SmartHomeUSA.com Home Automation

[rpd1146]

I have always had an interest in home automation, though never actively done anything.
But my AC is now past its best and needs to be replaced, though I will not
do that until the cooler weather of winter, so I am just investigating what is possible.
Having an engineering background, simply continuing to use a thermostat to control the system seems inadequate. My goals are a little more ambitious, maybe too ambitious, but I wish to investigate what can be achieved.
My preference would be to be to fit a thermostat (and there would be two since there is a system for each floor in a two story home) that can standalone and give reasonable control, but which can also be controlled from a central computer being simply told to heat, cool or turn off. It would also need to be able to send temperature back to the central computer.
I would also like to install temperature sensors in different rooms, so it is possible for the computer to monitor the temperature at all points in the house and make intelligent decisions to control the environment.
Is there any equipment available that allows this to be done.

Regards, Paul Dixon

[Ralph]

My first knee jerk reaction is to mention the ELK panel (ELK-M1Gsys4), which is an automation and security panel. It would allow you to choose between Aprilaire and RCS (as well as other communicating thermostats) and use remote sensors to set the climate in your home. The ELK panel uses basic IF/THEN/WHENEVER type programming to determine function. So sensors could be chosen by date or time or a combination to determine whether or not to heat or cool the home. The added advantage is in having a top notch security panel, and other automation advances in the same box (lighting, telephone and computer control etc.).

My second thought as I was typing away is that Homeseer has HVAC plugins for RCS and Aprilaire. So you would be able to put in temperature sensors and thermostats and use Homeseer to control them I do not think you would have the same level of programming as the ELK panel.

Aprilaire 8870 Thermostat (would also require a protocol adapter)
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Aprilaire/Item/8870/
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Climate/aprilaire/Aprilaire-Communicating/Item/8811/

RCS
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/RCS/Item/TR40-485/

ELK-M1sys4
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/ELK-Products/Item/ELK-M1GSYS4/

Homeseer
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Keware/Item/HOMESEER-V2.0/

[RemoteShoppe]

Paul-
My goal is to do the same things you're talking about over the course of the next several months. I have decided on the Elk system because one of the applications I read just impressed the heck out of me. Since it is a security and automation system in one it is easy to configure a series of automation activities based on the alarm activation when you leave the house.

ex. You leave, the house is empty, you activate the alarm. Since no one is home the thermostat would be raised to 73 so the AC is not pumping unnecessarily while no one is home (i keep it at 70 when home) and if it's after 7pm the porch light would be turned on and other first floor lights throughout the home woulld be randomly turned on/off every hour to give the impression of someone being home.

You could program the same capabilities in any PC system like homeseer but you still need a trigger like UPB or X10 switches or remotes and you would just have to train the family to activate that trigger as before they leave home. In my house... the security system as the trigger is a seamless transition!