Home Control

Overview

The system consists of a computer that controls the central heating system and several other circuits, used for switching lights on and off, controlling a semi Whole House Ventilation System. The computer also has inputs, these monitor room, and outside temperatures, humidity, extraction fan speed in addition outside light levels are monitored, there is spare capacity to add other devices. A WiFi connection allows me to control the system remotely.

Analog Outputs:

Heat Exchanger Fresh Air Fan Speed
Sentinel LED, Lounge Thermostat Housing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relay Outputs:

Garden Lights
Porch Lamp
Kitchen Light
Lounge Mirror Light
Bathroom Plant Light
Central Heating
Whole House Extraction
Heat Exchanger Fresh Air Fan Power
Loft Ventilation Fan Power
Backup Drive Power

 

 

Analog Inputs:

Lounge Temperature
Lounge Thermostat pot
Exterior Temperature
Exterior Humidity
Exterior Light Level
Loft Temperature
Heat Exchange Input Temperature
Heat Exchange Output Temperature
Extraction Fan Speed

 

 

 

Details

  • Old Sony Vaio LapTop .
  • Velleman K8055 USB Experiment Interface Board * 2., 8 Digital Outputs, 2 Analog Outputs, 2 Analog Inputs, 5 Digital Inputs per board.
  • Pico ADC16 8 channel A to D board * 1.
  • LM35cz Temperature sensors *5, LDR *1, Pot *1, Humidity Sensor HIH-3610 *1.
  • Software (written in Delphi).
  • Several 6 volt relays rated for 240v ac switching.
  • Plastic boxes for relays and power outlets.
  • Lots of cable.
  • The data collected by the sensors are displayed on screen and sampled once per hour (for exporting data), at the end of every day the data is stored to disk as a CSV comma separate file for importing to Exel etc.

 

 

hardware pic

 

 

 

The Interface Unit

Screen Shot of main page

 

Digital Output Boards

 

Circuit Details: Digital Outputs

ADC16 A to D card

 

Circuit Details: Analog Inputs

                           Android Home Control Remote APP, connected via WiFi

                                          Windows Home Control Remote APP, connected via WiFi

History

My original plan was to use an old Atari 400 to control the central heating as I could not find a commercial product that could handle the four week shift pattern I was working at the time. The Atari seemed an ideal machine, it has 8 analog inputs, it is small and it has no fan, Unfortunately one of the disk drives failed while writing the software and memory was starting to get tight so I decide to use an Amiga 500 instead. The software was written in Amos Basic and the system ran faultlessly for three years.

The big problem with the Amiga was there is no easy way of getting proper analog inputs, the analog joystick inputs do not like long cable lengths and you only have four inputs. In 1997 I decided to replace the Amiga with a PC built from bits and pieces I had in the loft.

*Latest

Linpicco (IST) Analogue humidity module http://cpc.farnell.com Humidity Sensor

 

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