Johncfii
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2020
- Messages
- 265
In case anyone is interested in Home Automation:
Several months ago I decided to dip into Home Automation in a bigger way. I was motivated by a desire to provide my wife with a “panic switch” that would turn on all outside lights and some interior lights. We live in the country, fairly isolated; and I am away from home many nights because of my job. She sometimes gets a bit anxious being home alone at night.
I decided long ago that I absolutely DO NOT want to install any Amazon, Apple or Google home automation products because of their surreptitious monitoring and data collection. I settled on a combination of KASA Tp-link switches and outlets, controlled using the free Samsung SmartThings app. (Maybe Samsung surreptitiously monitors too. I don’t know, but we know that the Big 3 do that. At least my stuff doesn’t have any hidden cameras or microphones.)
SmartThings is a free app that runs on your cell phone, or tablet. It is the part of the system where you construct the various IF/THEN logic statements that let you custom control your smart outlets, smart switches, and many other kinds of WiFi connected devices. It will pair with hundreds of different brands of smart devices.
There is a KASA App that is needed to connect the KASA devices to your WiFi. It will also let you define some IF/THEN logic control statements, but the Samsung app is much more capable.
I recently added an Emerson “Sensi” WiFi-connected thermostat to the system.
All parts are working very well. Components are all reasonably priced from Amazon.com. Routines are easy to set up. All is working flawlessly.
Here is a list of the useful (or sometimes just fun) routines that I have in place.
- A “panic switch“ next to wife’s side of the bed. One button-push turns on all outside floodlights, and bright lights in the kitchen, dining room, and hallways
- Automatic control of LED outside accent lights, Christmas lights, and kitchen accent lights. Some of the accent lights turn on at a time adjusted for changing time of sunset through the seasons.
- Accent lights automatically turn off around bed time.
- Closet lights that often didn’t get turned off, now turn off automatically after several minutes of ON time.
- Bathroom ventilation fans now turn off automatically after 12 minutes of run time.
- The Emerson “Sensi” thermostat is mounted in our bedroom. I use it to facilitate a lower night setting of heat for the main furnace, which is connected to a conventional programmable thermostat. This allows my wife to economically operate a small electric heater in the bedroom, which she wants a bit warmer. It is also programmed, depending on temperature, to start a small electric heater in the bathroom to warm up that room just before she gets out of bed on the morning.
- A fan that I use to disperse heat from our wood stove shuts off automatically, by clock time, when the fire has died down late at night.
- In summer, I have attic ventilation fans controlled by time of day, and temperature.
I have several other potential uses in mind. Such as shutting down the electric hot water heater in the evening, after hot water use is done for the day, and restarting a half hour before morning wake up.
I’m not sure that that the energy cost savings is enough to ever pay for the components, but it is all useful, and fun.
The main tangible benefit is that wife really likes being able to control all the lights at night, from her bed, when she is home alone. Her increased peace of mind is most important when I am away. The lights give her a lot more confidence that she can counter any threat with her “bad-guy dissuaders”.
I’m very pleased with the utility of Samsung’s SmartThings app, and the cost and reliability of the KASA and Emerson components.
I’d also be very interested to hear any of your suggestions for useful Home Automation routines.
Several months ago I decided to dip into Home Automation in a bigger way. I was motivated by a desire to provide my wife with a “panic switch” that would turn on all outside lights and some interior lights. We live in the country, fairly isolated; and I am away from home many nights because of my job. She sometimes gets a bit anxious being home alone at night.
I decided long ago that I absolutely DO NOT want to install any Amazon, Apple or Google home automation products because of their surreptitious monitoring and data collection. I settled on a combination of KASA Tp-link switches and outlets, controlled using the free Samsung SmartThings app. (Maybe Samsung surreptitiously monitors too. I don’t know, but we know that the Big 3 do that. At least my stuff doesn’t have any hidden cameras or microphones.)
SmartThings is a free app that runs on your cell phone, or tablet. It is the part of the system where you construct the various IF/THEN logic statements that let you custom control your smart outlets, smart switches, and many other kinds of WiFi connected devices. It will pair with hundreds of different brands of smart devices.
There is a KASA App that is needed to connect the KASA devices to your WiFi. It will also let you define some IF/THEN logic control statements, but the Samsung app is much more capable.
I recently added an Emerson “Sensi” WiFi-connected thermostat to the system.
All parts are working very well. Components are all reasonably priced from Amazon.com. Routines are easy to set up. All is working flawlessly.
Here is a list of the useful (or sometimes just fun) routines that I have in place.
- A “panic switch“ next to wife’s side of the bed. One button-push turns on all outside floodlights, and bright lights in the kitchen, dining room, and hallways
- Automatic control of LED outside accent lights, Christmas lights, and kitchen accent lights. Some of the accent lights turn on at a time adjusted for changing time of sunset through the seasons.
- Accent lights automatically turn off around bed time.
- Closet lights that often didn’t get turned off, now turn off automatically after several minutes of ON time.
- Bathroom ventilation fans now turn off automatically after 12 minutes of run time.
- The Emerson “Sensi” thermostat is mounted in our bedroom. I use it to facilitate a lower night setting of heat for the main furnace, which is connected to a conventional programmable thermostat. This allows my wife to economically operate a small electric heater in the bedroom, which she wants a bit warmer. It is also programmed, depending on temperature, to start a small electric heater in the bathroom to warm up that room just before she gets out of bed on the morning.
- A fan that I use to disperse heat from our wood stove shuts off automatically, by clock time, when the fire has died down late at night.
- In summer, I have attic ventilation fans controlled by time of day, and temperature.
I have several other potential uses in mind. Such as shutting down the electric hot water heater in the evening, after hot water use is done for the day, and restarting a half hour before morning wake up.
I’m not sure that that the energy cost savings is enough to ever pay for the components, but it is all useful, and fun.
The main tangible benefit is that wife really likes being able to control all the lights at night, from her bed, when she is home alone. Her increased peace of mind is most important when I am away. The lights give her a lot more confidence that she can counter any threat with her “bad-guy dissuaders”.
I’m very pleased with the utility of Samsung’s SmartThings app, and the cost and reliability of the KASA and Emerson components.
I’d also be very interested to hear any of your suggestions for useful Home Automation routines.
Last edited:
