Now my 2nd Raspberry Pi has turned up I can (re)start work on my home automation project.
Previously I’ve setup a wireless sensor network (WSN) comprised of a number of jeenodes (http://www.jeelabs.org) using the RFM12B to connect back to central jeelink usb plugged into a repurposed orange livebox router (running http://www.homeautomationhub.com). Additionally I installed a number of CurrentCost individual appliance monitors (iams) and a EnviR energy monitor plugged into the home automation hub (hah) to monitor and log household and appliance level energy consumption. Refer to some old blog entries: https://tickett.wordpress.com/category/home-automation/. All of the data was being sent to pachube for logging.
I wasn’t too keen on the home automation hub as I didn’t really fully understand it and couldn’t push it where I wanted to go (although the community was really good and I imagine I will be seeking assistance from them in connection with the new project :)
In my new setup I intend to use a Raspberry Pi the "hub"- with a "full blown" linux distribution (debian?) I should hopefully be able to accomplish everything I am looking for. As python is the first language discussed in conjunction with the raspi I’ve started playing with that, but eventually may move to a LAMP solution (php with mysql backend for logging and apache web front end).
Here’s a high level summary of the steps I’ve covered:
- Prepare sd card with recommended debian squeeze raspi distribution
- Boot the raspi (I had concerns there might not be enough power for the jeelink but so far so good)
- Enable ssh: http://fusionstrike.com/2012/setting-ssh-ftp-raspberry-pi-debian
- Test serial communication using agett/screen: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/opensource/learn-to-use-a-serial-console-on-linux/157 (I had to apt-get install screen)
- Install pyserial: http://www.doctormonk.com/2012/04/raspberry-pi-and-arduino.html
- Test serial communication using python: http://www.doctormonk.com/2012/04/raspberry-pi-and-arduino.html
The python example from the link above didn’t produce any output for me so I modified it slightly:
import serial, sys
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 57600)
while 1 :
sys.stdout.write(ser.readline())
That’s all I have time for now- watch this space.
L
Tickett's Blog 
Good stuff! Have you looked at emoncms from http://openenergymonitor.org/ ?
Aideen
I have indeed. The project will no doubt help/be involved in what i’m doing.
I think it’s often hard with this sort of thing to decide whether to try and use an “out of the box solution” or “grow your own”.
Lee
You appear to have a typo in your copypaste version of the python example code :) “realine” -> “readline”
Thanks- fixed :)
emoncms will run on the Pi http://openenergymonitor.blogspot.com/2012/05/installing-emoncms-on-raspberry-pi.html. We also have a python script to forward serial data from the JeeLink https://github.com/openenergymonitor/EmoncmsPythonLink.
We intend to try and make more use of the Pi as a powerful web-connected base station in the OpenEnergyMonitor project.
Please let us know how you get on.
All the best,
thanks for the note Glyn- I think if i was simply looking for energy monitoring i would definitely go down this route- but i’ve been playing with http://domotiga.nl which offers a much more “thorough” solution, covering everything from security cameras to ip phones and bespoke shell devices.
i have however used your arduino pulse counting sketch- so many thanks for that: https://tickett.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/home-automation-update/
I started a new lightweight project called ‘Domoticz’, it also runs on the Raspberry Pi
http://www.domoticz.com
At the moment it is using the RFXCOM hardware, and later possibly ‘project eva’ for the RPi
Interesting. I have mentioned somewhere how i’ve recently neglected the home automation stuff but do want to pick it back up. I’d be much more interested in a lightweight underlying o/s i think (RiscOS? Or maybe even bare metal- i’ve seem some mention recently on the Raspberry Pi forum).
Did you mean Project EVE? (recently featured on kickstarted). Coincidentally I backed this project and am waiting for a PCB to replace my USB RFXCOM transceiver.
Keep us posted.
L
Yes, sorry i indeed mend project EVE, it sounds very interesting.
Eve will be a addon for the RPi. But (not that i want to make a commercial here), the RFXCOM works without any problems here.
Project EVE will come with additional radio frequencies, supporting more hardware.
I am contemplating purchasing the pi with the intent of automating our home however I think I may be a bit challenged considering what I am reading here. Is there a step by step procedure that could get me started on this?
It really depends on what you’re hoping to automate and what kind of interface/interactivity/reporting you want. I still think DomotiGa is the best software I have found (with support for a really big range of products) but it will definitely require time to be invested. That’s unfortunately where i’ve fallen short recently.
We are in the middle of our monitoring project using Pi and FHEM (great, open source home automation software).
@charlie – Even with no electronics knowledge we now have 5 1-wire temp. sensors, 2 wireless FS20 Temp/Humidity sensors and an optical Power logger. Hooked upto COSM we can track everything even when on the road.
Was much easier than we thought – and there are so many great forums with help.