Home Automation - Smartkit

Hi folks, I've got a driveway gate that I've put contact sensors on so that I know when the gate is open or not. I bought a set of door contact sensors at Builders and hooked them up to a Qwikswitch imod integrated into Home Assistant. The imod works like a charm and when I open and close the circuit, it reflects correctly in HA.

The only problem is the mag sensors themselves. When I open the gate, they do not always open the circuit thus not reflecting the correct status accurately. I get the feeling that using contact sensors isn't the right way to go in this case.

Any other ideas on how I can detect whether my driveway gate is open or closed?
 
ipodmusicman said:
Hi folks, I've got a driveway gate that I've put contact sensors on so that I know when the gate is open or not. I bought a set of door contact sensors at Builders and hooked them up to a Qwikswitch imod integrated into Home Assistant. The imod works like a charm and when I open and close the circuit, it reflects correctly in HA.

The only problem is the mag sensors themselves. When I open the gate, they do not always open the circuit thus not reflecting the correct status accurately. I get the feeling that using contact sensors isn't the right way to go in this case.

Any other ideas on how I can detect whether my driveway gate is open or closed?
Click to expand...
There was some discussion about using a reed switch, hopefully someone who has done it can confirm.
 
ipodmusicman said:
Hi folks, I've got a driveway gate that I've put contact sensors on so that I know when the gate is open or not. I bought a set of door contact sensors at Builders and hooked them up to a Qwikswitch imod integrated into Home Assistant. The imod works like a charm and when I open and close the circuit, it reflects correctly in HA.

The only problem is the mag sensors themselves. When I open the gate, they do not always open the circuit thus not reflecting the correct status accurately. I get the feeling that using contact sensors isn't the right way to go in this case.

Any other ideas on how I can detect whether my driveway gate is open or closed?
Click to expand...
Have you tried those beams - normally used to keep gate open.
 
spiff said:
Sadly looks like I'll need to install a neutral wire in my wall & light boxes.

Thankfully my my pool pump has all 3 wires.View attachment 526017
Click to expand...

Don't let that hold you back. I just did my first 2 switches this weekend, where I needed to pull through a neutral. At first it seemed liked a daunting task, but it really is easy.

1. I had my old telkom line taken down (since having vumatel), so used that wire as drop wire, eg. for pulling through 1st time.
2. I don't see it in your pic, but there should be an earth wire screwed to the metal holder. You going to use that.
3. There should be a neutral at the light.

So what you do is, open up the light switch like in your pic.
Next, also open up the light where you replace the bulb, but go further, where you unscrew the whole light from the ceiling, so that you can see all the wires, those that go to the DB board.
At the switch, unscrew the earth, and put the drop cable through it. I then use that brown tape, to cover it and keep it together.
Pull the neutral from the switch to the light. So now you have the drop cable with the 4 live cables in the conduit.
Then measure your earth cable, cut the new neutral to the same length and add it to the cable. Again, put it through the hole that is attached to the earth (that is where the screw go through at the switch). Put tape over again. Pull both the neatral and earth back to the switch. Connect the neutral on both sides, and tada you have a neutral with minimum effort.
 
Tinuva said:
Don't let that hold you back. I just did my first 2 switches this weekend, where I needed to pull through a neutral. At first it seemed liked a daunting task, but it really is easy.

1. I had my old telkom line taken down (since having vumatel), so used that wire as drop wire, eg. for pulling through 1st time.
2. I don't see it in your pic, but there should be an earth wire screwed to the metal holder. You going to use that.
3. There should be a neutral at the light.

So what you do is, open up the light switch like in your pic.
Next, also open up the light where you replace the bulb, but go further, where you unscrew the whole light from the ceiling, so that you can see all the wires, those that go to the DB board.
At the switch, unscrew the earth, and put the drop cable through it. I then use that brown tape, to cover it and keep it together.
Pull the neutral from the switch to the light. So now you have the drop cable with the 4 live cables in the conduit.
Then measure your earth cable, cut the new neutral to the same length and add it to the cable. Again, put it through the hole that is attached to the earth (that is where the screw go through at the switch). Put tape over again. Pull both the neatral and earth back to the switch. Connect the neutral on both sides, and tada you have a neutral with minimum effort.
Click to expand...
Good idea.

When I did the wiring in my braai room I went old school and pulled all 3 wires through conduit.

Thinking about replacing the old halogens with LED lighting so I'll use a sonoff dimmer switch for that.
 
Now that I have my first few switches in, the automation is beginning and so far its awesome. The wife also loves it, and since we both have access to it on our phones, she already found the button last night and started playing with it.

Added the "astro" addon in Openhab2, and now I can use civilDawn calculated to the GPS location of the house, to schedule automatic turn off of all lights. Timing is perfect and now I don't have to remember to turn off lights every morning. Big win. Will also start adding some other automations later on, haven't decided to schedule turn on yet.

Out of interest sake, I ordered my T1 US 2 gang switches on Aliexpress, before they were available on http://www.smartkit.co.za/ - so some interesting notes:
- While they were advertised as eweLink switches, they are some other unknown brand, not Sonoff. All I know is, it says model LX-WIFI-03O on the back.
- Good news, they can still be flashed to Tasmota with SonOTA!
- While they don't have the 315Mhz RF, I doubt I will use that. If I wanted 2-way switching, I would get a Sonoff Bridge and connect my remote to that, and then use mqtt to turn on/off switches.
 
Tinuva said:
Don't let that hold you back. I just did my first 2 switches this weekend, where I needed to pull through a neutral. At first it seemed liked a daunting task, but it really is easy.

1. I had my old telkom line taken down (since having vumatel), so used that wire as drop wire, eg. for pulling through 1st time.
2. I don't see it in your pic, but there should be an earth wire screwed to the metal holder. You going to use that.
3. There should be a neutral at the light.

So what you do is, open up the light switch like in your pic.
Next, also open up the light where you replace the bulb, but go further, where you unscrew the whole light from the ceiling, so that you can see all the wires, those that go to the DB board.
At the switch, unscrew the earth, and put the drop cable through it. I then use that brown tape, to cover it and keep it together.
Pull the neutral from the switch to the light. So now you have the drop cable with the 4 live cables in the conduit.
Then measure your earth cable, cut the new neutral to the same length and add it to the cable. Again, put it through the hole that is attached to the earth (that is where the screw go through at the switch). Put tape over again. Pull both the neatral and earth back to the switch. Connect the neutral on both sides, and tada you have a neutral with minimum effort.
Click to expand...
Great tip.
Where this isnt possible, is it safe to splice into a neural from a nearby light switch? Or do you need an independent neutral to switch without any daisy chains.
 
calypso said:
Great tip.
Where this isnt possible, is it safe to splice into a neural from a nearby light switch? Or do you need an independent neutral to switch without any daisy chains.
Click to expand...
Any neutral will do - remember you don't require a neutral out.
 
calypso said:
Great tip.
Where this isnt possible, is it safe to splice into a neural from a nearby light switch? Or do you need an independent neutral to switch without any daisy chains.
Click to expand...

Yeah any neutral will do. I just wanted to use the already existing conduits without cutting open or anything and with the least amount of work keeping it clean. The conduits in the roof in my house is still perfectly sealed and tidy, so wanted to keep it that way.
 
Do down lights have a neutral?


I'm sure that they only have 2 wires

Tinuva said:
Don't let that hold you back. I just did my first 2 switches this weekend, where I needed to pull through a neutral. At first it seemed liked a daunting task, but it really is easy.

1. I had my old telkom line taken down (since having vumatel), so used that wire as drop wire, eg. for pulling through 1st time.
2. I don't see it in your pic, but there should be an earth wire screwed to the metal holder. You going to use that.
3. There should be a neutral at the light.

So what you do is, open up the light switch like in your pic.
Next, also open up the light where you replace the bulb, but go further, where you unscrew the whole light from the ceiling, so that you can see all the wires, those that go to the DB board.
At the switch, unscrew the earth, and put the drop cable through it. I then use that brown tape, to cover it and keep it together.
Pull the neutral from the switch to the light. So now you have the drop cable with the 4 live cables in the conduit.
Then measure your earth cable, cut the new neutral to the same length and add it to the cable. Again, put it through the hole that is attached to the earth (that is where the screw go through at the switch). Put tape over again. Pull both the neatral and earth back to the switch. Connect the neutral on both sides, and tada you have a neutral with minimum effort.
Click to expand...
 
ghostbuster said:
Do down lights have a neutral?


I'm sure that they only have 2 wires
Click to expand...

All lights, or rather all light bulbs, only have 2 wires, live and neutral. However you will find there is an earth wire connected to the metal frame of most(if not all) lights, and also to the metal box behind the light switch. There should always be an earth, its there for good reason, for example you don't want to get shocked when standing barefoot on the ground and there is some issue with the wiring.

The only exception I can think about, is if the downlights are DC instead of AC, then the earth will probably not go to the lights. I definitely advise you check out what wires are there at least before starting your planning. I call it the investigation stage to see what is there before planning on buying items, wires ect.
 
Thanks for the tips.

I may be wrong but down lights are connected in series.


But will have a look at how it's connected.
Tinuva said:
All lights, or rather all light bulbs, only have 2 wires, live and neutral. However you will find there is an earth wire connected to the metal frame of most(if not all) lights, and also to the metal box behind the light switch. There should always be an earth, its there for good reason, for example you don't want to get shocked when standing barefoot on the ground and there is some issue with the wiring.

The only exception I can think about, is if the downlights are DC instead of AC, then the earth will probably not go to the lights. I definitely advise you check out what wires are there at least before starting your planning. I call it the investigation stage to see what is there before planning on buying items, wires ect.
Click to expand...
 
ghostbuster said:
Thanks for the tips.

I may be wrong but down lights are connected in series.


But will have a look at how it's connected.
Click to expand...

Your downlight installation may be in series. Others may be in series, in parallel or a combination thereof.
 
ghostbuster said:
Thanks for the tips.

I may be wrong but down lights are connected in series.


But will have a look at how it's connected.
Click to expand...

Even if it is in series, thats ok. Only look at the start+end. Somehow, somewhere the live+neutral will be together, and my bet is, where that is, will be a conduit to the light switch. So it may be a bit different, and it will probably be more work than a regular light, and you will probably have to be in the roof or somewhere interesting there will be an inspection point. Either way, sounds like an interesting mystery.
 
Tinuva said:
Even if it is in series, thats ok. Only look at the start+end. Somehow, somewhere the live+neutral will be together, and my bet is, where that is, will be a conduit to the light switch. So it may be a bit different, and it will probably be more work than a regular light, and you will probably have to be in the roof or somewhere interesting there will be an inspection point. Either way, sounds like an interesting mystery.
Click to expand...
Haha it's a concrete roof so all conduits are in the slab.
 
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