Solar Home in Fairplay, Colorado
Home
Automation
Tools:
I was first introduced to the Raspberry Pi
as a gift in 2016. This is a tiny computer which
runs on Linux. I use it as a webserver with database
capability, a hotspot, to capture Outback solar
data, and to run timed activities using python
programs. While the raspberry pi can collect data
from sensors, I have set up a variety of
microcontrollers (even smaller computers) to get
sensor data. I have mostly used the ESP8266
microcontroller which has WiFi. The data collected
as described below is stored in a MySQL database and
is available on
a variety of webpages on a Raspberry Pi webserver.
Temperature:
Several types of sensors are used for
temperature and humidity including the master
bedroom, kitchen, outside, the solar hot water tank,
the battery box and more.
Solar
Monitoring:
There is a serial connection between a
Raspberry Pi 4 and the Outback Mate which captures
the solar data. A lux sensor captures the solar
illuminance level.
Webcams:
Webcams take pictures at timed intervals
and can be seen on the webserver. A webcam of the
front of the house shows the cloud cover and how
much snow has fallen. Webcams also show the current
values of the radon monitors.
Radiant
Infloor Heater Control:
Can be controlled from the Control Devices
webpage and will run at a certain setpoint
temperature or manually. It is shut off in the
evening with a timed python program.
Space
Heater Control:
Can
be controlled from the Control Devices webpage and
will run in manual or automatic mode. In the
automatic mode it will turn on if the solar charge
controller is in Float (batteries are full). It is shut off
in the evening with a timed python program.
Battery
Box Fan Control:
While the batteries are charging they
produce hydrogen gas which must be vented using the
fan. Additionally, the fan is used to prevent the
battery box from being too hot as higher
temperatures are bad for battery life. The battery
box fan can be controlled from the Control Devices
webpage and will run in always off if battery V
<52, automatic by battery box temperature, and
always on modes. The fan is controlled by a relay
attached to an ESP8266.
Control
Devices Webpage:
This webpage is available locally via
intranet or anywhere via intranet on the Raspberry
Pi webserver. Insteon switches are used to turn on
and off the radiant heater, the space heater, the
HRV fans, the refrigerator, and an outlet used for
charging batteries. The HRV's and outlet are
automatically on only when battery voltage > 52
but there is a manual override. Window shades can
also be controlled from this webpage. The shades can
be controlled manually or set to automatically open in
the morning and close in the evening.
New toys:
I have added Homeassistant to Raspberry Pi 4 which can do much of what is on my Control Devices Webpage. I am also setting up Rhasspy voice recognition to do some of these tasks. Both of these programs are free, work locally, and do not require the cloud.
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