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+-- Thread: Smart switch question? (/showthread.php?tid=7350692)
Smart switch question? - JDuke - 10-10-2019
This is tangentially related to woodworking but more in home improvement.
I picked up a set of 4 smart switches that use wifi to connect to an app, there are several examples of these on amazon. It was less than $30 for the 4 they say they are rated for 15 amps, so I’m going to set one up with an air cleaner fan in my shop so I can run the air cleaner remotely to circulate air in preparation for my arrival in the shop.
This works great since I already have wifi in the shop.
Now the question.
I have a gate thats 2/10 of a mile from the house, and I am planning to run a network connection to it (ubiquiti point to multi point)
I’m going to run at least one and probably 2 cameras on that network.
Smart switch capability to either remotely open the gate (would have to use a relay as the gate control board is low voltage) or to turn on a 110 light would be nice.
It looks like all the smart switches that I can find are wifi or Bluetooth, I don’t really want to set up a wifi network at the gate, as its right next to the road and would be relatively easy for someone to break into.
I am looking for a smart switch or hub type of thing that would allow wired Ethernet for communication and either high or low voltage relays to turn stuff on and off.
The more that I think about it, I may be better off with a very weak wifi network. ( any low cost solutions for week wireless access points?)
I did fine a reddit post about the wired Ethernet smart switch that suggested that such an animal might not exist due to codes saying you can’t run high and low voltage in the same box.
Duke
RE: Smart switch question? - Splinter Puller - 10-10-2019
For my air compressor automation I just used a cheap smart outlet to energize a cheap motor contactor. The motor contactor control signal was 120v so I just used the output of the smart outlet to energize the contactor. total cost was $40 or so. This method could be used to energize practically any sized load.
RE: Smart switch question? - JDuke - 10-11-2019
I had given that some thought
I found a smart switch that’s designed to be wired in-line so I’ve ordered it and will update once I get it
RE: Smart switch question? - JDuke - 10-16-2019
Got the first one and it was designed for inline but 90-125 AC
Second one came in yesterday seems to run fine with power supply
Will have to see whether it’s reliable with the battery power at gate.
Duke
RE: Smart switch question? - JDuke - 10-27-2019
(10-10-2019, 08:30 AM)Splinter Puller Wrote: For my air compressor automation I just used a cheap smart outlet to energize a cheap motor contactor. The motor contactor control signal was 120v so I just used the output of the smart outlet to energize the contactor. total cost was $40 or so. This method could be used to energize practically any sized load.
Looks like I’m going to have to go this route
The 12v smart switch works great off the battery at my gate, and runs the automotive relay that I wired up, but the app doesn’t support scheduled times like the 110v smart switches do so it looks like I’m just going to set up a 110v ac smart switch to a relay and work it that way.
Duke
RE: Smart switch question? - Robert Adams - 10-27-2019
(10-27-2019, 06:52 AM)JDuke Wrote: Looks like I’m going to have to go this route
The 12v smart switch works great off the battery at my gate, and runs the automotive relay that I wired up, but the app doesn’t support scheduled times like the 110v smart switches do so it looks like I’m just going to set up a 110v ac smart switch to a relay and work it that way.
Duke
What software? If it's a decent piece of hardware you can use IFTT to control it. You can set all kinds of parameters of when you want it to turn on off whatever. Very customizeable. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ifttt.ifttt&hl=en_US Generally on wifi controlled stuff if it doesn't support IFTTT don't buy it because when the parent company drops support in a couple years you will have a useless box.
I want to control some stuff in like turn the AC on hours before I get home so it cools off in my shop with it but... I don't have internet out there and it's a metal building so it's a big faraday cage so no cell service or wifi gets through besides it's over 100' from the house and wifi barely reaches outside the house cause it's brick.... One of these days I need to find a deal on a trencher to run a conduit to the shop and put in a sprinkler system.
RE: Smart switch question? - JDuke - 10-29-2019
(10-27-2019, 08:36 AM)Robert Adams Wrote: What software? If it's a decent piece of hardware you can use IFTT to control it. You can set all kinds of parameters of when you want it to turn on off whatever. Very customizeable. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ifttt.ifttt&hl=en_US Generally on wifi controlled stuff if it doesn't support IFTTT don't buy it because when the parent company drops support in a couple years you will have a useless box.
I want to control some stuff in like turn the AC on hours before I get home so it cools off in my shop with it but... I don't have internet out there and it's a metal building so it's a big faraday cage so no cell service or wifi gets through besides it's over 100' from the house and wifi barely reaches outside the house cause it's brick.... One of these days I need to find a deal on a trencher to run a conduit to the shop and put in a sprinkler system.
I am using smart life app for iPhone
If you want internet in the shop, don’t bother with a trencher I’m running a Ubiquiti litebeam base radio (about $100) with three ubiquiti nanostation AC locos (about $60 each) so I have network connections in my shop, (metal building ), at my gate (to far for wired Ethernet) and at my well pump(also to far for wired connection)
Thanks for the direction on IFTT I will look into it.
Duke