Articles

Inovelli Z-Wave Switch Review

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 20:14:39 +0000

I ordered the switch on Amazon and selected the dimmable, non-scene one. They also offer dimmable, scene-capable as well as plain on-off types. They are available in paddle or (older style) rocker selections.

The package contained the switch, an almond colored face-plate/trim, a neutral wire jumper, and a real set of instructions.

For a FULL REVIEW of the switch installation and integration with HomeSeer please refer to the attached PDF file.

CocoonTech Inovelli Z-Wave Switch Review - Publish Version.pdf 979.14K 394 downloads

Amazon Expanding Alexa SmartHome Team

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 15:35:18 +0000

A CocoonTech member working for Amazon's Alexa Home Automation division has shared that Amazon is looking to fill more positions in this category.

Check this thread for more information.

Luna: Turn Your Bed into a Smartbed

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:30:08 +0000

Luna is a mattress 'smart cover' which allows dual-zone temperature control, sleep tracking, smart alarm and some other features. They just launched their product via an IndieGoGo campaign which already met its $100,000 USD goal in a matter of hours. Very impressive!

Pledges start at $199 for the Queen size.

Personally, I'm interested in this type of product, as long as they allow us to use/control it without any 'cloud/IoT' dependencies (but that doesn't look to be the case). They do promise an open API and Apple Health & Google Fit support.

Check the IndieGoGo campaign for more details.

Note: IndieGoGo is a crowdfunding website, not a store. Plenty of campaigns deliver too late, or even worse, sometimes not at all. Keep this in mind.

HomeSeer unveils Z-NET

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 04:01:00 +0000

Each Z-NET can be configured to work with up to 232 Z-Wave devices, including light switches, thermostats, door locks, sensors and more. Additional Z-NETs may be installed in larger residences or in properties with outbuildings such as detached workshops, garages, barns or servant quarters.

Z-NET will be unveiled at CES 2015 this week and is slated to begin shipping Q1. MSRP is $149.95. To see Z-NET up close, visit HomeSeer at the Z-Wave Alliance Pavilion (booth 21000). HomeSeer will also be showing newly updated versions of their popular "Control Pad" tabletop touchscreen and "HomeTroller Zee" home controller.

For more information, visit www.homeseer.com or contact the company at 603-471-2816. OEM and Dealer inquiries are welcome.

HomeSeer automation systems are designed to work seamlessly with industry standards and products from leading Z-Wave manufactures such as Cooper, Schlage, Kwikset, Baldwin, Yale, GE, Honeywell, Leviton, Linear, Everspring, Evolve, Fibaro, FortrezZ, Aeon Labs, RCS, Ecolink and many more.

HomeSeer Technologies, LLC is a leading provider of home control systems based in Bedford, New Hampshire. Its software and hardware controllers give installers and users the ability to integrate and automate everything in their homes, including lights, appliances, thermostats, door locks, security systems, audio/video, and media content. HomeSeer systems are IP enabled, allowing users remote access from anywhere in the world. Visit www.homeseer.com for more information.

Fun with Cell Phone Voice Alerts!

Sun, 14 Dec 2014 06:08:10 +0000

A couple of the CT regulars are playing right now with Zello - it's a Push To Talk app that basically gives you nextel-like functionality (but on steroids) on any phone. It has history and different states and plenty of other options - but the beeps and sounds are 99% Nextel as is the instantaneous result - although I think the voice quality is generally better than Nextel was. You can chat to a group or an individual.

With Zello, you have the option of joining groups - such as a couple of us have on the CT channel - but better yet is that you can join multiple devices for individual contact. Of course this is intended for multiple individuals to connect. Now add in the fact that the Windows version supports VOX - Voice Activation - and you're getting somewhere.

The other day, a few of us talked about the API's and what might be possible before another forum member figured out the best part - if it supports VOX and you can capture the audio events, then you don't even need an API - you can capture anything said by your HTPC (or an HSVoice client, etc). The gent who figured this out I believe suggested an 1/8" stereo cable from the line out to the Mic in on the PC - then turning on VOX. So, today I went to do this - I have a special build HTPC that I should've documented by now - it's an Atom based PC - very small - that I adapted to a 1U shallow rack mount and added in serial ports. It's quite handy! I went after it with a 1/8" to 1/8" stereo cord to create a loopback just to find that it had audio out but not in. Bummer! Though this slowed me down it didn't stop me - I immediately went searching for a virtual loopback adapter. I'm on the wrong PC or I'd paste the link of the best one (I'll try to follow up tomorrow) - but basically I now have an audio out and a mic in that are linked with no physical cables.

So next step - is to tell Elve to do some TTS and direct it out a particular sound card. I installed Zello on the PC with its own username and linked the contacts - then enabled VOX mode Now a couple rules later, and I get custom TTS alerts straight to my cell phone when things happen around the house, such as arm/disarm alerts, and different testing rules.

What's really great is that you can use this to create your own channel - perhaps everyone in the house... and it's pretty universal in that if your HA app can generate sound, it can be pushed out. And network location doesn't matter much - it works about anywhere.

Check it out and share what kind of awesome things you come up with!!

Kidde Recalls Smoke Alarms Due to Alarm Failure

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 20:35:57 +0000

Consumers should immediately contact Kidde for a free replacement smoke or combination smoke/CO alarm. Consumers should keep using the recalled alarms until they install replacement alarms.

They were sold at CED, City Electric Supply, HD Supply, Home Depot, Menards Inc. and other retailers, electrical distributors and online at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com and shopkidde.com from January 2014 through July 2014 for between $30 and $50.

From Kidde:

September 11, 2014
Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Inc. (“Kidde”) in conjunction with the U.S. ConsumerProduct Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a voluntary recall to replace certainKidde AC/DC smoke alarms and combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms.

A copy of the joint recall announcement can be seen by clicking here and attached is the safety notice. Kidde has sent copies to our retail customers with instructions to post a copy of the safety notice in stores that sold these alarms.

This replacement program was initiated because the units may not perform as designed following a power outage. If a power outage occurs at the same second that a unit isperforming a sensor health check, the units may go into a “latched” mode, causing them not to alert to the presence of smoke. The unit will sound if it receives a signal from an
alarm in the same interconnected system. Once power is restored, a latched unit will sound an alert, regardless of the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide, until power to the alarm is completely removed.

It involves Kidde residential smoke alarms with model number i12010S manufactured between Dec. 18, 2013 and May 13, 2014, and combination smoke/CO alarms with model number i12010SCO manufactured between Dec. 30, 2013 and May 13, 2014 and model number KN-COSM-IBA manufactured between Oct. 22, 2013 and May 13, 2014.

Kidde discovered the issue during an internal quality check. There have been no incidents reported, but due to our commitment to quality and safety, Kidde has taken action out of an abundance of caution. We have corrected the issue on future models, and are working with customers to obtain all affected units currently in stock.

If you receive inquiries please direct them to contact Kidde at 1-844-553-9011 or www.Kidde.com.

We value our relationship with the state fire marshals and NASFM and appreciate your
understanding as we take care of this matter. If you have any questions, you can contact Neal Zipser, Kidde’s Community Affairs Manager, at 919-304-8264.

SAFETY NOTICE
Post until January 11, 2015 In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
i12010S i12010SCO KN-COSM-IBA (900-0114A)
Name of Products:
i12010S –10 Year Hardwired Smoke Alarm – manufactured 12/18/13 through 5/13/14
i12010SCO – 10 Year Hardwired Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarm – manufactured 12/30/13 through 5/13/14
KN-COSM-IBA – Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarm (front-load battery model only) – manufactured from
10/22/13 through 5/13/14
These units are AC/DC powered and capable of hardwired interconnect. They have a Kidde logo on the face of the unit. The model number is on the label on the back of the unit.

Identified Hazard: If a power outage occurs at the same second that a unit is performing a sensor health check, the unit may go into a “latched” mode, causing it not to alert to the presence of smoke. It will sound if it receives a signal from an alarm in the same interconnected system. Once power is restored, a latched unit will sound an alert, regardless
of the presence of re and/or carbon monoxide (for combination units) until power to the unit is completely removed.

Remedy: Replace Unit. Consumers should not take the alarm out of service until they receive a replacement from Kidde.

Kidde Product Support: Kidde toll-free at 1-844-553-9011 between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday,
except holidays, or visit our website at www.kidde.com.

New HomeSeer Products Announced

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 19:25:17 +0000

Z-Wave to ASCII Module:

Z-Wave NightLight/Multi-sensor

Thread - a new networking protocol to unite the IoT initiated by Nest, ARM, and Samsung and others.

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 05:04:54 +0000

Things seem to be heating up in the battle to bring the Internet of Things to fruition. The latest such entry into this market may just be the game changer we've been looking for to start bringing all these different systems together. We've seen plenty of other attempts at standardizing communication in our homes - but they've all gone their own way trying to create the "best" - and instead it seems we've ended up with too many choices. The Thread Group hopes to change this. Cue the old xkcd.com comic:

What makes this different is the list of backers this time around. The founding group consists of ARM, Big Ass Fans, Freescale Semiconductor, Nest Labs, Inc, Samsung, Silicon Labs and Yale Security. New members should getting accepted Q3 2014). This is a not-for-profit group that's centered around working with developers and consumers and creating a certification program for their new mesh networking technology.

I'm not 100% up to speed yet, but the idea is that a new protocol called Thread is being developed as a new mesh networking protocol based on 802.15.4. This means that, in theory, existing devices which use ZigBee / 6LoWPAN and possibly others will be able to migrate to Thread with just a firmware update. In fact, Nest thermostats are now shipping with a version of Thread running on them.

This new protocol shows promise, as it's designed from the ground up to be a self-healing network that's secure, scalable, and still easy on batteries making it work for portable devices. It's intended to bring together appliances, access control, climate control, energy management, lighting, safety, and security - and it's designed specifically for the home. Up to 250 devices are supported on a single network and can handle multiple hops (may be too few devices for some of us). Setup looks like it'll eliminate the need for a lot of technical knowledge, as it seem like you'll be able to enroll devices with just your smartphone by entering in or scanning a product code on the packaging. This will help open the doors to households everywhere, leaving the biggest remaining hurdle likely to be getting the electrical components switched out (switches, outlets) and possibly wiring up the new thermostat; everything else seems like it'll enroll in seconds.

I'm certainly intrigued; I think this will be the biggest jump-start the IoT needs to finally start bringing the masses together so we can finally start seeing the world where all of our appliances and fixtures in the home communicate and work together to keep us informed and help reduce our energy costs by allowing everything in the home to work together. Of course this likely will bring with it yet another dependance on "The cloud" - but being a single standard, hopefully there'll be options for the edge routers to keep things closed within our own homes as well.

Thoughts? Comment below!

[How-To] Measure Salt Level in Your Water Softener (OLD SCHOOL METHOD)

Mon, 07 Jul 2014 18:21:32 +0000

The method of choice involved using a 'string potentiometer' or 'string pot' for measuring the salt level. Basically, a string pot is a spring loaded string (or cable) attached to a potentiometer that turns as the string is extended, and will recoil if the string is returned to the unit (think of a yo yo with an automatic string retraction feature).

As the string is extended or retracted, it turns a multi-turn potentiometer so its change in resistance is proportional to the distance of string extended from the unit. If one were to apply a voltage to this device the amount of string extended would see a proportional voltage change from the potentiometer.

This potentiometer's voltage would then be measured by an existing analog to digital converter. In my case, I used a PH-Anderson 10-Bit A-D converter, but the Elk also has this capability of converting an input into an analog zone.

A typical off the shelf string potentiometer is shown below:

Unfortunately, these devices can cost upwards of $150 which makes it cost prohibitive for typical home automation enthusiasts.

This How-To will show you a method to make your own string pot for about $20 and will have a measurement distance slightly under three feet!

This idea was derived from THIS YouTube video, where the user used a retractable key-chain/badge holder to turn a ten turn potentiometer by incorporating a pulley on the potentiometer's shaft. To incorporate this device for measuring salt level in a water softener the measurement capable distance would have to be increased. Also, it would be nice if 'machining' a pulley was not required.

A search was performed to find a heavy duty retractable holder that had a longer distance, and THIS product seemed to match these requirements. It has a heavy duty rating plus 40 inch pull length (I need a measure capability of approximately three feet for my particular water softener).

I planned on using THIS ten turn potentiometer from Bourns as they are of very high quality and the shaft can easily turn (with hardly any resistance). Note there are cheaper multi-turn potentiometers out there, but the aggravation of using them isn't worth the five bucks you will save, unless you happen to have them around and their shafts easily turn. I choose a value of 10KOhms as it would draw little current using a five volt excitation supply (the maximum measurement capability of my analog to digital converter).

The real hassle came when trying to find an off the shelf pulley to mount on the shaft of the potentiometer. The retractable holder has a string pull out distance of 40 inches, which would be incorporated into as many turns of the potentiometer as possible (for good accuracy/resolution). So one turn of the potentiometer would require using about four inches of the holder's string distance (40 inches / ten turns of the potentiometer).

Using the formula Circumference = 3.1416 * Diameter and substituting 4 inches for the circumference yields a needed pulley diameter of 1.27 inches (4 / 3.1416) or roughly 1 1/4 inches. Now one would think that with the vast information available by Al Gore's Internet that this would be an easy accomplishment, but it was far from it.

To make a long story short, an optimal pulley was found in a local Hobby Store, no, not in the plastic pulley section, but in their vast selection of model wheels! A model wheel was found that, with the tire portion removed, the 'pulley' was a nice 1.2 inches in diameter!

A pulley with a smaller groove would be optimal, but this would have to do for now.

If your local hobby store does not carry these model wheels they can be purchased from Amazon.

Shown below are all the main components that were used for this project:

The center hole of the wheel/pulley was drilled so it fit tightly over the potentiometer's shaft. The potentiometer, pulley, and retractable holder were mounted on a small thin aluminum plate.

Note the way the string from the holder was placed over the pulley. This was proven to be the optimal (minimal slippage) routing as it contacted nearly the full circumference of the pulley while not getting tangled between the lines entry and exit from the pulley.

A small grommet was mounted on an angle bracket and the string feed through it to prevent the line from running into the pulley when retracted.

HERE is a YouTube video showing the finished product's performance. The final measurement capability turned out to be 2' 10" due to the pulley's actual diameter and cutting off some amount of string from the badge holder in order to feed it through the grommet (and retie it).

The linearity between the resistance and the distance of string extended was tested and graphed as shown in the diagram below:

Note that these tests were performed before the string was cut and placed through the grommet (thus capable of the full 30" length).

Also, note that the points can form a straight line (if drawn on the graph) which shows optimal linearity (thus a change in resistance is directly proportional to a change in the length of string).

In order to get this information into a useable format for a home automation system an equation of the line must be determined using the Y = m X + b slope/intercept formula.

A How-To on Analog to Digital Converters Explained was created that shows a step by step process for determining this. An easier method exists for those that have Microsoft's Excel though. After entering the values on two columns plot them using a scatter plot graph (DO NOT use a line graph). You will have to select the appropriate columns for the X and Y axis, but should wind up with a graph similar to the one above).

Now, right click on any data point on that graph and then click on "Format Trendline..." as shown below:

Now a dialog box will be shown for various data trend options. Make sure the "Linear Trend/Regression" type is selected and that the last two box entries are checked as shown below.

Now the equation will be shown on the graph as well as a linear trend line. Also, the closer the R-squared value is to a value of one the more linear the data is.

For this graph "Y" will of course represent resistance and "X" will represent inches. Note that we will wind up taking data again once the unit is installed in the water softener (preferably near empty) and will plot voltage or bits measured by the analog to digital converter vs. percent of salt left (more on this later).

The potentiometer's wiring was then connected. Since my A-D board has a maximum voltage measurement capability of five volts, I selected a five volt wall wart that I had on hand. The schematic is shown below. Note that I elected NOT to install a fuse (as the wall wart's current was very low) but this could be an option one may want to deploy.

Now that the unit is assembled and tested, it was installed in the water softener as shown below.

A weight was placed that would ensure the string retracted when the salt's level decreased.

One thing that I did note from earlier testing was the pulley did not return to the exact same spot once retracted. This is not a problem as the pulley can easily be turned to a marked location each time salt is refilled (i.e. only needs to be accurate when 'pulling' down). The unit is repeatable when taking multiple readings in the same 'down' location though. I believe this is a result of the weight being lifted when retracting the string and not enough tension exists between the pulley and string (if this were a 'grooved' pulley, this would probably not happen). In any case, I wasn't worried about it in my application as I only need to readjust the pulley about an eighth of a turn when refilling.

Now that the unit is installed, it needs to be calibrated in situ with the water softener and analog to digital measurement system. There are many ways to do this, but the method I choose is to divy up the maximum (100% full) and the minimum (0% full) readings. I have a graduated label 1 through 8 on the side of my softener. Since I wound up a few inches short of the full height of salt level capable, I decided on the '7' of the label to be the 100% full height and the '1' of the label to be the 0% full height. This would give me a bit of a buffer (between 0 and 1 of the label) before I totally ran out of salt (like the reserve gas switch on a motorcycle!).

Now that the analog to digital converter is in place, it is possible to retake calibration data and incorporate this 0% and 100% height and see what corresponding bit value is achieved with the analog to digital converter. One could also establish another value (say mark the 50% height or even more points) and take those corresponding data points as well.

A new plot will need to be established and with it determine the new equation as described above which will now incorporate percent filled with bit value measured from the analog to digital converter!

Since I have this value as a HomeSeer device, I can send emails to remind me to get salt at a predetermined level! I also have an event that records the date/time with the current level once a day so I can graph salt usage (why, because I can!).

Many other options exist now that you can incorporate current salt level with your home automation system system.

Note that this method is not perfect and has its flaws. Most notable, having to slightly turn the pulley to its original position when refilling with salt (as you have to retract the weight and move it out of the way). But, if marked carefully and prominently, this really isn't much of a problem (takes under five extra seconds to do).

Also, though this is a heavy duty retractable holder, I'm wondering how it will wear over the course of time (though if you think about it it only really fully retracts less than once each month with my current salt usage).

Plus, this method beats monitoring the 'idiot light' that blinks when the salt is at a low level (I really don't like the threshold on mine as it starts to blink with many, many days of salt left).

Another important note is I have NO long term experience with this methodology, but of course will update this How-To over the course of time with any successes or failures (this is an alpha version!!).

As any project, it can be improved, especially with the suggestions of our membership, so feel free to comment (go to the forum post to submit any questions or comments).

Consumer Safety Notice for Nest Protect: Smoke + CO Alarm

Fri, 04 Apr 2014 14:27:43 +0000

Consumer Safety Notice for Nest Protect: Smoke + CO Alarm
To the Nest community:

Since introducing the Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide alarm, we've heard touching stories from many of you about how we've helped keep you and your families safe. I consider your safety a huge part of my job and it’s something I think about and take pride in every day.

At Nest, we conduct regular, rigorous tests to ensure that our products are the highest quality. During recent laboratory testing of the Nest Protect smoke alarm, we observed a unique combination of circumstances that caused us to question whether the Nest Wave (a feature that enables you to turn off your alarm with a wave of the hand) could be unintentionally activated. This could delay an alarm going off if there was a real fire. We identified this problem ourselves and are not aware of any customers who have experienced this, but the fact that it could even potentially happen is extremely important to me and I want to address it immediately.

We feel that the best and safest thing to do is to immediately disable the Nest Wave feature to resolve the issue and remove any safety concerns. While we fix Nest Wave, we have also halted sales of all new Nest Protect alarms to ensure no one buys an alarm that needs an immediate update.

Here’s what this means for you:

If you have a Nest Protect connected to a Nest Account via Wi-Fi
Within 24 hours, Nest Wave will be automatically disabled. You don’t need to do anything and even with this feature disabled, our smoke alarm will continue to work very effectively, monitoring for increased levels of smoke and CO in the home. For more information, click here.

If you have a Nest Protect that is not connected to a Nest Account, or have since taken it offline
It’s very important that you immediately connect your Nest Protect to your Nest Account so we can remotely disable Nest Wave. Here are detailed instructions on how to connect your Nest Protect to the Nest Account quickly and easily. Our Customer Support team can also help you. For more information, click here.

If you have a Nest Protect that is not connected to a Nest Account and do not have access to Wi-Fi

If you are unable to immediately connect to a Nest Account, please discontinue use of your Nest Protect and we will give you a complete refund. To claim your refund, visit nest.com/contact/refund. For more information, click here.

If you want to buy a Nest Protect
Nest Wave is on by default in every alarm we sell. To ensure no one buys an alarm that needs an immediate update, we’ve decided to stop all sales while we fix this issue. For updates on availability, please check nest.com.

Once we have a solution that ensures Nest Wave works as intended, we will update our software to turn this feature back on. This will only happen after extensive testing and once we have received approval from safety agencies in the US, Canada and UK. We expect this to take at least two or three months and we’ll continue to update you as we have more information.

We're enormously sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue. The team and I are dedicated to ensuring that we can stand behind each Nest product that comes into your home, and your 100% satisfaction and safety are what motivates us.

Please know that the entire Nest team and I are focused on fixing this problem and continuing to improve our current products in every way possible.

If you don’t want to keep your Nest Protect smoke alarm, we will give you a complete refund.

Our customer support team is available to help answer any and all questions you have, and we've posted detailed answers to some of the questions we anticipate here.

Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

Tony Fadell
CEO
Nest Labs