How do/did I do this? Connect the dryer to Indigo/X10

Posted on
Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:16 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

How do/did I do this? Connect the dryer to Indigo/X10

Whenever our dryer is working, we start the ventilation system.
I've allready made the ventilation work with X10, but now I would like to add the dryer to the X10 world as well.

Therefore I need a gizmo that will send a X10 signal when the dryer is turned on and sends another signal when the dryer stops working.
(Which is not the same as "when the dryer is turned off!)

What do I need to get this done?

I have a W800RF32 module, so something with X10 RF signals can be suggested.
Near the dryer is an ethernet connection, so network solutions are possible as well.
And finally: I'm living in the 220 volt world which will probably limit the possibilities, as there is so much more X10 stuff in the 110 volt world.

Any help to expand my X10 world to the next stage is greatly appreciated.
Last edited by macpro on Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Posted on
Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:23 pm
gregjsmith offline
Posts: 946
Joined: Apr 01, 2003
Location: Rio Rancho, NM

(No subject)

If you have the kind of washer/dryer where the selection knob moves to a "home" position when it's done, you could possibly put a DS10A on the knob?

I've been thinking of a way to do this with my own washer/dryer. I've also been trying to find a way to get the clothes automatically removed and hung up, so far no luck.

Posted on
Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:36 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

gregjsmith wrote:
If you have the kind of washer/dryer where the selection knob moves to a "home" position when it's done, you could possibly put a DS10A on the knob?

Nope, the knob stays in the same position.

gregjsmith wrote:
I've also been trying to find a way to get the clothes automatically removed and hung up, so far no luck.

I have something for that. But it's very expensive. Needs a lot of money each month and extras on special days like christmas... :wink:

Posted on
Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:51 pm
figaro offline
Posts: 21
Joined: Mar 23, 2006

(No subject)

I seem to remember something a few years back about somebody that used a PowerFlash interface and a loop of wire around the power cord to detect when the appliance was running....

Found it!

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=41

Posted on
Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:13 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

Thanks, that looks promissing.
Although I don't like the picture where you see the wires exposed.
So if someone has other ideas or ways to see if the dryer is working, feel free to add them.

I realized today that I can live with only a trigger for the "dryer turned on" event, as I'm using a timer to let the ventilation run for 1,5 hours.

Posted on
Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:49 pm
DPattee offline
Posts: 453
Joined: Jan 14, 2004
Location: Redmond, WA

(No subject)

Does your dryer had lights on it? We have some whirlpool set that has LEDs to show what settings are currently selected. There is also a light near the power button that turns on when you touch any button on the unit (which normally means you are about to start a load) and turns off after an inactivity period (so if you don't turn the thing on it turns off after like 5 minutes, and if you do start a load it turns off like 5 minutes after the dryer stops).

Posted on
Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:04 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

It looks like I'm going for the lights option.
The dryer has a couple of LEDs showing the status and one of them is turned on whenever the dryer is drying.

I've found a small (and cheap!) light sensor kit that I can connect to a Marmitek SM10 module (not so cheap :( )

And while I'm writing this, I've found an even cheaper solution: the MS13 motion detector also has a night/day sensor. So if I can modify this module so the light sensor is placed near the dryers LED I have everything I need.

A quick test shows it will work. I've opened a MS13 module and moved the LDR (light sensor) near the LED. Indigo saw that as a "night to day" event. Moving the LDR away from the LED resulted in a "day to night" event.

So all I have to do now is to remove the LDR from the printed circuit board in the MS13. Add a long piece of wire to it, so I can move the MS13 unit on the side of the dryer and tape the LDR to the dryers LED.

Thanks for helping me out on this.

I'll post some pictures when everything is up & running.

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:53 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

It works!

Tonight I've modified a MS13 motion detector and added it to the dryer.
And it works! Now Indigo is able to detect when the dryer is on or off.

I promissed I would take some pictures and here they are:

Image
1. These are the stars of the evening: the MS13 module and a piece of wire. This piece has 3 cores, but I will use only 2 of them.

Image
2. Open the MS13 by removing the 4 screws on the back.
As you can see, I haven't removed the battery cover first, but it is better to do that also.
The green circle shows the location of the LDR. This is the day/night sensor.

Image
3. Remove the LDR by cutting both wires in the middle. Don't bother about remembering which pin was on the left en which pin was on the right. They can be mixed without a problem.

As you can see on the picture, there are now 2 pins waving into the air. The left one was covered in glue. That made it a bit hard to cut the wires, but after cutting with a sharp knife I managed to remove the glue.
Be carefull not to damage the other components on the printed circuit board.

Also be carefull to not cut the wires too short on the LDR side or you will get into trouble on the next step.

Image
4. Solder the wire to both pins of the LDR.
Don't forget to add some isolating tape to prevent both pins from touching.

Image
5. This is a very important step!
Remove the rubber thingy that's used for the antenna wire. This will give you probably enough room to guide the wire into the housing of the MS13.

Image
6. Now it's time to solder the other side of the wire to the two pins on the printed circuit board.
I've used pieces from the outer cover as isolation. After soldering the wires they are moved over the pins.
You'll have to strip about 2 inches of isolation from the wire. If you don't, then the wire will probably be too thick so you can't put the MS13 back together.

Image
7. After moving the isolation towards the pcb, I taped it to the wire so it won't move.

At this point, the modification can be tested. Put the pcb into the back of the housing and insert the batteries.
Configure the MS13 in Indigo (if not done allready) and use your hands to cover the LDR. It should flip from day to night mode. Open your hands to let the light come to the LDR. Now Indigo should show it has gone back to day mode.

Image
8. Carefully close the housing. In the upper left corner you'll have to make sure the antenne wire is not put in front of the screw hole. Also be carefull to guide the attached wire in the housing so it closes without much trouble.
I used a rather thick wire. It's better to use some flexible wire instead.

Image
9. Here's the third star for tonights show: the dryer. The upper LED is lit whenever the power is turned on. For me that's a good enough trigger to start the ventilation.

Image
10. And this is the final setup. The LDR is taped over the LED with ducktape. This will also ensure there is no other light comming in. Only the light from the LED will trigger the MS13 now.
The wire is guided to the right of the dryer using the same ducktape.

From now on Indigo will see if the dryer is turned on.
The next step for me is to define the trigger stuff in Indigo, but that's peanuts.

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:16 pm
DPattee offline
Posts: 453
Joined: Jan 14, 2004
Location: Redmond, WA

(No subject)

Excellent! Glad that works out for you.

What triggers are you planning to implement? Just one for your fan, or are you going to do notification as well?

We don't run a fan when the dryer is one (though there is one in the laundry closet i think), but sometimes we forget to check on the washing machine and damp clothes ends up sitting there for awhile so that's what I'm going to hook up.

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:56 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

I will go for starting the fan only.
I'm not monitoring if the dryer has reached the end of the program.

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:20 pm
gregjsmith offline
Posts: 946
Joined: Apr 01, 2003
Location: Rio Rancho, NM

(No subject)

Impressive. Most impressive.

Is that a external antenna on the MS13?

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:30 pm
matt (support) offline
Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 21411
Joined: Jan 27, 2003
Location: Texas

(No subject)

Wow -- that is cool. Thanks for posting the pics.

Matt

Posted on
Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:47 pm
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

@ gregjsmith : Yes, the thin white wire is the external antenna for the MS13.

Posted on
Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:55 am
macpro offline
User avatar
Posts: 765
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Location: Third byte on the right

(No subject)

I've defined the triggers for the motion detector.

When it goes from "night" to "day", I start the ventilation at the highest speed and start the timer to let it shut down after 1,5 hours.

When it goes from "day" to "night" (manually switch off the dryer), the ventilation is stopped.

Posted on
Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:41 pm
ricks offline
Posts: 122
Joined: Nov 11, 2006
Location: Reno, NV

(No subject)

Smarthome looks like they are releasing both a AV Component power sensing INSTEON sensor as well as another wall wart that'll respond to a light sources going on and off, including LEDs (via a light sensing probe).

http://blog.smarthome.com/2009/07/07/initiate-an-insteon-signal-when-you-power-on-an-audio-or-video-component/

http://blog.smarthome.com/2009/07/07/initiate-an-insteon-signal-when-an-led-or-an-alternative-light-source-is-sensed/

For LEDs, it'd be nice to have a multichannel device that could respond to several of these light sensing probes at once. There does look like a gotcha though, INSTEON commands are only sent when lights turn on, and not when they go off. Wonder why they did that?

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

cron