gotta see how the attic access is, might not be bad.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Insteon will do this. You need a hub, one of their switches, and the free app. You can also buy a remote and use that as well.
 

gtluke

The Moped
Insteon will do this. You need a hub, one of their switches, and the free app. You can also buy a remote and use that as well.
oh snap, I think this is it.
I'm super nervous about jumping in the light automation game right now, in 5 years when the industry is all settled seems like a better time but who knows...
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
I thought the same thing about 5 years ago. You can usually get some starter kits with a hub and a few other items. If you can wait a few days and pay shipping go to www.smarthome.com and it'll give you a popup to add your email address for a 20% off coupon
 

gtluke

The Moped
Walking to a light switch is healthy.

next time you're over I'll show you where it is. I considered moving it when I redid the kitchen but didn't. I'm not starting to regret it.
one day my wife will fall down the stairs turning the backyard lights on.
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
next time you're over I'll show you where it is. I considered moving it when I redid the kitchen but didn't. I'm not starting to regret it.
one day my wife will fall down the stairs turning the backyard lights on.

could be a good idea for improving balance
 

gtluke

The Moped

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I have stadium lighting in my yard so I can play fetch with my dog at midnight. So I need at least a 15amp switch.

i use a pizo-electric switch - where the receiver is wired outside a workbox in my attic, to control the christmas lights that plug into a second floor soffit receptacle.
the switch is self energized with the "snap" of on/off. range works fine at 40' through walls.
no hub, no wifi, no subscription.

similar to http://a.co/7l7WYZz

if the switch that you find won't handle 15 amps, just add a relay. cheap enough
 

jjmatthew95

New Member
Oh, I had crazy problems with the air and the temperature in the house. I also had to install a home automation system and control the temperature and humidity of the air. By the way, I installed a similar system that the guy above. It was unsuitable for my voltage due to the fact that I put a large load on the house. I had to install VFD to stabilize the voltage, I set the values I needed and everything was fine. I already thought that I would not solve this problem in any way, since there was no solution on YouTube, it's good that I have an uncle who is a pro in this field. He quickly helped me find normal equipment
 
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