Home Automation

79 readers

2 users here now

Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

Rules

No abusive behaviour. This is a forum for friendly discussion; personal attacks will not be tolerated and you will be banned without warning.
Referral/affiliate links are NOT ALLOWED!
NO POLITICS! There are plenty of other communities to discuss them; this is not one.
When posting project details must be included. Posting a video or image without detail will result in a removed post and may result in a ban.
Crowdfunding links are not allowed.
Reposts, low-effort content and karma farming may be removed at the discretion of the mods. Posters may be banned without warning.

founded 11 months ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Is there any way to make these smart? Possibly Shelly relays or ESP32 boards? (imgur.com)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

7 comments fedilink hide all child comments

top 7 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

What does it control? Is it a proper AC with compressor or just a fancy fan?

If this is a thermostat controlling a compressor you don't want to go replacing it with just relays or it will be very easy to kill your compressor.

But you could program and ESP board as a thermostat to do it for you. ESPHome has some off-the-shelf libraries for this.

If it is just a fan, a relay would allow you to turn it on an off. But you still probably won't be able to change speed because it probably does PWD to control fan speed. This could also be solved with an ESP running motor controller code.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Appreciate the response, it's for a seap/evaporative cooler.

How about simulating the button presses? Would that be safest way?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Hard to tell from the first photo, if you take the board out of the housing (looks like it's just held in with plastic clips) and turn it over to see the actual buttons you can possibly wire in relays to press the buttons.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It looks like it is these type of buttons

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

You should be able to wire a relay onto the legs of those switches and control it that way. Take a screwdriver, bridge two legs and see if the button activates, if it does and esp32 and a relay board should sort you out nicely.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The safest way would be to have a SwitchBot press the existing buttons. But the existing buttons are part of your problem.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

It looks like it is these type of buttons