Hacking a Washing Machine
LoopyByteloose
Posts: 12,537
I don't have one here.·
I send all my shirts and pants to a laundry across the street.
I was socks and underwear in a bucket.
But, it seems like you could do a lot to enhance an everyday washer.
1. You could add RS-232 to tell you when the load is done [noparse][[/noparse] at your computer ]
2. You could precisely control water temperature to get the most efficent use of your hot water [noparse][[/noparse]which is with the enzimes in the laundry detergent].
3. You could do small loads with shorter cycles optimized [noparse][[/noparse]both·time and water level]·to the kind of clothing you are washing.
4. You could have the washer tell you if it shut down due to overload or out of balance bia the RS-232
5. You could change your wash cycle from the computer!!!!
And,
You could have the dryer on the RS-232 too.
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
I send all my shirts and pants to a laundry across the street.
I was socks and underwear in a bucket.
But, it seems like you could do a lot to enhance an everyday washer.
1. You could add RS-232 to tell you when the load is done [noparse][[/noparse] at your computer ]
2. You could precisely control water temperature to get the most efficent use of your hot water [noparse][[/noparse]which is with the enzimes in the laundry detergent].
3. You could do small loads with shorter cycles optimized [noparse][[/noparse]both·time and water level]·to the kind of clothing you are washing.
4. You could have the washer tell you if it shut down due to overload or out of balance bia the RS-232
5. You could change your wash cycle from the computer!!!!
And,
You could have the dryer on the RS-232 too.
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
Comments
<end irony>
What we find is that you don't really WANT or NEED everything to talk to everything else. Washers and Dryers have been working just fine for years with mechanical timers. And the level of control you're talking about (precise water temperature, small loads, shorter cycles, etc) all come with additional costs.
People only pay more for things they perceive give them value.
... Kramer - you did get me thinking... wonder if there aren't opportunities for my blender though!
Nonetheless, the additional features do come at an extra cost AND often require more expensive and problematic servicing.· When in the USA, I bought basic washers because they really lasted longer, were much easier to maintain, and possibly·more efficent.
It still seems to me that one could build off a basic machine to have something better than what you buy in a deluxe model.
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
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·1+1=10
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 1/3/2006 6:20:16 PM GMT
One could put an SSR on a basicstamp with an rfid device so the washing machine would only wash your clothes. you could make a dryer automatically turn off when the vent is spitting out less humid air. You could tag all your gentle cycle clothes with washerproof rfid tags, and disable the stronger cycles when one of your frilliest of frillies gets thrown in along with.
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·1+1=10
The interconnection of devices is great IMHO.
Ryan
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Ryan Clarke
Parallax Tech Support
RClarke@Parallax.com
The OPL on premise laundry equipment that we work on have multiple computers that can be monitored from one pc
1 that controls wash formulas water levels water temp ECT
1 for the variable frequency motor drive
1 for the bulk soap supply
And in the coin op they are now adding debit card systems in place of the coins
My opinion someone forgot the kiss principle it can be a real nightmare when one computer decides it doesn’t want to talk to the other
Some of the hi end home units have the advanced features disgust thou we try not to get involved with them if we can help it whole different set of parts tools ect
Brian
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There's nothing a good wack with a hammer won't fix
Darn I let the white smoke out again
But, one thing that would be awesome (and theoretically fairly simple) is to page/sms/phone upon completion of laundry. At the machine, when you load it up, you can press "Phone" followed by your phone number. When 5 minutes remain on the wash, a system would call the number, and announce "Per your request, your laundry will be done in 5 minutes". Or, SMS "Laundry Done". Etc.
Also, if this system breaks down, the machine is still operable. It's just the person won't get his phone call/page, and may forget about his laundry.
Essentially, I was considering home automation and this is a particularly interesting piece of home equipment. I usually find it a complete waste of time to monitor it. It also has enough systems and cycles to challenge the average engineer more than say lighting control.
In terms of a more comprehensive home automation system, I was considering a CANbus that would combine security, applicance monitoring, environmental control, fire and other immediate hazards, and convience controls. It seems to be ideal for providing a home automation system that is adaptable to adding devices and changing configurations.
Another applicance that needs consideration and generally uses excessive amounts of energy is the American water heater. By putting a clock with a yearly calendar on it, it would be able to power down in times of minimal or no use. This is a simple project for electric water heaters as they can be switched by an SSR. Their normal thermostat can be set higher than the BasicStamp's device so no internal modifications need be made. You could even have a by-pass circuit to allow simple operation without control if the home automation system is off line.
Later, the CANbus might actually recognize when someone is in the dwelling and overide a shut down period to provide hotwater, or at least warm water when you are not in a scheduled period [noparse][[/noparse]this would combine the security features with the hot water features].
Post Script -· Automated soap dispensing is a great feature.· Most of us are using far more than we need.· The SMS feature is quite alluring too.· And regarding Dryers, you can use a humidity and temperature sensor to minimize energy consuption -- you just have to figure out the right formula from your own data.
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
Post Edited (Kramer) : 1/7/2006 10:22:47 AM GMT
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·1+1=10
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 1/7/2006 6:11:27 PM GMT
Just a bit of a caveat regarding the new breed of tankless or instantanous hot water heaters just described above. DO NOT use these in a commercial application IF you have DEMAND POWER METERING. The cost of running it will drive you into BANKRUPTCY!
Demand metering operates on the principal of the greatest demand over a (reasonably) small period of time. During the measured time period, you pay based on the MAXIMUM KW usage during that period, and that rate (whatever it may be) is used for that ENTIRE period! In ordinary commercial and industrial applications and the KW loads they produce, this MAY be quite fair.
However, since there is such a small ON time period with an instantanous hot water heater (only on during hot water demand), yet there are many time periods (EVERY time you want ANY hot water), the average KW usage (almost) throughout the entire day will be greatly increased over a storage type hot water heater which uses much smaller amounts of power over much longer perods of time.
Although I'd not thought about this until this very moment, there MIGHT be a method to "beat this system" somewhat. This presumes you don't mind losing some of the instantaneous feature. If the heating element were driven by high amperage PWM, one might be able to ramp the power up slowly enough so as not to "trip" the power meter's demand feature. The demand feature DEPENDS on large spikes in usage to swing the demand pendulum (so to speak). Keeping the power usage more even, is the key to it.
Obviously the ramping time period and PWM amount would be determined by a Basic Stamp <whew back on topic>
Regards,
Bruce Bates
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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com
Post Edited (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 1/8/2006 2:41:51 AM GMT
www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/ces/live-from-ces-lg-remote-laundering-device-147227.php
You wouldn't believe teh multi-million dollar industry that's built on 'doo-hickey's and widgets!
Sometimes people like to say..." look at this cool thing I picked up"...and within a month the novelty wears off...BUT, the seller still has the $ in their pocket!
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·
Steve
"Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."
The USA has some extravagant applicance habits - the tank water heater, the electric dryer, and of course the garbage disposal. Also, the typical American oven has only one reason for being so large - turkey.
The electric dryer gives you those nice toasty towels at a hidden cost - you buy a lot more clothes. If you don't dry with so much heat, the fabric will easily last 10 times longer. Having a precise control of the heat in relationship to the moisture would not only save energy, but do less damage to your clothes.
The dishwashers also have a heating element to dry and sterilize dishes. This merely changes the dishwasher to an electric oven for a few minutes.
The traditional American stove/oven combination is non existant in Taiwan. People mostly steam to cook bread. So they just have a stovetop.
About the only things that I can really see as energy efficent are microwaves and some traditional perculator coffee pots.
GETTING back to Home Automation and a complete BUS
Having appliances aware that people are around can greatly enhance their utility. RFID might be used to identify who is where and then you might be told that something needs your attention.
I realize CANbus is pretty much a competator's product, but having a few low voltage and independent wires go everywhere is really attractive. The fact that multiple masters and mutiple slaves can work along side each other is another plus. I doubt that you need an internet system thoughout a home as the individual interfaces become more costly. These devices can easily team up with just 8 byte packets.
And no virus.
It is all synergystic 1+1>2
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
"It's not the washing and folding that is so much of a problem, I need a robot that will put the clothes away in the proper drawers and also hang the clothes that need to be hung"
...And there you have it!
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Beau Schwabe
IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.
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"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)
······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan