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Keeping constant temperature by changing fan speed

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    #16
    Not aware of specific devices but way I would do it is use three appliance modules (but not basic X10 ones as they have too much leakage current) and power the coil of a changeover relay from each appliance module.

    You could get away with three appliance modules and two changeover relays.

    Relay 1 not fitted
    Appliance module 1 supplies power to common of relay 2
    Appliance module 2 supplies power to coil of relay 2
    Appliance module 3 supplies power to coil of relay 3


    So:-
    Full speed Appliance module 1 & 2 ON

    Slow speed Appliance module 1 ON

    Medium speed Appliance module 1 & 3 ON

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      #17
      ...You could get away with three appliance modules and two changeover relays...
      Sounds like a good idea. I googled change-over relays and could not find any with good power consumption that would be good for 115V 1A current. Can you please suggest one?

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        #18
        Something like this http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16726+RL you just need to be careful with the appliance module you choose, ones that suit low energy bulbs should be OK. Appliance modules that make low energy bulbs flicker when off won't work.

        As stated earlier the X10 appliance modules AM12U have too much leakage current and would probably keep the relay energised even when the appliance module was off.

        I am in UK so the kit available to us is different to the kit you will probably choose to use so can't really advise much further.

        Comment


          #19
          Originally posted by Alexey View Post
          .............Gogs’s idea looks like the one that I had originally with ZWave. I might still need to go for it unless RCE gives me better hardware advice.
          Could be the same idea, I do not use Z-Wave , so do not know.

          I was trying to suggest a simple way of doing it, as long as the person had some basic electrical knowledge as in how to solder and basics of positive and negative in electrical currents.
          I did not understand some things from your post and appreciate if you clarify.
          My idea with relays/modules was to split hot wire into three circuits and all of them would lead to the fan. Each of the circuit would have a relay/module and a fan control adjusted to low, med, high speed. Are you describing something similar?
          Nope, I am not, although it could be done that way. I'll try and explain my setup.

          I have a floor standing fan which is designed to be controlled by 5 push buttons on the top of it, not momentry, but the ones that click down like a switch. The buttons are:

          Button 1 = On/Off
          Button 2 = Speed One
          Button 3 = Speed Two
          Button 4 = Speed Three
          Button 5 = Rotate

          I opened up the fan and connected two wires to each of the buttons then fed all the cables to the base of the rotating part of the fan then out through an ambilical to mains plugs.

          I then plugged each of the mains plugs into 5 appliance modues plugged into a gang socket. The appliance modules for this sake were coded A1 though to A5.

          Important part is the original buttons must all be in the off position or disconnected.
          Please, explain what script I should trigger and why I should use a script if I can probably trigger ralays/modules instead.
          <O
          Thank you for your help
          Alex
          The fan is controlled by a reccuring script. You require a virtual device which is updated as to what the current temprature is, what you use to do that is up to you, anyway, let's call the device X1.

          Here is the script I use:
          Code:
          Sub Main
          dim a
          a=hs.devicestring("X1")
           
          if a<18 and a>15 then
          hs.ExecX10 "A3+4+5","Off"
          hs.ExecX10 "A1+2","ON"
          hs.speak "People, the temprature is rising, I have turned on the fan,, in case you have not noticed"
          end if
           
          if a>18 and a<20 then
          hs.ExecX10 "A2+4+5","Off"
          hs.ExecX10 "A1+3","ON"
          hs.speak "People, It's getting hotter. I have turned the fan up and started it to rotate,, Hope the cat was not too scared!"
          end if
           
          if a>20
          hs.ExecX10 "A2+3","Off"
          hs.ExecX10 "A1+4+5","ON"
          hs.speak "People, It's getting very hot. I have cranked the fan up to it's max ,, That moved the cat,he he."
          end if
           
          if a<15 and hs.ison("A1") then
          hs.ExecX10 "A1+2+3+4+5","Off"
          hs.speak "People, It's getting a bit cold,,I have turned off the fan,, I see The Cat has retired to under the covers in the bedroom!"
          end if
           
          End Sub
          I have left in the annoucements as are, I find them fun when they trigger, but have changed all the device codes, and one important one
          a=hs.devicestring("X1")
          As I use Jon00's BBC Weather script to obtain the temprature the device string also includes information not relevant for this operation, so, my actual line is
          a=mid(hs.devicestring("W33"),71,3)
          As I said, I think this is a very simple way of doing it, but it works.
          Last edited by Gogs; May 12, 2008, 02:15 PM. Reason: Important word missing "not"
          sigpic
          A founder member of "The HA Pioneer Group" otherwise known as the "Old farts club!"

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by RCE View Post
            As stated earlier the X10 appliance modules AM12U have too much leakage current and would probably keep the relay energised even when the appliance module was off.
            Perhaps enough to get a relay chattering, but certainly not enough to run an appliance, even a fan, and there are readily available appliance and lamp modules which do not leak, the X-Bus PLC range for one, which BTW the lamp modes are soft start and off.
            sigpic
            A founder member of "The HA Pioneer Group" otherwise known as the "Old farts club!"

            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by Gogs View Post
              Perhaps enough to get a relay chattering, but certainly not enough to run an appliance, even a fan, and there are readily available appliance and lamp modules which do not leak, the X-Bus PLC range for one, which BTW the lamp modes are soft start and off.
              The low current relays would probably energise, which would in turn run the fan as the fan power would be drawn through the relay contacts not the appliance module. A lamp module with soft start would not be suitable for driving a relay.

              I personally would use the Home Easy stuff for this but it isn't an option for the USA, if the X-Bus appliance modules don't leak current then they would be suitable for driving the relays.

              Software interlocks for this sort of thing should never be relied on if energising an incorrect combination could damage something, The fan speed controls are likely to be damaged if the wrong combination is selected. Not sure that this is the case with the free standing fans you are talking about as the buttons just alter the winding combination.

              Comment


                #22
                I agree with what you are saying.

                I was just trying to offer a simple way to do it; not, perhaps, the best way, but a simple way; the way I do it.

                I was never suggesting using a lamp module, just pointing that those lamp modules have soft startup, of course one would have to use an appliance module.
                Last edited by Gogs; May 11, 2008, 04:10 PM.
                sigpic
                A founder member of "The HA Pioneer Group" otherwise known as the "Old farts club!"

                Comment


                  #23
                  Something like this
                  DPDT means that it the type I need?
                  Here is the script I use...
                  I think I should read more about scripting. It might be easier to setup conditions this way instead of using HS interface.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Double Pole Double Throw

                    You could also use SPDT Single Pole Double Throw

                    The double pole bit means it has two separate switches, so you could switch the live and neutral, or just use one of the poles to switch the live. So you could buy a SPDT as you only really need a single pole.

                    The Double Throw bit is the important term which shows it has change over contacts

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