LMS: Home Automation

This has probably been discussed before, but I was hoping someone could help guide toward the best way to handle my situation. Here goes!

My new house is weird. Someone was maybe paranoid, or at least recognized that it is very dark around the house at night. For one of those reasons, or maybe one I didn't think of, there are large flood lights around the perimeter of the house. The issue is, the switch locations are all over the place, and strange.

For example, if I want to turn on the rear flood light and light up the back yard so I can see the dogs at night, I have to go up to the second floor and throw a switch in my master bedroom. Convenient, right?

In all, there are at least three flood lights on separate switches that I'd like to combine all into one. Short of rewiring, it looks like going with home automated, RF switches might be the way to go.

So, I'm looking for a smart switch that I can put by the back door that will have three or four buttons on it, allowing me to control each flood (slave smart switch?) independently, or have an "all on" option.

I'm having a hard time finding that sort of setup. Can anyone point me in the right direction? That will also lead me to the next part here.

Now, since I'm looking at going off the deep end with home automation, I want to make sure that I get something that I can expand (add garage door automation, thermostat, etc).

We have an Apple TV and iPhones, so I was initially thinking about Apple's HomeKit. That said, I'm already annoyed with Apple and I'm not married to using their system.

The house also has an older, wired alarm system with motion sensors, etc. I found a tutorial that showed how to incorporate the old system, using some hardware hacking, into a SmartThings system. I don't know that I would do this right away, but the idea intrigues me.

So, can someone point me to a smart switch system like I first described? Is there a particular protocol that I want to use to be able to expand into a system like Apple HomeKit or SmartThings?

Thanks!

I'm looking at the same thing (outdoor lighting)- I have an older solution that works when it wants to but I'd like to hear about reliable open hardware/protocols. I'd also like to expand it to other things like temperature and music just for the fun of playing around with it.

I've been wandering around here http://www.postscapes.com/internet-of-things-award/open-source/

An IoT Pi + some sort of wifi controller setup looks like it's what I want. Open source is important - I really don't want an off-the-shelf, internet connected smart device joining a botnet and bringing down world governments when all I asked it to do was make sure the porch light was off during the day.

Keep in mind there are two general categories of options and you'll have to choose one:

1. Consumer-grade IoT garbage that goes through the Internet for no good reason and is almost certainly riddled with security holes.

2. DIYing your own solution, as in Huckleberry's suggestion above. I strongly recommend this one even though it's a lot more work.

The Iris stuff, from Lowes, used to be great. They changed the system a couple of months back, and a lot of the older peripherals don't want to play nicely with the new hub, which kind of pissed me off. However, it should do what you want and is all controllable from a phone.

https://www.irisbylowes.com/

It is internet based and will cost a nominal fee per month, for access to the system.

GameboyRMH wrote: 1. Consumer-grade IoT garbage that goes through the Internet for no good reason and is almost certainly riddled with security holes.

From a "how much time and energy am I really going to focus on this" standpoint, I'm really looking at consumer grade solutions. I don't plan on having any of my locks hooked into the system. I'm looking at some lights, a thermostat, and maybe some motion detectors for fun (otherwise they are just really E36 M3ty night lights since I won't bother to take them down).

What about just making them motion-sensing?

Its a bit old school but I actually really love it. Walk up to your house at night, and boom, a light comes on to help you get the key in the door. Let the dog out the back and boom, light comes on.

Then pair them with LED bulbs so if they are coming on in the day you are not getting killed with electricity bills.

Super easy, mostly cheap.

Robbie wrote: What about just making them motion-sensing? Its a bit old school but I actually really love it. Walk up to your house at night, and boom, a light comes on to help you get the key in the door. Let the dog out the back and boom, light comes on. Then pair them with LED bulbs so if they are coming on in the day you are not getting killed with electricity bills. Super easy, mostly cheap.

I considered it, but we have a lot of tall trees, etc. The front has a motion light that just seems to be on 100% of the time if there is a hint of wind.

In reply to Gimp:

Adjust the sensitivity on the motion sensors...

Im following along as well. I have a couple motion ones that work just fine, but being able to remotely turn them on and off would be nice.

Lutron makes a switch, Radio RA. They are a liitle expensive once you figure in the all the equipment. Do you have access to the back of the exterior wall?

This system can be bought at Homie Depot.

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Products/Pages/SingleRoomControls/CasetaWireless/Overview.aspx

http://www.casetawireless.com/pages/support.aspx

MulletTruck wrote: Lutron makes a switch, Radio RA. They are a liitle expensive once you figure in the all the equipment. Do you have access to the back of the exterior wall?

Not exactly sure what you mean. The flood on the outside of the house is about 20ft up. The switch that operates it is on the inside wall of my bedroom, but not directly behind it.

This appears to be a solution, but I'll be damned if that's not an expensive light switch:

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-VRCS4-MRZ-Controller-Multi-Location-Capability/dp/B0032Z4M04

If I understand that correctly, it is wired in as a normal switch that can control the circuit it is attached to. In addition to that, it can control 4 "zones," which can all be other (expensive) switches.

Am I wrong?

I recommend not going the home automation route. Too many stories of manufacturers ending support and making the device useless. Plus many of them can't be used offline therefore connection goes down, you are out of luck.

If you go the motion sensor route get one that is in fact a occupancy sensor. The ones I have will stay on as long as someone is there whether they are moving around or not. I use them in the house and outdoors, they don't seem to be adversely affected by wind rain or snow. If I want to watch T.V. in the dark I can still shut it off at the switch.

The one I have now is an old X10 remote switch so it sends the signal over the power line. I have a switch that can be put anywhere - direct wired in place of another switch or just hooked to an extension cord and plugged in to any outlet. At the light end is a remote controlled relay with the same ID as the switch and it just sits there listening for the switch to tell it to go on or off.

Sometimes you have to flip the switch off/on a few times but it mostly works. I have a different setup for a different light with a switch in a odd location and that also mostly works.

I am going to replace them with a single, radio/wifi setup controlled here, by me, behind a firewall so no mothership in the mix. I haven't chosen yet - but I see it as a winter project that needs doing along with finishing the basement, being able to beautifully TIG aluminum, and mastering rhythm guitar.

Nest seems to be fairly compatible with devices with other manufacuturers

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-00HQxvSxkof/learn/what-works-with-nest.html

Disclaimer. We recently bought a home with a Nest thermostat already installed by the previous owners.

All I do know about it is that it links to our wifi, I can control it with my phone if I want to (like if its hot upstairs and I don't want to drag myself out of bed to adjust the thermostat), it emails me monthly statistics about our hvac system use. It probably does a bunch of other stuff I have not bothered to read up on, I just set a schedule manually and I haven't touched it since.

I cannot speak to the security of the system or its components (thermostat or otherwise), but I am hardly worried about someone cracking into my wifi and berkeleying with my thermostat.

I know the stuff is $$$, I highly doubt I would have spent the money and put a nest thermostat in myself but I guess its pretty cool. The growing compatibility with other products is intriguing to me. I found that article i linked only because i googled as a result of this thread.

I have a similar situation to Gimp. Several exterior floodlights with switches in different locations including one with the switch in the attached garage that has no access from inside the house.

I got several Heath Zenith wireless add-on switches. I put the remote switch part of them in the hall just off the living room ~10' from the front door. Easy to do since the remote part is battery powered and can be stuck anywhere with sticky tape.

Unfortunately they are no longer available. They work great and would like to get some more for other circuits in the house.

Hal wrote: I have a similar situation to Gimp. Several exterior floodlights with switches in different locations including one with the switch in the attached garage that has no access from inside the house. I got several Heath Zenith wireless add-on switches. I put the remote switch part of them in the hall just off the living room ~10' from the front door. Easy to do since the remote part is battery powered and can be stuck anywhere with sticky tape. Unfortunately they are no longer available. They work great and would like to get some more for other circuits in the house.

Sure... Trust a guy named "Hal" on home automation. Nice try.

failboat wrote: I cannot speak to the security of the system or its components (thermostat or otherwise), but I am hardly worried about someone cracking into my wifi and berkeleying with my thermostat.

THAT'S HOW MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE STARTED!

Just and update. I took the dive yesterday starting with an Ecobee3 thermostat. Installation was super easy, and I already have it hooked up to my Apple TV via Homekit.

I went this route because of the Apple & the rest compatibility. I should be able to tie in a other systems (even non-homelink) easily. I also liked the fact the Ecobee3 had multiple temperature/motion sensor capability, since the house is big for two people.

Gimp wrote: Sure... Trust a guy named "Hal" on home automation. Nice try.

Funny, This is what I have and I would love to get a couple more. Couldn't be any easier to install. Replace the current switch, put battery in remote switch, and stick remote switch on wall wherever you want. No need to play with "hubs", wi-fi or any of that stuff.