Creative idea for a sensor to monitor garbage can occupancy

[FLtechie]

I've been pondering on which sensor to use that can monitor "occupancy" status of my large trash can kept in the garage along a wall. My garage is already dark inside when I get home from work in the evenings so a z-wave UV sensor set between the wall and can may not work.

My plan is to monitor the status on evenings prior to garbage pickup days and day of pickup. If occupancy is detected during a window of time then HS will send text messages to remind me to put the trash out. Also if occupancy is not detected after pickup then a reminder for me to get the can from the curb and put it away -this would also work well when I am out of town and asked someone to do it for me.

I've thought about a contact pad placed on the floor under the trash can. A wireless z-wave sensor would be optimal choice, but I can supply power from an outlet if required.

I'm looking for suggestions.

BTW: I prefer to not use a simple recurring scheduled reminder that always occurs without regard to the trash already being put out for pickup or not. I would eventually ignore it most of the time.

Thanks.

[waynehead99]

Maybe a silly idea, but look at mysensors and use an arduino with the sonar sensor.

I had at one point a setup that I put them in front of the cars to 1. detect if the car was there, and 2. flash the lights in the garage when you got too close to the wall.

Worked pretty well. You could set a threshold for feet and maybe mount from garage ceiling pointed down on the trash can.

[rmasonjr]

Back in the HS2 days, I had a motion detector under the lid. If there had been no motion for 'x' minutes on trash day, it was safe to assume it was still in the garage.

Today, I just use a TTS on the evening before and the morning of trash day.

[Rupp]

I use one of the old RFID tags in my garbage can. I'm down to my last one as the garbage truck is extremely violent with the cans and I've lost two of the tags. If the tag is in range on Tuesday night then my TTS nags me to take the garbage out.

[mrhappy]

I have a micro switch with a long arm (I think I took it out of an old microwave I took apart IIRC - like this but a bit bigger http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/microswitches/0150710/) screwed to the wall, when I put the bin back into position the wheel depresses the switch and then a signal is sent to my HS system via wifi. Downside of it that the bin must go back in the exact position (I was thinking of screwing down some guides so the wheels ran into the guides and it would always go back in the same position), upside is no circuitry is in the bin - I would not trust 1) the people who collect our rubbish, the speed at which they go could be a contended as an Olympic sport and the machines look a bit violent 2) the bin not to be stolen/borrowed/lost 3) it to raise suspicions with when circuitry is attached to the bin and ending up with a controlled explosion being done on it.

Other options are a big lump magnet on the bottom of the bin resting over a reed switch (you can get externally rated ones), again I really did not want to attach anything to the bin.

I then have an event at 8PM if the bin is present to nag me to put it out, then at 12 the next day if the bin is not back in it's place then send me a message.

[FLtechie]

All good ideas. Is there a recommended RFID component setup that's working well with HS3? I may look into that option. The arduino with sonar sensor sounds like a fun project.

[mikaluch]

"sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads"

Or maybe one of those garage door broken beam setups.

[outbackrob]

DS10A and a mechanical switch

OK, so I don't know what you call the switch. It is basically two spring loaded ball bearings that come together to close the circuit. You place something in between the bearing to break the circuit. I use old expired rabies tags from the dogs. I tether the tags to the trashcans and push the tag between the bearings on the switch. Literally takes two seconds to do when putting up the trashcan. Using the DS10A connected to this switch in place of the DS10's reed switch. When you remove the trashcan from its place, the tag easily pulls out of the switch and activates the DS10A.

[Automated]

I use active RFID tags for this. I never had a single one damaged, as I embedded them in very small, thick metal sided project boxes, that are bolted to the cans up near the handles on the back side. The antennas come out through just large enough holes in the project boxes, and are wrapped up behind some of the extruded plastic near the top of each can.

[TechHA]

For me it was simple...just get married! Now every Tuesday night the 'automated message' is played, "Did you put the trash out?"..."Don't forget to put the trash out."...etc...etc...etc... It's about the only thing that's not truly automated, lol.

[sparkman]

OK, so I don't know what you call the switch. It is basically two spring loaded ball bearings that come together to close the circuit. You place something in between the bearing to break the circuit. I use old expired rabies tags from the dogs. I tether the tags to the trashcans and push the tag between the bearings on the switch. Literally takes two seconds to do when putting up the trashcan. Using the DS10A connected to this switch in place of the DS10's reed switch. When you remove the trashcan from its place, the tag easily pulls out of the switch and activates the DS10A.

Something like this: http://www.raceboatspecialists.com/h...hardin-marine/ ?

Cheers
Al

[outbackrob]

THAT'S IT!

Something like this: http://www.raceboatspecialists.com/h...hardin-marine/ ?

Cheers
Al

No. Not like it. That is EXACTLY it. I bought 4 of them 42+ years ago to set up my room so my brother could not enter it or open any of the doors without a battery driven alarm going off. I did NOT pay $55 for them. They had to be less than $5 as my first individual $5 part I bought when I was 13.

How the heck did you find that? I looked for about an hour for an example....

Rob

[outbackrob]

...not so fast, Johnson!

You know what? That is actually not quite it. That is a normally open version and the ones I have are normally closed. You have to insert a non-metallic part in between them. I lost whatever came with it so I use the old rabies tags which are some sort of plastic or melamine..

[sparkman]

No. Not like it. That is EXACTLY it. I bought 4 of them 42+ years ago to set up my room so my brother could not enter it or open any of the doors without a battery driven alarm going off. I did NOT pay $55 for them. They had to be less than $5 as my first individual $5 part I bought when I was 13.

How the heck did you find that? I looked for about an hour for an example....

Rob

You know what? That is actually not quite it. That is a normally open version and the ones I have are normally closed. You have to insert a non-metallic part in between them. I lost whatever came with it so I use the old rabies tags which are some sort of plastic or melamine..

These are supposedly adjustable to either NO or NC and they come with a metallic or plastic insert depending on how you want to use it. When you posted it, I thought I had seen something similar used as a kill switch so googled "kill switch ball". Here's a cheaper version http://shopping.rexmar.com/Merchant2...e=killswitches. Seems to have followed the rate of inflation pretty close as $5 in 1973 is about $27 now.

Cheers
Al

[outbackrob]

Wow. That's amazing!

If I break one (though they are built like a tank) I will know where to get one! THANK YOU!

...and they really do work very well for determining if the trashcan is out or in.