Introduction
When our property was built we had an Electratech system installed
which was unreliable and had to be replaced. This Electratech
system had impulse relays in the main switch box and required hard
wiring from the switch box to most of the heaters.
Fuse Box
Here you can see the split power supply and the DIN appliance
modules. The DIN modules control the space and water heating;
the ventilation system; the outside lights and the two internal
lighting rings. You can see a small neon plug-lamp to the left
of the lower fuse box which comes on when we receive the cheapest
electricity
The Study
All on-off times are all controlled by the Activehome software
running on the IBM ThinkPad 560 which is the small black computer on
the right. Next to the 560 is my black business computer.
CM12U
The CM12U is plugged into the mains power to the right of the desk.
The CM12U is the UK model with the square pin plugs and is
functionally equivalent to the USA CM11A.
In the bottom right hand corner of the picture is one of the
electronic sensors that are connected to each of our electric
storage heaters. These sensors send signals to the storage
heaters to switch them off when each room has reached the required
temperature.
Transceiver Units
The picture on the left shows the UK Transceiver units for both
house codes "A" and "B". Normally the
"Butterfly" controls the appliances, but the programmed
settings can be over-ridden by the transmitter units that are
resting on the receivers. We also have some USA Transceiver
units that I have modified for 240Volts, and these are using house
codes "C", and "D". You can not control UK
receivers with USA transmitters, and vice-verca.
The Irrigation System
Here you can see two appliance modules that control the two solenoid
operated water valves. These valves switch on and off the
water to our micro irrigation system. Since this equipment is
in the garage, the water pipes are lagged and drained during the
winter months.
Your turn now
Is there anything else you would like put up here? If so,
please send me an e-mail.
Also, do have a look in the February 2000 edition of Computer
Shopper on pages 535-537 and in the May 2000 edition on pages 469 to
472 where you will see my articles on home
automation.
Page created on March 02, 1997, last
revised: November 29, 2006.
Redoak
e-mail address