I'm new to electronic, but I'm a software developer, so excuse my eventual lack of knowledge concerning the existence or the use of anything I will talk about or anything you can suggest.
I want to make a radio controlled domestic switch (the one we all use at home) for a simple suspended ceiling light bulb (230 VAC). I was thinking about a mini/micro/nano/lilypad arduino + an XBee module, but for the beginning, as I already have an Arduino UNO, a breadbord, some basic components including push buttons, I will use them.
Here is what I have and planning to use:
Schema: I'm trying to basically do This schema, but I want to control the "inverter switch". The other interrupter is the wall interrupter (which is a open/close one, but will be changed to an close/close one).
Brain: I want to use the tiniest model available and at lowest cost because it's not commercial. I'm thinking about mini/micro or lilypad (the latter seems to be pretty cheap). But for the development, I will use an Arduino UNO I already have.
Power: Here again, I'm looking for something which will last (at least a month...), so I was thinking about external batteries (if they exists as "batteries", LiPo for instance? I've heard of it) or batteries like this. For now, I will use my computer USB for dev.
Trigger: I want to make something wireless, I was thinking about CPL but I've read that it's more power consuming than radio. I don't want to increase unnecessary "unhealthy" waves so I will avoid Wifi. XBee seems to be a good compromise. During the dev and because I don't have an XBee module for now, I will use a push button as the trigger.
Inverter switch: This is my problem... I know they exist, but not fitting my needs. I'm looking for something, controllable by pulse (1 pulse to switch, no need to continuously power the intern coils) and of course, it must be "independent" from the Arduino, I don't need to put 230 VAC on my breadboard...
So here is my project, do you guys have ideas about the components, choices and guidance?
Thank you for your help.
For the radio transmitter/receiver/CPU parts, the cheap 315 or 433 MHz radio modules and an Arduino compatible single chip ATtiny processor are all you need to transmit switch closure signals thoughout a house, provided that you implement a reliable error-detecting message transmission scheme like VirtualWire.
The actual switch for the bulb part is quite a bit more difficult. The technical term for the switch that you describe as an "inverter switch" is "single pole double throw" although in home improvement shops in North America they are called "3 way switches". That function can be implemented by a latching, single pole double throw electromechanical relay, but they tend to be large, expensive, power hungry and not suited for long term low power battery operation . (But why battery? You have 230 VAC at the bulb.) You might be able to find a latching, double pole single throw Solid State Relay (SSR) instead, but I've never seen one.
It would be easier to have two transmitter-type control modules and one bulb receiver module, than to try to implement the combination of switches shown in your wiring diagram.
The technical term for the switch that you describe as an "inverter switch" is "single pole double throw" although in home improvement shops in North America they are called "3 way switches".
Why do you need a double pole switch for a simple ON/OFF function ?
raschemmel:
Why do you need a double pole switch for a simple ON/OFF function ?
It's not a simple on-off function - look at the circuit linked in the original post. To support two separate switches in series, you need at least a single pole double throw switch. To support three or more switches in series, the intermediate switches need to be at least a double pole double throw switch.
jremington:
For the radio transmitter/receiver/CPU parts, the cheap 315 or 433 MHz radio modules and an Arduino compatible single chip ATtiny processor are all you need to transmit switch closure signals thoughout a house, provided that you implement a reliable error-detecting message transmission scheme like VirtualWire.
I will check that.
jremington:
The actual switch for the bulb part is quite a bit more difficult. The technical term for the switch that you describe as an "inverter switch" is "single pole double throw" [...] (But why battery? You have 230 VAC at the bulb.) You might be able to find a latching, double pole single throw Solid State Relay (SSR) instead, but I've never seen one.
Sorry, english isn't my native language. This is it, SPDT. I've found this one (Expensive, but acceptable) and this cheap one but I have to build an external card for it, I would like something "independant" I can put on my board without firing my house
And the battery is because if I power my arduino with 230 VAC, I need to regulate the input for the arduino and I also need (if possible) to make the whole project fit in the wall interrupter hole. And it's a closed hole, no heat dissipation possible. If it's still possible to regulate the power with a minimum size, why not.
jremington:
It would be easier to have two transmitter-type control modules and one bulb receiver module, than to try to implement the combination of switches shown in your wiring diagram.
Sure, but in the future, I want to adapt my project on multiple wall interrupter at home and they will all be controllable by a server receiving commands, so I prefer making a "standard" circuit I can put on any interrupter. But thanks anyway.
jremington:
It is worth noting that you can buy single modules the implement the messaging protocol and the switch. But it would be more fun to make your own.
