House automation

My home automation project, I d’like to tell you a little bit on how it all started (the short version).
I started using Raspberry Pi about 2 years ago but at the time there was not a lot of software available for home automation.
I first used Myscada which was nice it had a designer program to create the layout you wanted but at the end this involved a lot of programming to let the layout work with the hardware so I gave up on myscada.
About a year ago that’s when I discovered webiopi, I finally had something that worked out of the box as a matter of speaking.
I could now operate a relay true a webpage how cool was that, but the layout was not very userfriendly so I started doing some research on how to create a webpage that could do the same as the webiopi page but then in the layout I had in mind.
Something more like they use in a proffesional automation systems.
There is a lot of material to find on the net but at the end you have to do it yourself.
After following a refresh course of Java programming language online I finally created my own (simple) webpage and I have to say that this was working fine the response time was incredible fast absolutely no delay when pushing the button and verry stable ran for 6 months without any restart.
The only downturn was that whenever I wanted to add a sensor I had to start programming again and since I’m not a proffesional programmer it was every time a challenge.
Untill I discoverd Cayenne, I’m telling you this was a gift from heaven this program can literally do everything I wanted and still wan’t to do.
No difficulties when adding sensors (or other hardware) just connect and ready.
I’m telling you a gift from heaven.
And now some pictures because I could tell a lot more about my project but pictures say so much more then words.

My first setup:
Only 2 relays and 1 optocoupler relay I use these 3 to turn on the lights in the garden and to turn on the amplifier of the music system.
The board between the pi and the relays contains a diode, transistor and a resistor for each gpio ouput so I can operate the relays using an external power source which you can see on the right side next to the pi.


This was the very first relay I used to test the system (own build):

When we did some changes in our house I build in a touch screen in one off the walls this one is used to operate the system this is also the screen I use for my camera’s around the house (another hobby):


This is the webpage I created in java (it’s in dutch):

I’m now building a new smaller more powerfull system, it contains an optocoupler board with 8 channels and an opto-isolated relay board with 4 channels so I have enough channels to connect all my hardware which will be 4 x DS18B20 temp sensors, 1 PIR motion sensor and 1 light sensor, the 8 channel optocoupler board will be used to control a multicolour led that indicates the outside temperature the opto-isolated board will be used for the lights in the house and for the music system as it was before:

I’ll post more pictures next time when everything is connected.

Rgrds,
Mike

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Hi Mike,

This is really cool! I’m excited to see when everything gets connected. There is good possibilities with Triggers and Scheduling features too!

In case you didn’t see this, you can submit this project here
Win a Trip to Maker Faire 2016! [contest ended] - #6 by Ian

A big thank you for posting this and letting us know about this project! Keep us updated with its progress and more pics.

-B

Benny,

No problem I will definitely send more information when the new unit is installed.
This will be the second unit in my house now.
I already read about the competion you orginazied but untill yesterday I didn’t think my project was worth entering but I will do it this week.
I already entered a lot of triggers to test my project and their all working perfectly.
I will share a printscreen of the dashboard when all is connected but now it’s not complete and if give’s a wrong impression.
Sorry I didn’t participated in the meeting but I had to was work.
Anyway I could keep talking about this but thank you for you response and I’ll talk to you later.

Rgrds,
Mike

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