Transcript
HOME AUTOMATION WITH SMARTTHINGS a case study
[email protected]
WHAT KEPT ME FROM AUTOMATING •
My house is old
- HA used to require special wiring
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X10 expensive, difficult to use, and kind of clunky
- Many “solutions” require subscription with monitoring service
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Competing systems confused the issue
- Apple HomeKit vs Google Home
- Zigbee vs Z-Wave
- Vera vs Wink vs SmartThings vs Alexa vs etc.
WHY IT’S BETTER NOW •
“Internet of Things” revolution
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No DC wiring requirements anymore
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X10 largely being ignored, and roll-your-own solution fairly inexpensive and much simpler to set up and manage
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Most competing systems can still be made to work together
- Many hubs support both ZigBee and Z-Wave simultaneously
- Many devices are hub agnostic
THE FIRST HIT •
Ring Video Doorbell
- “Gateway device”
A PENDING REMODEL OF MY HOUSE CREATED THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY
PHASE I •
Phase I goals: •
Remotely lock/unlock doors
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Remotely control AC/Heat
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Automation of locks and HVAC (automatically lock the house and adjust the heat/AC when everyone leaves)
WHICH HUB? •
Wanted something that was supported by a lot of hardware
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At the time I wanted HomeKit compatibility (don’t care anymore)
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I chose SmartThings
HUB •
Samsung SmartThings Starter Kit
- Hub
- Motion Sensor
- Switched Outlet
- 2@ Multipurpose Sensors
- $250
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Hub:
- Zigbee and Z-Wave Simultaneously
- Range: 50-130 ft
- Around 10hrs backup on AA batteries
- Wired connection to network (Zigbee on same frequencies as WiFi, so this is common)
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Outlet:
- Switch on/off
- Monitor current usage
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Multipurpose sensors:
- Magnetic open/close sensor
- Temp sensor
- Accelerometer
THERMOSTAT •
Ecobee 3
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Talks to SmartThings via App integration
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Homekit enabled
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$245
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Was going to buy Nest, but it didn’t have SmartThings support
DEADBOLTS •
Schlage Connect Century
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Stores up to five codes
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Z-Wave connection
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4 AA Batteries
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$199
DECK DOOR •
Kwikset 912
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Stores up to four codes
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Z-Wave connection
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4 AA Batteries
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$157.27
PRESENCE SENSOR
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Set your family members up on SmartThings
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Install app on their phones
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Setup Geofencing on house
PHASE II •
Phase II goals: •
Control lights
- New garage not connected to porch light.. no problem
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Ability to “decorate” without getting off the couch
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Automation for night time, away, kids out late, movie night, etc.
SWITCHES
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GE 12729 Dimmer $39.98
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GE 12727 Toggle $37.79
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(Both act as Z-Wave repeaters)
PORCH/GARAGE LIGHTS •
Phillips 464495 Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit
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Hue Bridge can be tied to SmartThings via app integration
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$199.99
BOOKSHELF ACCENT LIGHTS •
Philips Hue Lightstrip
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Requires Hue bridge
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6’ strip, extendable via 40” Lightstrip Extension ($29.99 each, can extend up to 33 feet)
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$89.99
CONTROLLABLE OUTLETS •
Samsung SmartThings Outlet
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Control power on/off
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Monitor power usage
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Act as Z-Wave repeaters
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$52.99
PHASE III •
Phase III goals: •
Tie garage door system into main control
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Automation in case someone forgets to close the door, or lock the back door
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Get alert if a kid leaves the freezer open
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Get alert if kids forget to feed the dog
LINKING THE GARAGE DOOR •
LiftMaster 828LM
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Allows you to use the “Liftmaster” App to control your door
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Use app-integration to connect to SmartThings
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$53.99
GARAGE MOTION SENSOR
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Ecolink Z-Wave PIR Motion Detector
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$33.29
FREEZER DOOR
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SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor
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Notification App
DID THE DOG GET FED?
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SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor
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“Has Barkley Been Fed?" app from Marketplace
PHASE IV •
Phase IV goals: •
Monitor and receive alerts anywhere in case of fire or flood
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Expand lighting control
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Add voice control
MOISTURE SENSOR
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Samsung SmartThings Water Leak Sensor
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$37.99
SMOKE/CO DETECTOR •
First Alert 2-in-1 Z-Wave Alarm
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App can silence alarm if you burn your pizza
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$44.97
ANOTHER SWITCH OPTION •
Aeon Labs DSC26103ZWUS
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In-wall microcontroller
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Turns existing wall switch into a Z-Wave switch
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Z-Wave repeater
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$34.95
ADDITIONAL CONTROL •
Amazon Echo
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Can control many, but not all, functions on SmartThings hub
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$179.99
CURRENT SETUP
APPS •
Each type of device has a supporting app
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Getting them all connected to SmartThings app simplifies control and allows automation
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“Optional” app: SmartRules
PHASE V (FUTURE) •
Phase V goals: •
SmartThings-connected sprinkler system
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Security Camera(s)?
POSSIBLE SPRINKLER CONTROLLERS
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Start small and add slowly
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Research components, and read reviews
PROS •
Fairly reliable
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Mess with kids
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Ability to remotely control and monitor home is awesome
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Automation can save you money
CONS •
Requires a fair amount of tweaking (not ready for non-technical people)
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Buy lots of batteries
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Tools still a little “young”
