Home automation indicator light panel?

[mikea]

Hey, EE guys and such.

I'm about to get my round tuit back and actually replace the light switches with X10 and play with various Home Automation software.

I've wasted a lot of time on a really dumb thing: I'd like a display by the front door of what outdoor lights are on. I can't see them because the door doesn't have a window (I know. Just fix THAT.)

I have 3 circuits out front, plus 3 others on the other sides of the house. The first thought was to put the plate right there by the switches but one is 3 way, and I don't think it feeds to the light from there. Wiring those others is more than I'll do with 110v.

I'm thinking I could put a low voltage box in the basement, simple as with a resistor each hot, and bring up a multiconductor cable.

In my contractor days we used to have blank wall switch covers drilled for lights and LEDs. I'm thinking I'll make a plate like that and damn the electric code.
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=L50187-ND

Anybody know of any pre-made LED plates like that? There has to be a joint that makes the maps with LEDs for commercial uses. Mebbe I'll try to raid the old nuke site down the road.

I tried to google such with no luck.

I might have to ask the HA forums.

 

[Henning]

Hey, EE guys and such.

I'm about to get my round tuit back and actually replace the light switches with X10 and play with various Home Automation software.

I've wasted a lot of time on a really dumb thing: I'd like a display by the front door of what outdoor lights are on. I can't see them because the door doesn't have a window (I know. Just fix THAT.)

I have 3 circuits out front, plus 3 others on the other sides of the house. The first thought was to put the plate right there by the switches but one is 3 way, and I don't think it feeds to the light from there. Wiring those others is more than I'll do with 110v.

I'm thinking I could put a low voltage box in the basement, simple as with a resistor each hot, and bring up a multiconductor cable.

In my contractor days we used to have blank wall switch covers drilled for lights and LEDs. I'm thinking I'll make a plate like that and damn the electric code.
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=L50187-ND

Anybody know of any pre-made LED plates like that? There has to be a joint that makes the maps with LEDs for commercial uses. Mebbe I'll try to raid the old nuke site down the road.

I tried to google such with no luck.

I might have to ask the HA forums.

Ok, I'm thinking you want a mapped panel that displays which lights are on or not, pretty simple. Typically the alarm companies handle stuff like this.

 

[mikea]

Ok, I'm thinking you want a mapped panel that displays which lights are on or not, pretty simple. Typically the alarm companies handle stuff like this.

Heh. Guess what business I was in.

I'll make the panel. Bother.

 

[Henning]

Heh. Guess what business I was in.

I'll make the panel. Bother.

The latest systems use a virtual panel with a small screen. I typically buy one of the commercial systems for the boats that interfaces to the ships network so you can view all statuses for a variety of terminals.

 

[mikea]

The latest systems use a virtual panel with a small screen. I typically buy one of the commercial systems for the boats that interfaces to the ships network so you can view all statuses for a variety of terminals.

I've been looking at such. I don't know what's involved in making those work. I was crusing eBay and the parts look extensive and expensive.

For a laugh: I was considering using a relay interface until it occurred to me that what I wanted status on was a LIGHT circuit.

The hot setup in automation is using the iPhone.

 

[Henning]

I've been looking at such. I don't know what's involved in making those work. I was crusing eBay and the parts look extensive and expensive.

For a laugh: I was considering using a relay interface until it occurred to me that what I wanted status on was a LIGHT circuit.

The hot setup in automation is using the iPhone.

There you go, put in web cams that you can view from your iPhone....