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[Deemar]

Got the serial PCI card for free, this is really shaping up to be a cheap project. Now I need to find time to install the card, hook up the CM11A and reinstall Heyu.

[Deemar]

Finally got a chance to install heyu but it asks me which COM port the CM11A is attached to and I have no idea. How do I find out if it's ttyS0 or ttyS1 or something else?

I installed it to ttyS0 and here's what I get when I run a check:

Code: [Select]

deemar@Chugger:~/Desktop/heyu-2.6.0$ heyu info
Invalid status response (was 0 bytes instead of 14)
HEYU: No response from the CM11A on /dev/ttyS0
Program exiting.


[Charles Sullivan]

Finally got a chance to install heyu but it asks me which COM port the CM11A is attached to and I have no idea. How do I find out if it's ttyS0 or ttyS1 or something else?

I installed it to ttyS0 and here's what I get when I run a check:

Code: [Select]

deemar@Chugger:~/Desktop/heyu-2.6.0$ heyu info
Invalid status response (was 0 bytes instead of 14)
HEYU: No response from the CM11A on /dev/ttyS0
Program exiting.


ttyS0 and ttyS1 are usually reserved for built in ports on the motherboard (whether or not they exist).
Your add-on card is _probably_ assigned to ports ttyS2 and ttyS3, but I've seen different.

At the command prompt, run:
  ls  /dev/ttyS*
and you should see the /dev/ttySx device assignments on your system.

Alternatively, run at the command prompt:
  dmesg  |  grep ttyS

Then for each possible serial port /dev/ttySx:
Run 'heyu stop'.
Edit the TTY line in your Heyu configuration file (~/.x10config or /etc/heyu/x10.conf) to /dev/ttySx
Try 'heyu info' again.

[Deemar]

Not really sure what this means but thanks. I'm trying to work through figuring it out...

Code: [Select]

deemar@Chugger:~/Desktop/heyu-2.6.0$   ls  /dev/ttyS*
/dev/ttyS0  /dev/ttyS1  /dev/ttyS2  /dev/ttyS3
deemar@Chugger:~/Desktop/heyu-2.6.0$ dmesg | grep ttyS
[    1.184233] serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
[    1.184451] 00:07: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
[    1.184821] 0000:05:06.0: ttyS1 at I/O 0xa000 (irq = 16) is a 16550A
[    1.184892] 0000:05:06.1: ttyS2 at I/O 0xa400 (irq = 16) is a 16550A


[Deemar]

IT WORKS!!!!! YES!!!!

This stuff is cool, it's loud when that outlet relay flicks over though. So this is wicked, are there any graphical applications that you can use with Heyu? Or is it all command line?

[Charles Sullivan]

Your system appears to be telling Linux there are serial ports ttyS0 and ttyS1 even though they don't exist.  It is probable however that they _do_exist in the integrated I/O chipset but are not implemented on your motherboard. I assume you found that the add-on card ports are ttyS2 and ttyS3.

Go to the "Links" section on the Heyu website (http://www.heyu.org) and you'll see a few GUI front ends for Heyu  which might suit you.  Also in the "Utilities" section there is "TK10heyu" which puts a picture of an HR12A PalmPad on your screen and lets you click on the buttons.

However the main emphasis in Heyu is having the ability to "set it and forget it" (as they say in the RONCO TV ads) so you don't have to push any buttons.

[Deemar]

So it has been a while since I provided an update but there really weren't any updates to provide until now. I moved into my first house 2 weeks ago and am just now wiring up all the X10 stuff. I got the light switch in my bedroom changed on the top floor and the computer with CM11A plugged in in the basement. I have enough light switches to do 2 floors and enough outlets to do one floor. So when I send commands to anything in the basement or on the main level, it works great. But when I try to send commands to anything on the top floor it doesn't work at all, I suspected separate wiring. So I took the computer upstairs and plugged it in and everything worked so yes...there's separate wiring on the top floor for some reason. So now what I have to do to control the top level is to run wireless commands to a transceiver on the top level which will then send the commands out through that circuit to the units. The only ways I have of doing this are the PalPad remote, Credit Card remote, Key Chain remote and my preference which is the gray X10 remote. I do have a CM17A but from what I've read these don't work in Linux am I right? If they do that's great but if not I'm limited to the remotes.

Otherwise all is working fine, all remotes function correctly, light switches work remotely and manually, the only thing I haven't tested is the outlets.

So any suggestions how I should wire these up? I'm thinking one of the light switches will go to the air conditioning unit for sure, I'd like to control the air conditioning on/off from anywhere in the house, and the majority will surround the media center in the basement so I don't have to get up to mess with lights nor switches. An outlet on the bar fridge so I can turn that off at night and when I'm at work, it doesn't need to run all day, same with the water cooler. And also the exterior porch lights so they turn on/off on schedule when I'm away from the house to fool robbers. What about the garage door? It's a big square button on the wall that I push, any way to wire that up somehow? Any other suggestions?

[Brian H]

If I read your comment correctly. A switch for the Air Conditioner? Do not use a two wire switch that dims. You will damage the switch or air conditioner or both. A relay type that is designed for an inductive loads may work. Watch the rating of the switch versus the air conditioners needs.

Sounds like you have no phase coupling between the  phases of your home or noise makers and signal suckers. Have you looked at any of our troubleshooting threads?

[dave w]

. What about the garage door? It's a big square button on the wall that I push, any way to wire that up somehow? Any other suggestions?

A "Universal Module" UM506, will provide a contact closure to control your garage door.

X10 can be falsed, so you should wire a magnetic window switch is series with the Universal module so it can not open the door, but only close it. You mount and wire the switch contacts so there is continuity from the Universal Module to the garage door opener ONLY when the door is up.

[Charles Sullivan]

So it has been a while since I provided an update but there really weren't any updates to provide until now. I moved into my first house 2 weeks ago and am just now wiring up all the X10 stuff. I got the light switch in my bedroom changed on the top floor and the computer with CM11A plugged in in the basement. I have enough light switches to do 2 floors and enough outlets to do one floor. So when I send commands to anything in the basement or on the main level, it works great. But when I try to send commands to anything on the top floor it doesn't work at all, I suspected separate wiring. So I took the computer upstairs and plugged it in and everything worked so yes...there's separate wiring on the top floor for some reason. So now what I have to do to control the top level is to run wireless commands to a transceiver on the top level which will then send the commands out through that circuit to the units. The only ways I have of doing this are the PalPad remote, Credit Card remote, Key Chain remote and my preference which is the gray X10 remote. I do have a CM17A but from what I've read these don't work in Linux am I right? If they do that's great but if not I'm limited to the remotes.

The CM17A can be operated by Heyu as well as by several other Linux programs.  But what you probably need is a phase coupler.  If you have an outlet for an electric clothes dryer, check out the Smarthome plug-in SignalLinc:
  http://www.smarthome.com/4816B2/SignaLinc-trade-Plug-In-Phase-Coupler/p.aspx
  http://www.smarthome.com/4816A2/SignaLinc-Plug-In-Phase-Coupler/p.aspx
(Depending on whether you have a 3 or 4 pin outlet.)

Otherwise all is working fine, all remotes function correctly, light switches work remotely and manually, the only thing I haven't tested is the outlets.

So any suggestions how I should wire these up? I'm thinking one of the light switches will go to the air conditioning unit for sure, I'd like to control the air conditioning on/off from anywhere in the house, and the majority will surround the media center in the basement so I don't have to get up to mess with lights nor switches. An outlet on the bar fridge so I can turn that off at night and when I'm at work, it doesn't need to run all day, same with the water cooler. And also the exterior porch lights so they turn on/off on schedule when I'm away from the house to fool robbers. What about the garage door? It's a big square button on the wall that I push, any way to wire that up somehow? Any other suggestions?

You definitely need to study the current handling capability of the X10 modules and switches before plugging in a high currect appliance like an air conditioner.  And NEVER plug or switch anything except incandescent lights with a dimmer module or dimmer wall switch.

[Deemar]

Thought you guys might like an update on what I ended up doing with this mess of parts. I installed nearly all of the WS12A light switches, still have a few left to do. But I got:
- master bedroom
- master bathroom
- front porch
- back porch
- garage
- basement

And I used a WS14A which is a 3-way switch to control the light in the stairway. I have one more WS14A which will go into the second stairway for the only remaining 3-way light and a few more WS12A to disperse around the house when I get time. I also plugged in two transceivers to use the credit card remotes, one in the master bedroom and one in the garage.

So when I was done I installed Heyu into Ubuntu on my desktop and using the CM11A I was able to control all the lights in the house. I didn't want to be restricted to going and sitting at my desktop to control the lighting so I set up SSH on my desktop and then on my laptop so I would be able to SSH into the box from anywhere in the house and control all the lighting from my laptop. I still wasn't happy with being restricted to my laptop or even my house at all so I forwarded the port 22 on my router to the local IP of my desktop on my network so I can access it via SSH from anywhere in the world. Then I installed MidpSSH on my Blackberry so I can now SSH into my desktop from my Blackberry 8330 and send terminal commands to control all the lights with ease. I even set up macros for each light on/off so I simply choose the area of the house I want and I get a list of all the lights I have set up. I click the light I want to control and it turns on/off, I don't have to actually type in the command. It's like my own personal remote control on my hip!

Planned for future:
- install my other WS12A and WS14A
- find uses for the rest of my lamp/appliance modules
- set up schedules for lighting
- set up universal module to control my garage door
- look at water/energy management (thought I saw something in Heyu for getting water usage readings)
- secure port 22 on my box from hackers
- try and get MisterHouse working so I have voice automation
- find solution for my ceiling fan without running extra wires

Questions I have:
1. Am I right about the water/energy monitoring? Is there a way to somehow monitor the usage of this stuff coming into my house so I can do some math and figure out what my utility bills will be?
2. Is there a way to turn my television on/off with X10? The problem I have is it's a LCD so if I hooked it up this way, it would simply go into standby, it wouldn't turn on. Turning it off is easy but turning it on wouldn't work so well.
3. What do you think of my setup?

[dave w]

Questions I have:
1. Am I right about the water/energy monitoring? Is there a way to somehow monitor the usage of this stuff coming into my house so I can do some math and figure out what my utility bills will be?

http://www.shed.com/index.html
Go here and drill down. I think Michael is doing more than anyone else with regard to tracking utilities, well pump run times, power usage, food in the refrigerator, etc. Obviously he is using his own "Xtension" program for the MAC, but Mike is a genius at using home automation to truly "manage" a home.  When I read of him taking a "CAT" bar code reader (free at Radio Shack years ago) and scanned the bar code of every waste package before tossing in trash can. The result is: weekly, "Xtension" would generate a "Grocery Min/Max List" telling him what he needed from the store. That day the man got placed on my Home Automation pedestal back in 1995.

[Deemar]

Macintosh only? Good idea but I'd have to write something if I wanted to use it.

[dave w]

Yes, Xtension" is MAC only. The PC equavilent is "Homeseer" or something similar. But if you want to monitor utilities, analyze data, generate reports, maintain databases, etc you will scripting anyway. The ideas discussed at shed.com are great "concept" ideas.

[Charles Sullivan]

  <snip>

Questions I have:
1. Am I right about the water/energy monitoring? Is there a way to somehow monitor the usage of this stuff coming into my house so I can do some math and figure out what my utility bills will be?

Energy monitoring is possible under Heyu using an RFXMeter Power setup (http://www.rfxcom.com) but relatively pricey for USA users since you need a 433.92 MHz RFXCOM RF receiver.  Water is more difficult because you need some way of converting water meter readings to pulses for the RFXMeter.  Some water meters have a magnet on the rotating vane which allows doing this but many don't.

Water, gas, and electric utility companies in some localities have installed RF transmitters on their meters for remote reading.  Unfortunately the RF receivers for the data tend to be _very_ expensive.

2. Is there a way to turn my television on/off with X10? The problem I have is it's a LCD so if I hooked it up this way, it would simply go into standby, it wouldn't turn on. Turning it off is easy but turning it on wouldn't work so well.

For Heyu, take a look at LUX23 in the utilities section of http://www.heyu.org.  Read the man page in the tarball.  The big question is whether the X10 UX23A "VCR Commander" hardware used by LUX23 includes the IR codes for your particular TV set model, which you really won't know until you try it out.

3. What do you think of my setup?

I think you're on the right path  :-)