So I have a bit of weird idea. The air conditioning thermostat in the building I work in is located in the hallway, but the air itself goes out all the individual rooms off of the hallway. Which means that to use the air conditioning, you have to set it lower than the hallway temperature, which then means that it will either be freezing cold (since it never turns off) or it will get hot as hell (because it won't turn on).
I was thinking it would be cool to use the Arduino to turn the A/C on and off automatically... on for 10 minutes, off for 15, that sort of thing.
Thermostats are generally a relay, controlled by a microcontroller that reads a temperature sensor.
It would be straight-forward to put another relay in series with it (so it can turn it off when the relay already in there is on), or replace it with your own relay and controller.
You might want to consider the reaction of the Facilities department at your company first though. I suspect I wouldn't get far if I tried that. But then again, I don't have to - the thermostat is in my office
Yeah... If you are going to run wires it's just as easy to move the thermostat. Or, leave that one there disconnected and install a new one.
There are WI-Fi controllable thermostats (or X10, or Insteon controlled, etc.). But, you'd still be "fighting" the thermostat if it's not sensing the right temperature.
Hi, I'd say you sue the HVAC company that installed the system, it should have been a zoned system, thermostat in each room.
I could get on a soapbox about how its the so-called sales injuneer says how the system is to look but doesn't consult the ENGINEER about how practical it is.
Good example, Australian station wagon car, (estate car), spare tyre stored under the back floor, only way to get at it is from inside the car, under the load your are carrying. Dumb Dumb Dumb.
Datsun 1200 wagon, 1970, spare under load carrying area, but you get at it by winching it down OUTSIDE the car.
