Wireless home-automation satellite: Part One
31st October 2015
Today I'll show you the new prototype wireless home-automation satellite for the AAIMI Project.
- Build a cheap and easy light-sensor
- Use a Movement sensor with your Raspberry Pi
- Build a Relay Circuit to Control AC Power Outlets and Lights
- Build a Relay-Driver Circuit
- Connect and Operate a 240V Relay from your Raspberry Pi or Arduino
- Build a cheap and easy temperature-sensor
- Use a Smoke and Gas Sensor with an Arduino
- Build a panning security camera from old junk.
- Build a Home Automation Base Station from recycled parts
- Updated: Build a Home Automation Base Station from recycled parts
- Mini home-automation satellite
- Wireless home-automation satellite: Part One
This satellite is designed to extend the reach of the AAIMI Home Automation system to places where cables can't reach.
With the current base-station configuration the system can run five of these wireless satellites.
Where possible we've used salvaged parts for the prototype. The casing is from an old, large-button cordless-phone base.
We removed the mainboard and button panel from the unit. The large button panel may come in handy for later projects.
The mainboard had nothing I really needed.
With the old internals removed we had tons of room for our new components.
Components
Like our cabled home-automation satellites this one has a movement sensor, light sensor and temperature sensor, as well as a relay to switch lights on and off.
As well as the normal sensors, the wireless satellite also has an Arduino micro-controller to read the sensors and communicate by radio with my main base-station.
The radio is an extra-cheap nRF24 module. I paid about $1.20 on ebay for these ones. You'll also need a radio for the Arduino in the base-station.
I haven't really tested their range yet. If you need long range you can spend more and buy a module with a larger antenna.
Regardless of the module you buy, you will need to solder a capacitor across the positive and negative pins. Without these capacitors I found these modules completely useless.
Now for the sensors.
This is a combination board with the light and temperature circuits we've used throughout the series.
The movement-sensor return wire also connects via this board through the vertical resistor on the left.
Next we attached a light fitting and wired it to the relay. This was one end of an old light-extension cable.
The casing
There were two large holes to fill in the top cover of the unit.
We used some pieces cut from the outer screen of an LCD TV we tore down in the cave recently.
The curved lower section we shaped down to fit precisely in the hole and applied a couple of drops of super-glue.
The other piece for the upper hole was easier, we just screwed in from underneath.
Lastly, we secured all the pin-connections with tape so they would stay in place as we closed the lid.
The satellite is almost done, but there are a more tasks.
Firstly, we need to make a swiveling holder for the movement sensor. These sensors are difficult to mount because the have no screw-holes. I think I'll glue it into a bracket and attach that to the casing.
Secondly, I forgot to drill a hole for the Arduino's USB port. I need to disassemble the unit and drill another hole in the rear, otherwise I'll have to pull everything apart any time I need to re-program the unit.
The code
The hardware is finished, but it's not going to do much without some code to run everything.
In part two of this article next week I'll show you how the system works.
I'll share the code for the Arduinos, and a Python script to control it all from a Raspberry Pi.
Cheers
Anth
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