Home Automation - Smartkit

Tinuva said:
In short, not yet.

For now I only wanted it to send us a message 20 minutes before loadshedding slot and at the start and end. It also tells us the slots for today and tomorrow. Its more so that we can plan around it.

It can be modified to automate things, like shutdown pcs not on inverter power etc.

The lights that I had automated, wouldn't need this, because I have something that check lights during the day every minute and turn them off. What I do miss however, is if the lights missed the turn on time during loadshedding. So far that I could potentially add something in. In short, I rather use continuous checks for lights.

That said, once moving in to the new house, planning on a proper solar/battery setup so that I don't need to automate around loadshedding except for a select few things like pool pump that I dont want on inverter power.
Click to expand...

Okay cool.

Once I see what pops out tonight maybe I can simply use that 20min warning msg to trigger some stuff.

Never used a msg payload as a trigger but I’m sure it’s not too crazy.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Okay cool.

Once I see what pops out tonight maybe I can simply use that 20min warning msg to trigger some stuff.

Never used a msg payload as a trigger but I’m sure it’s not too crazy.
Click to expand...
You can edit the code in the node, to set a flow variable. Then have another node that check that flow variable for changes and act on that.

The code is there to see what can be done, but you can basically tweak it to do many other things.
 
Tinuva said:
You can edit the code in the node, to set a flow variable. Then have another node that check that flow variable for changes and act on that.

The code is there to see what can be done, but you can basically tweak it to do many other things.
Click to expand...

You may as well have written some Japanese now, that’s how meaningful it was for me. :)
 
SauRoNZA said:
What are you using to detect the car starting? Or it’s motion?

And what fail safe is in place so that the wife doesn’t drive through the garage door should it not open?
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No, the "house" detects car presence. So, when my car starts, and the garage door is closed, it will open my garage door. When the car is off / or out of range from the house - the door closes. I have closing on a 1 min delay after disconnection.

I use a D1 mini in the car that connects to the house network. D1 mini boot up time to the door opening, is around 5 seconds. Cars ignition just needs to be on. Tested over the last two days, by the time I get into my car, start it and put my seat belt on, the door is already opening.

When I get home, once my car is just past the gate, the garage door istarts opening, as the D1 connects automatically to the house network. By the time I have driven up to the garage, the door is fully opened.

As for fail safe, yeah, the wife can just use the remote like normal. If we have load shedding for example, the door batteries + normal remote still work fine.

I have a plan to add one more peace to the smart garage. If I can get it to work nicely.
 
Tander said:
No, the "house" detects car presence. So, when my car starts, and the garage door is closed, it will open my garage door. When the car is off / or out of range from the house - the door closes. I have closing on a 1 min delay after disconnection.

I use a D1 mini in the car that connects to the house network. D1 mini boot up time to the door opening, is around 5 seconds. Cars ignition just needs to be on. Tested over the last two days, by the time I get into my car, start it and put my seat belt on, the door is already opening.

When I get home, once my car is just past the gate, the garage door istarts opening, as the D1 connects automatically to the house network. By the time I have driven up to the garage, the door is fully opened.

As for fail safe, yeah, the wife can just use the remote like normal. If we have load shedding for example, the door batteries + normal remote still work fine.

I have a plan to add one more peace to the smart garage. If I can get it to work nicely.
Click to expand...

Aaah that’s quite clever with the D1.

I wouldn’t trust it’s lack of range a damn to auto close anything though. Had too many mishaps with my own setup so I always make sure I can see it all visibly close before I shove off.

Coming home the location based trigger works a charm but I need a new way to set a condition for being physically present because now that my daughter goes to the schoool just down the road I get some false triggers at times for it being too close.

Was thinking something around “if connected to Bluetooth” as a condition but then I’d need to bring Apple HomeKit back into it.
 
Tander said:
No, the "house" detects car presence. So, when my car starts, and the garage door is closed, it will open my garage door. When the car is off / or out of range from the house - the door closes. I have closing on a 1 min delay after disconnection.

I use a D1 mini in the car that connects to the house network. D1 mini boot up time to the door opening, is around 5 seconds. Cars ignition just needs to be on. Tested over the last two days, by the time I get into my car, start it and put my seat belt on, the door is already opening.

When I get home, once my car is just past the gate, the garage door istarts opening, as the D1 connects automatically to the house network. By the time I have driven up to the garage, the door is fully opened.

As for fail safe, yeah, the wife can just use the remote like normal. If we have load shedding for example, the door batteries + normal remote still work fine.

I have a plan to add one more peace to the smart garage. If I can get it to work nicely.
Click to expand...

that idea of presence detection is nifty i might steal it, my only concern with things like this is unintended consequences, not the end of the world but say for example you left your car window open and later realise this, you go to turn the ignition on and close your window and the garage opens xD i might couple this with an extra safety of my general coming and going times
 
SauRoNZA said:
Aaah that’s quite clever with the D1.

I wouldn’t trust it’s lack of range a damn to auto close anything though. Had too many mishaps with my own setup so I always make sure I can see it all visibly close before I shove off.

Coming home the location based trigger works a charm but I need a new way to set a condition for being physically present because now that my daughter goes to the schoool just down the road I get some false triggers at times for it being too close.

Was thinking something around “if connected to Bluetooth” as a condition but then I’d need to bring Apple HomeKit back into it.
Click to expand...

To be fair, I don't need the 1 min delay - and if I removed it, by the time I drive down to the gate, the garage door would be closing. And I would be able to see it still. I have had the concern you have. But right now it hasn't caused issues.

You could just use a D1 mini for your needs to connect to house network. That way, if you are out of range of your WiFi network, it will know you are not home.

The D1 mini is connected to USB charger in my car for now and easily removable if I don't want automations to kick in when I get home for whatever reason.

I plan on extending this; so when I get home and its sunset, then the kitchen lights should also turn on and perhaps the lapa lights around the back or something along those lines.
 
Steamy Tom said:
that idea of presence detection is nifty i might steal it, my only concern with things like this is unintended consequences, not the end of the world but say for example you left your car window open and later realise this, you go to turn the ignition on and close your window and the garage opens xD
Click to expand...

In my case, my cars windows close automatically as soon as I lock it via the remote. But I hear you, that could happen. As a fail safe, the D1 is connected by USB charger - so can just unplug it ahead of time if I know I will stat the car and not actually go anywhere (Or more accurately turn just the ignition on)
 
Tander said:
In my case, my cars windows close automatically as soon as I lock it via the remote. But I hear you, that could happen. As a fail safe, the D1 is connected by USB charger - so can just unplug it ahead of time if I know I will stat the car and not actually go anywhere (Or more accurately turn just the ignition on)
Click to expand...

yeah that's a good idea, I like it. I will probably just us a sonoff sv and wire it into my bike
 
Steamy Tom said:
yeah that's a good idea, I like it. I will probably just us a sonoff sv and wire it into my bike
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would work as well. I used the D1 mini as the script to make it boot quick and connect to the network for this purpose was already online.
Here's DrZzs video of the setup - I got it from him.

 
Tander said:
Yeah, that would work as well. I used the D1 mini as the script to make it boot quick and connect to the network for this purpose was already online.
Here's DrZzs video of the setup - I got it from him.

Click to expand...

thanks, personally i loathe his videos as they always seem outdated or incomplete (maybe i am dumb). How are you picking it up on your network so fast, do you have your router integrated?

mine sadly doesnt have this feature and i used nmap but it takes time to pick things up.
 
Steamy Tom said:
How are you picking it up on your network so fast, do you have your router integrated?
Click to expand...

Before I moved into the house last year, I had already decided I wanted smart stuff all over the place, much to the wife's dismay. :D

With that in mind, I knew I needed a solid network as the foundation; as even my pool pump were (and is now) to be smart - so WiFi coverage, everywhere was the goal.

So, I have the following in terms of network:

1 x UniFi Pro AP outside the back
1 x UniFi AP Lite downstairs
1 x UniFi AP upstairs.

Have a UniFi PoE switch to power them and a UniFi gateway.

The only dead zone,WiFi wise on the property is the corner of the back yard - which is behind the garage; so understandable and nothing there to make smart.

So with the D1 mini booting in less than 2 seconds and another second or two to connect to my network - its quicker for it to open the garage when I get home than it is for me to fiddle with keys and press a button.
 
Tander said:
To be fair, I don't need the 1 min delay - and if I removed it, by the time I drive down to the gate, the garage door would be closing. And I would be able to see it still. I have had the concern you have. But right now it hasn't caused issues.

You could just use a D1 mini for your needs to connect to house network. That way, if you are out of range of your WiFi network, it will know you are not home.

The D1 mini is connected to USB charger in my car for now and easily removable if I don't want automations to kick in when I get home for whatever reason.

I plan on extending this; so when I get home and its sunset, then the kitchen lights should also turn on and perhaps the lapa lights around the back or something along those lines.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have two of them and could likely fit to the bike easily enough with some waterproofing.

However it would be more sensible to have a trigger for my actual phone being on WiFi instead as I more often than not walk the kids to school.

Maybe an idea for future expansion with the UniFi controller support in HA and when I roll out another AP for the front of the house.

But yeah I do a lot of things for person detection with other stuff like turning lights on when I get home after dark or just turning the fans on in the Jodie if I get home and it’s more than 25 degrees etc.
 
Steamy Tom said:
that idea of presence detection is nifty i might steal it, my only concern with things like this is unintended consequences, not the end of the world but say for example you left your car window open and later realise this, you go to turn the ignition on and close your window and the garage opens xD i might couple this with an extra safety of my general coming and going times
Click to expand...

I use only the Home Assistant app combined with zones for presence detection at present morning fancier required.

So you could easily build in secondary conditions for this kind of stuff.

I have no need to open the doors and gates and things for when I’m leaving, but do like to have it for coming home on the bike for obvious reasons.

A secondary condition like connecting to the WiFi would be especially useful for my wife who doesn’t trust the thing half the time.
 
SauRoNZA said:
I don’t know why you would want to attack the problem at the vehicle itself.

Do you not own a smartphone?
Click to expand...

I do and I have presence detection, but I do think this might pickup faster than my nmap detection with my phone
 
Steamy Tom said:
I do and I have presence detection, but I do think this might pickup faster than my nmap detection with my phone
Click to expand...

I'm willing to bet it will. My D1 connects quicker than my iPhone X to the network when I get home.
 
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