New to this - making my boiler/gates/alarm smart?

vintagevrs

Hi all,

Hoping for some advice/pointers to help me along the way and limit some of the mistakes I am bound to make. I ordered 4 Sonoff basics from Amazon today, should be here in a couple of days time. Going to start out by making some lamps smart and see can I get them to work with an Echo. If that works out I might go for a boiler next. We have another house beside us that is vacant, and we have the heat just ticking over for an hour each day on timer. I have the two houses wired together with CAT6 and there is a wireless access point there too. I am thinking of putting the Sonoff in parallel with the current boiler control. This is a little clock with off/timer/constant. My thinking is that I could leave this in the off position, and use the Sonoff remotely, and still use the clock in future if needed in future. Is this approach ok, or are there any issues to doing this, or better ways/sugestions?

Any other decent uses for the Sonoff switch, as I will have a one or two spare.

We have a basic house alarm with PIRs and a panel but no network/sim integration. Same with electric gates. Any pointers in making these smart with a sonoff budget friendly type device? I was thinking that geofence using IFTTT could be useful for the gates, and would probably enjoy the challenge of getting it going as much as the outcome. We have an intercom in the kitchen that can open the gates. I had a look in there, and would imagine putting some type of smart device in there would be easiest, but not sure what.

Any pointers appreciated.

Cheers
Vintage:)

Johnboy1951

I have the two houses wired together with CAT6 and there is a wireless access point there too.

This is a very bad idea, particularly if the two premises are on separate meters.

Electrically it is a 'no-no'.

They should be isolated electrically from each other.

vintagevrs

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

This is a very bad idea, particularly if the two premises are on separate meters.

Electrically it is a 'no-no'.

They should be isolated electrically from each other.

What's the risk?

Johnboy1951

vintagevrs wrote: »

What's the risk?

Each household is supposed to be electrically isolated from the next, but this would provide an electrical path from one to the other.

L1011

If you can still chase cable to the other house I'd seriously suggest replacing the link with optical. Can get a cheap-ish switch with a single SFP port for each house for maybe €80 a go and the SFPs for maybe €40; premade fibre cables are available in any length possible really. This will electrically isolate them.

vintagevrs

Is it a serious issue/risk? Running a new cable isn't really feasible due to some tight radius turns that I don't think an optical cable could do with out damage.

Thanks

vintagevrs

So I think I've figured out my approach on the gates. On the intercom there is a button to open them which is just a simple contact. I can see the pair that is used for this and jumping that pair opens the gates. I am going to tap into that in the attic and and put a sonoff relay on there in parallel which will momentarily complete the loop when activated therefore replicating a button press for the controller at the gates. This means I don't need to touch the gates and WiFi/power/weather exposure could be issues down there. Does this plan have any pitfalls?

Thanks

Johnboy1951

vintagevrs wrote: »

Is it a serious issue/risk? Running a new cable isn't really feasible due to some tight radius turns that I don't think an optical cable could do with out damage.

Thanks

Have you considered using a wireless connection between the two?

Wireless might be another possibility for the connection.

Other than that some other means of ethernet opto-isolation would work but probably costly (was some time ago when I last looked).

vintagevrs

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Have you considered using a wireless connection between the two?

Wireless might be another possibility for the connection.

Other than that some other means of ethernet opto-isolation would work but probably costly (was some time ago when I last looked).

I had wireless bridge set up before but it was at its limit. What's the risk of the cat connection?

Dr4gul4

vintagevrs wrote: »

So I think I've figured out my approach on the gates. On the intercom there is a button to open them which is just a simple contact. I can see the pair that is used for this and jumping that pair opens the gates. I am going to tap into that in the attic and and put a sonoff relay on there in parallel which will momentarily complete the loop when activated therefore replicating a button press for the controller at the gates. This means I don't need to touch the gates and WiFi/power/weather exposure could be issues down there. Does this plan have any pitfalls?

Thanks

The contact/button is running 220v ?

vintagevrs

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

The contact/button is running 220v ?

No it's in the intercom, 24v I believe.

Dr4gul4

vintagevrs wrote: »

No it's in the intercom, 24v I believe.

The basic's have an input voltage requirement of 90~250V AC.

I've considered something similar my self, as i've the same set up. legacy hand set, never gets used etc..


Maybe a shelly 1 would suffice. altho i'd need to double check this out.

vintagevrs

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

The basic's have an input voltage requirement of 90~250V AC.

I've considered something similar my self, as i've the same set up. legacy hand set, never gets used etc..


Maybe a shelly 1 would suffice. altho i'd need to double check this out.

Ah yeah, sorry should of said I wasnt planning on doing this with a basic sonoff.

This is the one I was looking at
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OWSOO-Wireless-Automation-Modules-Self-Locking/dp/B07DS3FKP8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549982918&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=sonoff+inching&dpPl=1&dpID=41eqmTLzTBL&ref=plSrch


But they don't deliver to Ireland so might go with this. Also leaves option for further automation in future if needed.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sonoff-Inching-Self-Locking-Interlock-Assistant/dp/B0793NYYPZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549982681&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=sonoff+4ch+pro+r2&dpPl=1&dpID=41Z2gx%2BvrGL&ref=plSrch

Dr4gul4

vintagevrs wrote: »

Ah yeah, sorry should of said I wasnt planning on doing this with a basic sonoff.

This is the one I was looking at
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OWSOO-Wireless-Automation-Modules-Self-Locking/dp/B07DS3FKP8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549982918&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=sonoff+inching&dpPl=1&dpID=41eqmTLzTBL&ref=plSrch


But they don't deliver to Ireland so might go with this. Also leaves option for further automation in future if needed.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sonoff-Inching-Self-Locking-Interlock-Assistant/dp/B0793NYYPZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549982681&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=sonoff+4ch+pro+r2&dpPl=1&dpID=41Z2gx%2BvrGL&ref=plSrch

The 4chan Pro does offer additional switching alright, but it's all subjective, how many devices have have close by to the handset etc.

I have a light switch which controls 4 lights, the 4 chan pro would suit here. but space would be an issue for me.

I've installed two shelly1 devices in backboxes however. just some options as they say.

vintagevrs

Yeah each application is different. I'll be putting this in the attic where I can tap into the intercom cable easily and power this unit easily and no space issues. Potentially in future use it to run an extractor fan linked to a humidity sensor but see how we go with this first.

vintagevrs

Little update.... I put the 4ch Pro in the attic and tapped into the cable that runs to the intercom. One of the relays now replicates a button press on the intercom that opens the gates. This also does not interfere in anyway with the buttons that we use to open the gates already or to keep them open.

I have paired this now with Alexa so can give the voice command and it works like a treat. No real benefit there to be honest though as pushing the button is just as handy. However, I can now remotely open the gates which will be useful occasionally. But the real nice feature is that I have tied this in with the "if this then that" app on my phone. So if I am driving and get within a few hundred meters of home as set out in the ifttt app using a geofence, the app triggers the gates.