Smart Home Hub

[Mr Mike Mills]

Does anyone use a smart home hub and wireless switches to turn on ventilation fans and air assist?

I was looking the automation kit from the manufacture and it is supper expensive. I was thinking of using one of these wireless switches

The main thing i am looking for is to remotely shut off my Ventilation fan, and my air assist valve which is controlled by electronic valve.

Any Suggestions

Thanks Mike

[Brian Lamb]

Check out www.X10.com, you can get all sorts of home automation stuff. I've been using their remotes and modules to run dust collectors and fans and whatever in my shop for years.

[Gary Hair]

That's a lot of $ for something so easy to do otherwise. I bought a remote switch on Amazon and it works like a charm. I have had it in three different setups, one where the receiver was about 4' above the ceiling, and it worked pretty much flawlessly. The only time it had troubles was when the battery was weak. I can't find the one I have but this one, https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworki...+ranger+switch , is one of the best on the market. I think mine was about half the price of this one.

[Brian Lamb]

Just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting the wifi stuff, that's expensive, I use these remotes for $16, https://www.x10.com/x10-home-automat...ess/kr22a.html and then these transceiver modules (you only need one of these for $20, https://www.x10.com/x10-home-automat...les/tm751.html and then as many more modules as you need to run whatever you want, they are $18, https://www.x10.com/x10-home-automat...les/am466.html

I had the Long Ranger and threw it away, the one I had was extremely unreliable... nobody was in the shop and came in to find it had been running all night. Happened quite often too, then to top it off, it wouldn't come on when you wanted it to.

[Bert McMahan]

If you're in the mood to do your own wiring check these out:

http://www.lightobject.com/Search.aspx?k=rf+relay

Basically just relay modules with a remote switch. I haven't used them but LightObject is a reputable company. 2 channel relay box with remote for $13. You'll need a 12V power supply to run it but it says it can toggle 10A/125V. They also have a 15 channel one for $35. Might be worth a shot.

[Tim Bateson]

Most of the newer "Smart" plugs work with Google & Alexa. I use one for a lamp in my shop, but never thought of plugging in a blower or air assist to it... until now.

[Kev Williams]

Here's what I use-
rems.jpg
they remotely turn off/on a receptacle you just plug into any outlet. I have 'em all over the place, they turn on several different lights in the living room, outdoor lights, Xmas lighting, whatever. Most of 'em I've bought around Xmas time, they're usually $12 to $15 and come with 3 outlets... the black ones are several years old that work a single outlet but they work fine and I've never changed a battery in any of them yet!

[Gary Hair]

Most of the newer "Smart" plugs work with Google & Alexa. I use one for a lamp in my shop, but never thought of plugging in a blower or air assist to it... until now.

My house is mostly setup with smart outlets, switches, and bulbs. Between the Google hub, the Samesung Smartthings hub, and a couple of Logitech Harmony remotes, everything works with Alexa. Pretty happy with it, integration with the tv and theater room were the most difficult but only because of having to use the Harmony remote as the interface.

[Jeff Body]

I have home automation all over my house using the smartthings platform. (Garage door, garage lights, locks, door sensors, inside and outside lights, switches, outlets, cameras, 5 echo dots.)
It's a decent idea but personally it's not worth it. Sometimes there's a rather long delay between the commend and the action.
The other problem is over the last month reliability hasn't been great. Just the other day I couldn't unlock my front door because the system was down.

The only thing I can maybe see using it is to turn on the chiller remotely so it's ready for you. I can't do that because I have to monitor the dew point closely and adjust the chiller so i don't get condensation.

[Travis Porter]

I ended up buying the iSmart alarm system and some of their 110V plugs that are controllable. The plugs have a switch directly on them and I can control them from my phone/tablet with their application. I ended up wiring one up to a 220V contactor so that I can remotely turn on/off my air compressor. Additionally, it supports schedules and IFTTT and I automatically turn off the compressor at 11PM by schedule so I don't have to listen to it through the night when I forget about it.

[Jeff Body]

I ended up buying the iSmart alarm system and some of their 110V plugs that are controllable. The plugs have a switch directly on them and I can control them from my phone/tablet with their application. I ended up wiring one up to a 220V contactor so that I can remotely turn on/off my air compressor. Additionally, it supports schedules and IFTTT and I automatically turn off the compressor at 11PM by schedule so I don't have to listen to it through the night when I forget about it.

What product did you use to control 220V? I've never seen that.

[Travis Porter]

I am using the smart switch with a 220 Volt contactor/relay that has a 110V control coil. I then wire the control coil into a male cord and plug it into the 110V smart switch. Sounds complex, but in fact it is really simple.

I also do the same thing to turn my phase converter on and off.