Pierre's Lab

Home automation comes in several flavors from pure vanilla to extremely complex with features that go beyond imagination. Let’s play around X10 products only.

Vanilla Home Automation.

This one is the easiest to realize and is a good first building block. In this configuration switches are replaced by X10 Dim / non Dim modules and Lamp Module are installed between outlets and the lamp itself.

Several Powerline Transceiver modules and PalmPad Hand Held Remote Control to control lamps remotely. Nothing complex at all.

With this application you can turn lights on/off and even dim them whenever you want:

• You are watching TV and want to dim the lights without walking to each light switch
• You are going to bed or leave the house and you want to make sure that all lights are off, it’s done with one push of a button.
• …

Basic Home automation.

Same equipment as for the Vanilla system plus several EagleEye Motion Sensor and a Powerline Interface which will allow storing macro. A computer is needed to configure macros. A good Software would be ActiveHome Pro which is a great tool to setup your X10 system and doesn’t need your Computer to be always on.

With this configuration you can set macros to turn lights on / off at set time or set events such as dusk, or when a motion sensor is activated:

• You walk in to your basement and the lights go on
• You go to your garage and the lights go on, you leave the garage and the light go off
• At dusk your outdoor lights go on then off at 10pm for example.
• …

Simple but very effective.

Advanced Home Automation.

Same equipment as the basic configuration plus a Vanstar thermostat, Why not a sprinkler system, a weather station and a dedicated low cost always on computer and PowerHome. This software needs more works and computer knowledge than the Basic configuration but it’s quick to learn and the support groups are quite effective.
X10 and PowerHome bring now some very interesting configuration and possibilities as a powerful unit is the heart of your system: the computer. A few examples of what I realize with my system:

• Bed lights go on slowly at wake up time in the morning but on weekend, holidays and vacation for the kids.
• Temperature is set according the day the week, the outside temperature and the season.
• Temperature override re-set automatically in case a family member set it too high or too low.
• All lights are turned off automatic during winter weekday at 7:30am and 8:30am during winter weekends.
• If a kid gets up in the middle of the night the bedroom lights turn on and follow the child then turn off after 10 minutes.
• If a bathroom light stays on in the middle of the night, it shut down after 15min.
• Kids lights start blinking slowly at 8:30pm then dim down until they turn off – time to sleep.
• If someone shows up at the door in the middle of the night, the outdoor lights turn on and a chime rings in the master bedroom.
• Basement and garage lights turn on automatically then turn off as soon as the room is empty.
• The guest room and the office are not heated nor cooled if unoccupied.
• If the total of water dispensed on the lawn (watering + rain) is over 1” the sprinkler system doesn’t start.
• If it’s too windy no watering same if it’s raining or the forecast is contain the word rain.
• Etc…

All these services do not include security, video/audio distribution, video monitoring, curtain… With Home Automation imagination and money are the limits.