Hi all, new to group and I have a project in mind but don't know quite how to start it.
I have some experience with arduinos and coding smaller projects.
We get power outages here in the woods several times a year and we have a process to manually switch to a generator while power is out.
Problem is when power gets restored, there is no way to easily detect it because we have all the main breakers off.
I would like to know when the external power is available again so I can reverse the backup generator process and bring us back online.
I envision some sort of monitor of utility power that would notify me with some physical indicator, light, LED, buzzer, email, text message to my phone... so that I know when to act. I am not always close to the utility service stand so it isn't something easily seen or heard.
Do I have to have a wired connection or can it be wireless for the notification, and what kind of hardware configuration and parts would I need..
Thanks in advance for any ideas..
The tricky part is to do this in a way that is safe and conforms to code. You might add a breaker with a single outlet that doesn't get shut off when the generator is used. Plug a wireless Arduino into it and send a text message once it has been running for five minutes.
Alternatively, I have a whole house surge suppressor mounted on my breaker box. I didn't check but I suspect that it is upstream of the breakers. It has an LED on it, so a generator powered Arduino could monitor it with an LDR to detect the return of mains power.
Sounds like a reasonable approach, I never tried to send a text message with an arduino but I'm sure I can find example sketches somewhere..
One possible hiccup might be if the local cell towers were still down, then it would be nice to have a secondary more physical method to notify me.
thanks for your help.
Once you know that power has returned, you can do whatever you like to pass on the good news. You will presumably still have generator power, so flashing lights, Star Trek alerts, air raid siren etc are all feasible.
One consideration is whether to leave that indication alone if it's the middle the night.
So due to my lack of knowledge in certain areas, to flash a light for example, is the remote arduino communicating to a local (within a hundred feet) arduino wirelessly? What is the terminology for that process that I can use to do some research?
I've been looking for a solution to this problem for some time. Never thought about a process-based solution. But, one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is the product linked below is a total piece of crap, despite the seemly good reviews. Stay away from it. I tried several of them, never got any to work reliably. Too bad, it's a great concept and would fill a need.
There are multiple ways to do it. If your wifi router has power, use wifi. Alternatively, you can use radio - LoRa or the shorter range stuff. Xbee maybe. Bluetooth too. There are surely others.
Wow "gfvalvo".. never knew they made such things... too bad they don't work well. Looks like an opportunity to improve on the design. The concept was good though.
I don't think my wifi will be working so I will have to look into some form of radio.. Bluetooth may be too limited because of distance and structures.