The Home Automation thread

[Karman de Lange]

without sifting through the entire thread, is there anyone running some sort of smart switching on their geyser ?

 

My geyser wise has died a second time, instead of replacing it I was thinking of going the smart route.

 

Only thing is I cant find an off the shelf solution.

 

I need something that will have an iOS app and integrate with Google home

 

If no off the shelf solution then I'm thinking a Sonoff TH16 (I already have a number of sonoff devices), use the temp sensor to sense water temps in the geyser, use the switching of the Sonoff to turn on/off a relay for the element.

 

 

I run contactor (relay's don't last on 3kw+ elements) , then just a Qwickswitch switching the contactor on/off (220v contactor relay). Sonoff probably fine as contactor only draw 10w. 

 

I have not worked out how to measure the inside temprature of geyser without adding second tube or something inside geyser as I don't want to bypass default thermostat. I just meassure temprature on outgoing pipe hot pipe just for record purposes.

 

 

Still not found any off the shelf solutions that lasts, seen to many geyserwise melt after few months to even trust it in my house.

 

I never trust the rating on a relay, its not made to run 24/7 with resistive load, so I always go double to just be safe and then you in contactor world.

[Karman de Lange]

just checked, POW is rated at 15A, not going to be good enough I'm afraid.

 

Pool motor is 0.75kw normally .. think draws 1000w at wall .. so thats 5A inductive load... 10a relay should be fine.

 

A contactor is cheap , ~R200-R350 .. so just be safe and rather install that and use sonoff to trigger it.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Karman de Lange

[The Ouzo]

Pool motor is 0.75kw normally .. think draws 1000w at wall .. so thats 5A inductive load... 10a relay should be fine.

 

A contactor is cheap , ~R200-R350 .. so just be safe and rather install that and use sonoff to trigger it.

1kw is what mine is rated at. I'm no expert, but I think its the start up load that is the problem, that why most of the time they are wired to a 20A breaker.

[The Ouzo]

I run contactor (relay's don't last on 3kw+ elements) , then just a Qwickswitch switching the contactor on/off (220v contactor relay). Sonoff probably fine as contactor only draw 10w. 

 

I have not worked out how to measure the inside temprature of geyser without adding second tube or something inside geyser as I don't want to bypass default thermostat. I just meassure temprature on outgoing pipe hot pipe just for record purposes.

 

 

Still not found any off the shelf solutions that lasts, seen to many geyserwise melt after few months to even trust it in my house.

 

I never trust the rating on a relay, its not made to run 24/7 with resistive load, so I always go double to just be safe and then you in contactor world.

I'm not keen on teh quickswitch as it has no iOS and google home support.

 

having switched between standard thermostat and geyserwise a few times I find the standard thermostats very inaccurate. The temp sensor for the geyserwise slides into the cavity where the standard thermostat goes. 

 

Have you got a wiring diagram or pic of your setup ?

 

 

My geyserwise lasted probably 10 years before it started giving issues, but once it did its done it twice in about 6 months. time to dump it.

[Karman de Lange]

1kw is what mine is rated at. I'm no expert, but I think its the start up load that is the problem, that why most of the time they are wired to a 20A breaker.

 

The breaker is rated to wire thickness.. it protects the wire from melting if overload occurs 

 

If they installed 20A cause keep on tripping without installing thicker wire you stand big change of some melted plastic (and small change of fire)...

 

1kw rated is about 1.5kw at wall (sometimes shows on the data place)..  10A relay can do 2.2kw in theory continues, peak alot more.

 

but as said , get contactor and play it safe

[Karman de Lange]

I'm not keen on teh quickswitch as it has no iOS and google home support.

 

having switched between standard thermostat and geyserwise a few times I find the standard thermostats very inaccurate. The temp sensor for the geyserwise slides into the cavity where the standard thermostat goes. 

 

Have you got a wiring diagram or pic of your setup ?

 

 

My geyserwise lasted probably 10 years before it started giving issues, but once it did its done it twice in about 6 months. time to dump it.

 

I wrote a Qwickswitch USB  to mqtt gateway , that controlls all QS devices using openhab->mqtt. 

 

But qwickswitch is crap.  very slow and 0 security .. anyone with USB dongle can just snoop and control all devices (no binding needed),  at least with sonoff its half secure as needs wifi .

 

Regarding thermostat.  My big issue is I don't trust sonoff/QS etc to actually switch the geyser off . Its just not stable enough so I would always keep the standard thermostat inline (just set high) to switch of geyser in case water gets to hot.  Geyserwise have lot of fail safes to fail to fail to off as far as I know and in theory is SABS approved.

 

I would normally give you wiring diagram, but our geyser runs off the solar side, but the contactor is of eskom side , then also have the Eskom relay box where they can control it in between it all, so its not normal and won't really apply

[Rocket-Boy]

I think most sonoffs are 10A, I know I had to get a TH16 to get 16amps for the pool motor.

 

Are you saying teh DS18B20 can plug straight into a POW ?

I just checked and while the POW R2 has the port to plug the sensor in, it isnt officially supported in the firmware it seems.

It would probably be fine with Tasmota on it but then its heading more in the direction of a hub like Home Assistant or Hubitat.

So looks like that wont really do what you want it to.

[Rocket-Boy]

I run contactor (relay's don't last on 3kw+ elements) , then just a Qwickswitch switching the contactor on/off (220v contactor relay). Sonoff probably fine as contactor only draw 10w. 

 

I have not worked out how to measure the inside temprature of geyser without adding second tube or something inside geyser as I don't want to bypass default thermostat. I just meassure temprature on outgoing pipe hot pipe just for record purposes.

 

 

Still not found any off the shelf solutions that lasts, seen to many geyserwise melt after few months to even trust it in my house.

 

I never trust the rating on a relay, its not made to run 24/7 with resistive load, so I always go double to just be safe and then you in contactor world.

Why not just use a MQTT controlled esp to turn the contactor on/off?

I dont have experience with contactors, I stay away from higher current rated stuff so Im not sure its possible.

I know if you are building your own solution you can get higher rated relays but again with high current they probably wont last very long. 

Would a solid state relay help with that?

[Karman de Lange]

Why not just use a MQTT controlled esp to turn the contactor on/off?

I dont have experience with contactors, I stay away from higher current rated stuff so Im not sure its possible.

I know if you are building your own solution you can get higher rated relays but again with high current they probably wont last very long. 

Would a solid state relay help with that?

 

solid state relay is expensive and need very big heatsink, also then you have to get low voltage somewhere to trigger it, dont know if you get 220v triggered solid state relay(ive not looked)

 

contactor  is just moerse relay,  works the same otherwise.  Its just more customizable regarding inputs/outputs etc

 

My qwickswitch is mqtt controlled.(usb dongle with python script)  It was before sonoff was a thing,  my house been automated about 9 years.   All new devices is sonoff, but now having issues that AP getting to capacity...

[Rocket-Boy]

solid state relay is expensive and need very big heatsink, also then you have to get low voltage somewhere to trigger it, dont know if you get 220v triggered solid state relay(ive not looked)

 

contactor  is just moerse relay,  works the same otherwise.  Its just more customizable regarding inputs/outputs etc

 

My qwickswitch is mqtt controlled.(usb dongle with python script)  It was before sonoff was a thing,  my house been automated about 9 years.   All new devices is sonoff, but now having issues that AP getting to capacity...

 

solid state relay is expensive and need very big heatsink, also then you have to get low voltage somewhere to trigger it, dont know if you get 220v triggered solid state relay(ive not looked)

 

contactor  is just moerse relay,  works the same otherwise.  Its just more customizable regarding inputs/outputs etc

 

My qwickswitch is mqtt controlled.(usb dongle with python script)  It was before sonoff was a thing,  my house been automated about 9 years.   All new devices is sonoff, but now having issues that AP getting to capacity...

 

Its much easier with Sonoff these days, when I first started I was using esp8266 and Arduinos for most stuff. Eventually I moved over to Sonoff because it was impossible to build the same thing for the price myself and it made powering the devices easier without need buck converters etc.

 

There is still a place for esp32 for now if you need a bluetooth relay to pass info across MQTT, but I assume something along those lines will be in future hardware.

[BaGearA]

https://youtu.be/0d8xPaMe5Pc

[BaGearA]

I figure this is the best place to ask this 

 

 

watch that video for context , tried uploading it here but that doesn't work 

 

SO i built that to spin my automatic watches cause I'm lazy drol that doesn't want to manually wind them when I haven't worn them for a couple of days , but I'm getting this weird haking or vibration / stuttering and I'm fairly sure this has to damage the motor , problem is like yesterday I get home and hear the thing is doing that but who knows how long , It might have been doing that the whole day ????

 

The setup is dead simple , easy driver powered by the 5v out from the arduino and the arduino just sends it a high and low signal which the driver then comunicates to the motor windings 

 

this problem happens with or without a watch on it and it's not consistent , like sometimes it runs perfectly for days and other times it does it on start up ( I switch it off at night ) 

 

I've tried increasing the current ( more torque right ? ) but that doesn't change anything 

 

 

any ideas ? 

[bertusras]

Stepper motors aren't that keen to run all the time, I'd rather just get a highly geared DC motor instead.

[BaGearA]

Any other ideas the bloody thing is still doing it and I've found many posts that say its fine to run the stepper continuously ?

[bertusras]

12 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

Any other ideas the bloody thing is still doing it and I've found many posts that say its fine to run the stepper continuously ?

Have a look at this to see if there isn't something obvious that you're missing: https://forum.arduino.cc/t/nema-17-and-a4988-driver-motor-steps-back-for-no-reason/426621/9

[The Ouzo]

I had a lol just now.

In december I bought a refurbished google home mini. I've been using it to play music and turn on or off certain devices. So about 10 minutes ago I get some notifications on my phone from every Sonoff device in the house switching on. I go into the logs and it says I triggered them.

Nope not me, WTF?

So I phone home to find out whats up. Turns out my wife and kids had the speaker playing music, my wife turns around and say Hey Google turn off to which it goes ahead and turns off all the sonoff devices and responds "turning off 11 switches", wife goes thats not right, then says google turn of to which it turns everything on.