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    #46
    I don't think you can just connect the ac side of the inverter to house wiring. One of the guru's here will explain that I'm sure. What i do know for sure is the inverters are most inefficient at the conversion. You're better off sticking to batteries until you decide to go really big and start feeding your excess AC back to the power company.
    Marty
    ------
    XPpro SP3 /w HS Standard 2.5.0.80, HSTouch Server - 1.0.0.70, HSTouch Client 1.0.0.73 HSTouch Android - 1.0.0.2, HSTouch iPhone - 1.0.0.2
    Playing with HS3 a bit but it's just play at this point.

    Comment


      #47
      Originally posted by jackpod View Post
      Another thing to consider about appliance modules, most that I have tried don't completely switch off the power, put a voltmeter across the output and you will usually read about 67 volts, what kind of impact this has on the load of the module itself I don't know... Could the power absorption of the module be close to the absorption of the sleep mode? I guess it would vary with each device

      If you really want to cut power use like an ocelot or a weedertech IO board that controls actual relays
      Sure, but at what current? That could just be stray voltage, or capacitively picked up voltage (remember, you ARE dealing with AC).

      --Dan
      Tasker, to a person who does Homeautomation...is like walking up to a Crack Treatment facility with a truck full of 3lb bags of crack. Then for each person that walks in and out smack them in the face with an open bag.

      Comment


        #48
        Originally posted by drozwood90 View Post
        Sure, but at what current? That could just be stray voltage, or capacitively picked up voltage (remember, you ARE dealing with AC).

        --Dan

        I think this is pertinant for most x10 modules but not the later (x10-2) or Domia/ByeByeStandby etc new design modules - certainly the case in eurpoe anyway.

        As I understand it, the leakage through a switched-off module is down to the local control where the fast switching on/off of the appliance can be used to switch the appliance module on locally (ie without receiving an x10 ON).

        I am sure I have read that there a re a few tweaks to disable local control and thus remove that issue... which for me was a big pain when controlling small PSU's that continued to output when a very low supply voltage was presented.

        David
        ---------------------------------------------------http://weather.penicuik.org

        Comment


          #49
          Originally posted by Steve Q View Post
          I am thinking about adding a solar panel and a battery. Instead of wiring various devices to the battery I am considering connecting an inverter to the battery and then powering the devices from the inverter. Do you think this is feasible? If I connect the AC side of the inverter to my house wiring, will it reduce my electricity consumption?

          Steve Q
          With my inverter and a 3 amp 110VAC load, the 12 Volt amperage was ~40 Amps. MY batteries would not last that long under that load and the solare panels could not produce that many amps either.

          Supposedly at higher useage the inverter is more efficient, but even so the battery amperage would be huge.

          StevenE
          Why oh why didn't I just leave things alone, they had been working.

          Comment


            #50
            Originally posted by macromark View Post
            Hi All. We're putting together a July newsletter now and want to includes some tips for 'greening up' with HomeSeer. Any and all ideas that result in some kind of energy saving would be good. So, if you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share with the world, please post them here. We'll include the best ones in the next newsletter.

            Thanks!

            -Mark
            Hi Mark, bit late for July newsletter (Talking about how dow I get privvy to this News Letter?), anyway, a thought.

            Use HomeAutomation, such as a programme like HomeSeer along with motion sensors, teprature sensors, curtain controllers and so on to automatically turn off lighting when the room is vacant, close cutains when the sun is strong, open when the room is cold. Control the Central Heating with Home Automation as regarding the true temprature in a room, OK more thermostats required.

            Change from X10 RF receivers to RF direct to computer interfaces.

            Change from the tradicional X10 units which "leak" current the whole time to the ones that do not pass current. OK at this point they can be a pain to set up, but when they are off, they are off, no current passes, and for the lamp modules they are soft start and soft off. They are also more expencive to purchace, but saves a lot.

            It is a very difficult question to answer. We all love our toys and HomeSeer along with others in the HA technology could help

            I would say recomend the X10 units which do not pass current when off and are soft on/off increasing the life time of the Lamp. Incorporating that with a GLS Halogen bulb probably the best senario. OK one unit with one 15W halogen will only ramp down to about 15% then it gos straight off. On Startup it will immediatly come onto 15% then slowly brighten to 100%, it's good, giving out 100W and using 25W.

            There are many answers, HomeSeer is only the control and it is very capable of redusing the consumtion, it all depends what is added onto it and how it is used.

            Since I started changing the X10 modules to non leaking ones, and enforced Motion Sensor/Occupany sensors controling lights, Powering off the TV if no one is there I have only saved about 20% on my feul bill. Worth the saving though, but not what you are talking about.

            As far as the HS community goes, switch non passing curent modules

            More important, it depends on the attitude of the perons running it, and the influance of the partner.


            You at HomeSeer can not do much, unles you can reduce the footprint, I doubt you can.

            After all it is all a mater of choice.
            sigpic
            A founder member of "The HA Pioneer Group" otherwise known as the "Old farts club!"

            Comment


              #51
              I think opening closing curtains would be a huge energy saver.

              Has anyone come out with and automated solution that is not crazy expensive?

              Thanks
              Ty

              Comment


                #52
                Even simple scripts can help.

                I just wrote a script a week or so back that compares the outside temperature from my WeatherXML virtual device to the HAI R/C therm cool setpoint and announces wether it is higher or lower as a way to alert me to try "window cooling" for awhile or shut the windows if the temp starts climbing. I can only manually drive the windows (for now?!?) but it at least answers the question if outside cooling is worth trying.

                Comment


                  #53
                  well I will be rubbashing through these ideas.... gotta register with unemployment first now...

                  haveing wife and kids and was the only source of income in the house.... it is gonna get tight... and cold in this house!!!!!!
                  HW - i5 4570T @2.9ghz runs @11w | 8gb ram | 128gb ssd OS - Win10 x64

                  HS - HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.435

                  Plugins - BLRF 2.0.94.0 | Concord 4 3.1.13.10 | HSBuddy 3.9.605.5 | HSTouch Server 3.0.0.68 | RFXCOM 30.0.0.36 | X10 3.0.0.36 | Z-Wave 3.0.1.190

                  Hardware - EdgePort/4 DB9 Serial | RFXCOM 433MHz USB Transceiver | Superbus 2000 for Concord 4 | TI103 X-10 Interface | WGL Designs W800 RF | Z-Net Z-Wave Interface

                  Comment


                    #54
                    Originally posted by TeleFragger View Post
                    well I will be rubbashing through these ideas.... gotta register with unemployment first now...

                    haveing wife and kids and was the only source of income in the house.... it is gonna get tight... and cold in this house!!!!!!
                    I'm really sorry to hear this, it sucks. I hope it's short lived and you weather the storm well.
                    Marty
                    ------
                    XPpro SP3 /w HS Standard 2.5.0.80, HSTouch Server - 1.0.0.70, HSTouch Client 1.0.0.73 HSTouch Android - 1.0.0.2, HSTouch iPhone - 1.0.0.2
                    Playing with HS3 a bit but it's just play at this point.

                    Comment


                      #55
                      TeleFragger, sorry to hear that you are yet another victim of this awful recession. Hope you find something soon. Keep posting!

                      Steve Q
                      HomeSeer Version: HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.368, Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 - Home, Number of Devices: 373, Number of Events: 666, Enabled Plug-Ins
                      2.0.83.0: BLRF, 2.0.10.0: BLUSBUIRT, 3.0.0.75: HSTouch Server, 3.0.0.58: mcsXap, 3.0.0.11: NetCAM, 3.0.0.36: X10, 3.0.1.25: Z-Wave,Alexa,HomeKit

                      Comment


                        #56
                        As resourceful as you are, I have faith you will overcome this soon. Do let us know.

                        Originally posted by TeleFragger View Post
                        well I will be rubbashing through these ideas.... gotta register with unemployment first now...

                        haveing wife and kids and was the only source of income in the house.... it is gonna get tight... and cold in this house!!!!!!

                        Comment


                          #57
                          Virtualisation

                          I have 6 PCs at home and have decided to reduce the amount of power used by them by virtualising them. VMWare have some free offerings so it need not cost anything to do this. I wanted to use my Mac Pro so I brought VM Fusion for Mac fo $50.

                          So far I have decommisioned two PCs saving about 400W and plan to get down to 2-3 machines. Virutalised so are my SBS 2003 server and my XP for Homeseer. VMWare have a cool tool called converter which is installed on the machine that you want to virtualise and it creates the image. I completed my SBS server in two hours and XP in one.

                          I have been wondering if Homeseer might produce a vmware appliance from their hometroller box. I would be interested in running XP embedded HS with all the trimmings.

                          Comment


                            #58
                            Originally posted by connoleg View Post
                            I have been wondering if Homeseer might produce a vmware appliance from their hometroller box. I would be interested in running XP embedded HS with all the trimmings.
                            What would be the benefit of doing this?
                            💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

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                              #59
                              Hi Mark

                              Here are the results of my "Greening".
                              This includes: CFL's, LED's, Removing Wall Warts, Insulation, Appliance modules on all A/V equipment. etc. The project started on Sept 3rd.
                              Attached Files
                              ______________________________
                              Skibumsplace - Locate Me

                              Comment


                                #60
                                Originally posted by Skibum View Post
                                Hi Mark

                                Here are the results of my "Greening".
                                This includes: CFL's, LED's, Removing Wall Warts, Insulation, Appliance modules on all A/V equipment. etc. The project started on Sept 3rd.
                                Sweet!
                                💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

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