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Topic starter
2023-10-16 12:49 am
Hi guys, I would appreciate any guide or input from you as we hope to control our home with a Hard-wired version of Alexa. Picking your brain or maybe someone on the Forum to advise me of the best system/s to use (or how you would go about it) in order to achieve this goal!
We are trying to minimise airborne signals as much as possible. Hence the Hardwire idea.
I have thought about a PLC, RP, Telecoms Hub, Arduinos and banks of relays and/or using them all appropriately! We would like to be able to control an active Security System and Cameras, Lights, especially LEDs, Power Sockets(via AC acting as a carrier wave), IoT, locally controllable piped speakers and microphones. Really anything that takes our fancy!
Our home is wired with every lighting circuit having two switch wires from the central control cabinet and where required, an intermediate switch is used for local two way switching. This will allow the banked hard wired Flipflop controlled relays in the control cabinet to switch on and off for each circuit. Where required, we would like to dim, have grouped preprogramed room settings, also colour lighting change for mood settings and individual LEDs, for light sequencing effects.
The power/sockets are wired in radial circuits for each room and we would ideally like to control them by using the 240vAC as a carrier wave with each socket individually addressed for on/off control. Ideally the receiving local control circuit to be small enough to fit into the back socket box. I have also wired separate screened control cables as a backup where they are presently hidden behind skirting boards which are large enough to also contain the sockets.
Thanking you for taking the time to read this intro and any advice would be gratefully received! I also hope to contribute to the Forum some of my own knowledge and guidance.
Thanks again, from the Old Sparky!
2023-10-16 12:58 am
@old-sparky An intro is "Hi, I am sparky, a retired electrician and avid DIYer and gardener."
The above post needs to be broken down into the many posts it is and each placed in it's separate sub-forum.
It sounds like you have a lot of knowledge already, so not real sure what help you need.
Welcome to the forum.
First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
My personal scorecard is now 1 PC hardware fix (circa 1982), 1 open source fix (at age 82), and 2 zero day bugs in a major OS.
Topic starter
2023-10-16 8:21 am
Thank you Ron! It's easy to talk a good story but with little confidence, it's a completely different story!
Thank you for the guidance,
Best regards, Old Sparky.
2023-10-16 12:29 pm
@old-sparky A couple of quick thoughts. Regarding hard-wired, I think ethernet would be the logical choice. Piggy backing on the 240VAC mains is not something that is often done any more for obvious safety reasons.. It does exist and I think my eero routers even offer a repeater that uses the 120VAC we use here but they heavily recommend the WiFi 6 repeaters as they can easily punch through several inches of concrete in each wall of my apartment. In a house the wood and plaster are a breeze.
First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
My personal scorecard is now 1 PC hardware fix (circa 1982), 1 open source fix (at age 82), and 2 zero day bugs in a major OS.