Automated House

robot mogul

I've been working on the Basic Stamp PDB schematics for a home control panel, but my end result was never exactly correct. I tried thinking about it, and it hit me, I couldn't use a Basic Stamp PDB for a whole home control panel that connects to every electrical appliance and expect it to automate them, I needed the multicore processing power of the propeller chip, so I started working on another schematic with a P8X32A-M44 chip (also used in the propstick) and added an optical system, 7 segment LCD display, LEDs, pushbuttons, IR reciever, phototransistor, potentiometer, Op-amp and A/D converter ICs. I made sure to add an infrared reciever, with a 220 ohm resistor for a 3 function universal remote, for easy manual control. But that is beside the point, if I tried to install it, how would I be able to directly connect all of the appliances in my home to actually make an operational Propeller PDB home control panel?

Microcontrolled

Well, controlling all the appliances in your house, and I assume you mean controlling on and off, would require relays rated for 120VAC 15A or higher in each outlet and lighting system, and then your entire house would have to be wired with data lines to control all the relays. If you wanted to go wireless, you would be looking at about an additional $20 per relay OR a Propeller network wired to several relays each all wirelessly communicating with each other via serial communication. with relays of that rating about $6 a piece, plus the control circuit for the Propeller, and assuming you don't want to rewire your house, and assuming you want 20 outlet/lighting system setups, that comes out to about $500! Yikes! And that doesn't count the Propellers and other hardware you need. This will make for a very expensive project one way or another.

robot mogul

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind

Mike Green

I'm not sure why you've given up on the Basic Stamps. They have a built-in XOUT statement for controlling X-10 switches. Admittedly, X-10 is an old technology, but it still works and you can get light switches and switched outlets for under $20 each. The Stamps can handle IR remote control and you'd want to use one of Parallax's LCD displays rather than a 7-segment one. You can display more information and they're pretty cheap. If I were doing something like this, I'd use a BS2px for the extra speed and memory and add a real-time clock.

You could still use a Propeller and there is an object for X-10 control, but this is certainly a task that a Stamp could handle.

robot mogul

Thats good, because I already have a Basic Stamp PDB, Thank you.