X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: sbradley02 on June 14, 2015, 05:58:28 PM
-
I want to control an X10 wall switch via temperature changes. In other words, turn the switch on until a certain temperature is reached, then turn turn it off, and turn back on with temperature rise.
Are there any single box or close to it solutions? What I have seen so far are pretty involved, using a computer to handle the control.
Thanks.
-
This isn't really a single-box solution, but it may be about as close as you will get and it doesn't require a computer.
If you can find an old thermostat, the kind with mercury bulb switches, you could solder long wire leads to one of the mercury bulb switches and connect the other ends of those wires to the terminals on an X10 PowerFlash interface (model PSC01 or PF284). On the PowerFlash, set the Input switch to A (dry contact) and the Mode switch to 3 (single unit) and set the House and Unit code dials to match those of the wall switch. Set the thermostat dial to the desired threshold temperature. If you are using the mercury bulb switch for heating, an ON command will be sent when the temperature falls below the set point and an OFF command will be sent when the temperature rises above the set point. If you are using the mercury bulb switch for cooling, the commands are reversed.
Note that this kind of thermostat must be kept level; tilting it will offset the temperature set points and any jarring or vibration could affect its operation. This kind of thermostat was very common until recently and most thermostats that use a mechanical sliding dial to set the temperature are set up like this.
-
They also make battery operated type Digital Thermostats. That have a relay in it. That type would also trigger a Powerflash module.
-
Thanks, that is what I thought I would end up needing to do. There just doesn't seem to be a thermostat that natively outputs X10.
-
There are Zwave and Insteon thermostats, but I've never seen X10. I've never looked, but it's possible that those Insteon units might transmit X10.
-
There are Zwave and Insteon thermostats, but I've never seen X10. I've never looked, but it's possible that those Insteon units might transmit X10.
I saw some of those, but they all seemed to be geared towards remote control of the thermostat and not having the thermostat control a remote switch. If you have a reference for one that would do that would be interested in seeing it.
-
There is (was?) an X10 wireless thermostat available in Europe - Digimax 210. It was fairly simple to modify for 310MHz but I do not recall whether it sent a signal compatible with an X10 switch/module.
It is described here. http://x10modules.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=102 (http://x10modules.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=102)
It needed a security console which relayed PLC commands to appliance modules.
-
There's this: http://www.smarthome.com/minotaur-engineering-vt1-x10-variable-temperature-sensor.html (http://www.smarthome.com/minotaur-engineering-vt1-x10-variable-temperature-sensor.html)
It works with the still available PowerFlash unit.
The unit is really accurate, temperature wise.
-
There's this: http://www.smarthome.com/minotaur-engineering-vt1-x10-variable-temperature-sensor.html (http://www.smarthome.com/minotaur-engineering-vt1-x10-variable-temperature-sensor.html)
It works with the still available PowerFlash unit.
The unit is really accurate, temperature wise.
That looks interesting, but I think a thermostat would be a little easier to change settings on as desired. Thanks for the reference, good to have options.
-
I remember there being some kind of thermostat that would transmit temperature by triggering different UC on a specific HC. I can't remember what it was though, so I'm not sure how to find it again. Maybe that was just the setback controller.
-
You maybe thinking of the RCS TXB15 and TXB16.
They used X10 signaling to set things and read back temperatures.
http://www.rcstechnology.com/oldsite/products/stats/x10.htm
I believe they normally did not directly control X10 modules. A controller sent, received and decoded the temperature from the House and Unit codes.
There are protocol charts on the above linked web page.
-
Decided to go ahead and order. Also found this post:
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=22762.0
Getting that thermostat, the powerflash and a 20A switch.
If anyone is interested will let you know how it works out.
-
Let us know how it works out for you.
Forgot to ask. Exactly what is the 20 amp {WS13A or XPS3} switch going to be connected to?