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Heating control - project at it's very beginning

Posted: Saturday 11 February 2017 11:39
by haber
Hi!
I'm complete newbie in house automation and domoticz. I thought I could control my heating in order to switch off, when my dishwasher and/or washing mashine is on. I'm at the very beginning of the project and I wonder which way to go:

A) I can implement some Z-Wave switches with the function of power detection (I think Fibaro has something like that - the switch's LED lights when the plugged device is on and sends message of power usage to the controler) - so that when system sees a power usage in one switch, it would turn off other one. Or
B) I can install some wired sensors on the DIN rail, as almost all of my devices work on separate circuits ("B" option gives me less space to develop the automation, but it's simplicity is a pro). This solution would be ok with raspberry PI or, if anybody has an idea how to do it - based on contactors and such stuff only, without a controler (Raspberry/PC).

I would appreciate any help and guidelines, as I don't have any experience with the toys you're working with everyday ;)

Here is my "workframe":
- I'd like to control the system with a PC, later I'll optionally transfer working solutions to Raspberry PI - therefore I prefer linux OS and sofware (as I'm quite familiar with bash scripting) and USB Z-wave dongle (usable with laptop and Rasp); controlling it with raspbian/domoticz on VM is also ok
- The price is important, but the components should be available in Europe

My questions are:
1) about Fibaro Z-wave switches: are they compatibile with opensource systems such as domoticz and would I be able to use their signals is automation scripts?
2) do you know other, cheaper switches with the function of "work detection" of plugged devices?

Re: Heating control - project at it's very beginning

Posted: Saturday 11 February 2017 12:18
by blackdog65
Hi,
Fibaro switches, relays dimmers etc. all play very nicely with Domoticz.
I personally use an AeonStick USB controller, but ALL my z-wave devices are fibaro... they just work.

There are cheaper options and if you want to use an RFLink or MySensors (for example), you can go an entirely home-made and very cheap route.

My heating is based on the EQ3 Max! system. I have 2 scripts, 1 gathers all the info from the EQ3 Max! such as temperatures, setpoints, valve open % and the 2nd script uses that info to control the system, turn on the boiler/hot water etc. but the actual switching... always fibaro ;)