Temperature control--why?

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Mr. Gibbage - 12 Mar 2006 07:40 GMT

I see that many of the home automation discussions center around
temperatire control. I have used programmable thermostats for quite a
while, and find that they pretty much meet all my needs...unless I am
overlooking something. If you have incorporated your themostats into
your home automation system, how do you use it? And what is it that
you do with your system that you wouldn't normally be able to do with
a typical programmable thermostat?

Skip

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Shaun Eli - 12 Mar 2006 17:55 GMT

This may not exactly answer your question, but:

Before I had central A/C installed I plugged my window and wall air
conditioners into X-10 appliance modules. I have a phone controller.
So rather than have the air conditioners on a timer, I could simply
call and turn them on before leaving work, ensuring my house was at the
right temperature when I got home. If I'd simply put them on timers
they'd often be on when I didn't need them to be, since I didn't always
come home at the same time. And sometimes I didn't need to turn them
on at all.

Comedian Shaun Eli
www.BrainChampagne.com
Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)
now with comedy video on the website

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Don - 15 Mar 2006 05:13 GMT

I have mine all connected to the security and home automation computer.
Whenever I head out the door and trip the security system, the combination
sets the thermostats to different settings. If I am just away, it turns
things a couple of degrees in some areas of the home. It may go up during
the summer or down in winter. For longer terms, I just put in vacation mode
and the amount of change is much greater. It also turns the water heater
off. There are also different lighting sequences that are enabled based on
the security system level settings. For vacations, it even turns off the
water supply to the house so it can't leak.

Security settings also adjust the frequency of the system taking video
captures as well as the number saved.

Lots of things can be controlled using a combiniation of security system,
HVAC, Lighting, Cameras.

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> This may not exactly answer your question, but:
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)
> now with comedy video on the website

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Don - 15 Mar 2006 05:19 GMT

Forgot to mention, that I have a 6 zone heating system so to change every
one would be a chore. This way they are are set just where I want them.
Also it gives me the ability to make changes over the internet from anywhere
in the world.

That way I can turn the Hot Tub off when going out for an extended time and
be able to just connect and turn it back on again so it is ready for me when
I walk back in the door.

Same with the temps.

Signature

>I have mine all connected to the security and home automation computer.
>Whenever I head out the door and trip the security system, the combination
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>> Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)
>> now with comedy video on the website

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Randy R - 23 Mar 2006 04:35 GMT

>I have mine all connected to the security and home automation computer.
>Whenever I head out the door and trip the security system, the combination
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>based on the security system level settings. For vacations, it even turns
>off the water supply to the house so it can't leak.

How do you control the water heater remotely? It would be nice to be able to
turn up the water heater before we use the jacuzzi tub. (Last time we tried
to use it, we ran out of hot water before it was half full.)

Randy R

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IVB - 15 Mar 2006 09:20 GMT

I have an Aprilaire thermostat and 3 remote sensors [kids room, HT room,
breakfast nook].

Out of the box, my thermostat and 3 remote sensors only allow me to either
pick one remote sensor to be the master, or average them all.

I can use CQC [www.charmedquark.com] to pick which one I want to be in
control and when. It can be event based or time-based. I.E., at night, i
want the kids room to control the temperature, so they don't wake up crying
cuz it's too hot. During the day, the base station should be in control.
Unless my wife decides to watch TV, in which case she should be able to tap
a single button, and set the HT room as the master.

That type of logic is not even remotely possible with thermostats.

>I see that many of the home automation discussions center around
> temperatire control. I have used programmable thermostats for quite a
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Skip

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Michael Chare - 24 Mar 2006 18:23 GMT

> I see that many of the home automation discussions center around
> temperatire control. I have used programmable thermostats for quite a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> you do with your system that you wouldn't normally be able to do with
> a typical programmable thermostat?

a) Start central heating before I return from vacation

b) Make it easier to set teperature house will be kept at whilst on vacation

c) Make a log of the events that have happened.

Signature

Michael Chare

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Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / March 2006

Temperature control--why?