I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

wrote

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a gizzmo
that will do what I want?

Yep
https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-energy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=2UTXKLQWZSEX2

Not cheap tho.

Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way

That will be fine. I let my back neighbour use my wifi and
they are a lot further away than that, with lots of shrubs
and my block walls, a metal fence and their back brick
wall in the way.

so something that modulated control signals onto the mains supply would be
preferable ... ?

Wouldnt bother myself.

Well are you saying these use mains voltage plugs outside?
I know my garden lights can be switched by wireless from down the street
wirelessly, as long as the mains switcher part is near a window.

I'm sure there must be many devices like this. I do not like using signals
down the mains myself. Creates interference and the simpler ones tend to get
triggered by noise or get stuck on.

What about the way the home automation under voice control works. I am not
sure what system these actually use but they can switch individual bulbs and
change their colour, switch on slow cookers etc, even control the heating.
Its only a matter of time till you can use this stuff to have a light show
in your garden I'm sure.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
wrote in message
...
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to be
able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a gizzmo that
will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

wrote in message ...

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to be
able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a gizzmo that
will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and there
are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated control
signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

X-10 used to be the standard for control over the mains a decade ago when I
used it at my last place. Worked well.

https://www.uk-automation.co.uk/x10-...nline-modules/

Andrew

On Wednesday, 4 July 2018 23:33:33 UTC+1, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Switches work quite well. A bit more info in the question would surely help.

Brian Gaff wrote

Well are you saying these use mains voltage plugs outside?
I know my garden lights can be switched by wireless from down the street
wirelessly, as long as the mains switcher part is near a window.

I'm sure there must be many devices like this. I do not like using
signals down the mains myself. Creates interference and the simpler ones
tend to get triggered by noise or get stuck on.

What about the way the home automation under voice control works. I am
not sure what system these actually use

The best of them like the Philips Hue and Elgato stuff use Zigbee which
is wifi with a repeater system where each device repeats the signal even
if it isnt addressed itself, to extend the wifi range of the originating
wifi
which is normally your broadband or adsl router etc.

but they can switch individual bulbs and change their colour, switch on
slow cookers etc, even control the heating. Its only a matter of time till
you can use this stuff to have a light show in your garden I'm sure.

That’s all available right now.

wrote in message
...
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a gizzmo
that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

On 04/07/2018 23:52, Rod Speed wrote:
wrote

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?

Yep
https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-energy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=2UTXKLQWZSEX2


Not cheap tho.


Er, yes. I've got mine (a TP link and a Samsung) for about £10 when
discounts are available.

Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way

That will be fine. I let my back neighbour use my wifi and
they are a lot further away than that, with lots of shrubs
and my block walls, a metal fence and their back brick
wall in the way.


I've got a few Smartthing devices including socket switches that look
similar. And while I haven't tried it, I can't see them being able to
work from 50m.


--
Cheers, Rob

RJH wrote
Rod Speed wrote
wrote

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?

Yep
https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-energy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=2UTXKLQWZSEX2

Not cheap tho.

Er, yes. I've got mine (a TP link and a Samsung) for about £10 when
discounts are available.

And thats why they dont work at that distance, too crude.

Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way

That will be fine. I let my back neighbour use my wifi and
they are a lot further away than that, with lots of shrubs
and my block walls, a metal fence and their back brick
wall in the way.

I've got a few Smartthing devices including socket switches that look
similar.

But are completely different internally.

And while I haven't tried it, I can't see them being able to work from
50m.

They do anyway because Zigbee has all the devices act as wifi repeaters.

On 05/07/2018 08:34, wrote:
On Wednesday, 4 July 2018 23:33:33 UTC+1, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Switches work quite well. A bit more info in the question would surely help.


Regular switches aren't terribly good for operation at 50m distance - my
arms aren't that long.

On Thursday, 5 July 2018 11:32:24 UTC+1, wrote:
On 05/07/2018 08:34, tabbypurr wrote:
On Wednesday, 4 July 2018 23:33:33 UTC+1, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Switches work quite well. A bit more info in the question would surely help.


Regular switches aren't terribly good for operation at 50m distance - my
arms aren't that long.

I assumed they were being powered from the house.

You should have told us your arms aren't that long!


NT

On 05/07/18 08:04, Andrew Mawson wrote:
wrote in message ...

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

X-10 used to be the standard for control over the mains a decade ago
when I used it at my last place. Worked well.

https://www.uk-automation.co.uk/x10-...nline-modules/

Andrew

ZWave now is almost certainly the winner in terms of multi vendor
support and array of devices available. There's lots of British stuff
too like 13A sockets and adaptors.

On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx

--
Adam

Wrote in message:
On 05/07/2018 08:34, wrote:
On Wednesday, 4 July 2018 23:33:33 UTC+1, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Switches work quite well. A bit more info in the question would surely help.


Regular switches aren't terribly good for operation at 50m distance - my
arms aren't that long.


You'll need to define even the most basic assumptions with this
one... ;-) oh and supply pictures & diagrams for no apparent
benefit... ;-)
--
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


sonoff stuff, its based on an ESP8266 and can do loads of stuff with the
right firmware loaded.

On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


Thanks - they look interesting. I think the spec is "up to 70m" which,
could mean 1m - do you have any experience of the real-world range?

On 05/07/2018 23:23, dennis@home wrote:
On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that
modulated control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable
... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


sonoff stuff, its based on an ESP8266 and can do loads of stuff with the
right firmware loaded.


Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi
repeater at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for
remote control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems to
think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

On 05/07/2018 11:00, Rod Speed wrote:
RJH wrote
Rod Speed wrote
wrote

I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I
need to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is
there a gizzmo that will do what I want?

Yep
https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-energy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=2UTXKLQWZSEX2


Not cheap tho.

Er, yes. I've got mine (a TP link and a Samsung) for about £10 when
discounts are available.

And thats why they dont work at that distance, too crude.

Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house
and there are some shrubs and trees in the way

That will be fine. I let my back neighbour use my wifi and
they are a lot further away than that, with lots of shrubs
and my block walls, a metal fence and their back brick
wall in the way.

I've got a few Smartthing devices including socket switches that look
similar.

But are completely different internally.

And while I haven't tried it, I can't see them being able to work from
50m.

They do anyway because Zigbee has all the devices act as wifi repeaters.

OK, that's good then. Not sure how the Samsung hub/tethered devices work.

I tend to buy the sensors from China (Xiaomi, for about a quarter of the
UK price) and stab about at getting them to communicate - there's a
lively forum devoted to it. Bulbs whatever's cheap - IKEA seem to work
quite well.

Don't really use them, mind - I just wanted to see how it all worked.

--
Cheers, Rob

wrote in message
...
On 05/07/2018 23:23, dennis@home wrote:
On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house. Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


sonoff stuff, its based on an ESP8266 and can do loads of stuff with the
right firmware loaded.


Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi repeater
at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for remote
control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems to
think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

Trivially fixed, trade her in on a new bimbo with big tits.

Adam will tell you how to do that.

On Fri, 06 Jul 2018 09:55:54 +0100, nothanks wrote:

Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi
repeater at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for
remote control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems to
think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

I was going to suggest the SonOff devices, but thought WiFi might
struggle.

The basic (~£4) ones can be hacked easily. Once done, you can access them
via a web page with two buttons on it - On and Off!

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 06/07/2018 10:51, Bob Eager wrote:
On Fri, 06 Jul 2018 09:55:54 +0100, nothanks wrote:

Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi
repeater at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for
remote control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems to
think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

I was going to suggest the SonOff devices, but thought WiFi might
struggle.

The basic (~£4) ones can be hacked easily. Once done, you can access them
via a web page with two buttons on it - On and Off!


For SWMBO to use it I'd need a way to operate it by a physical switch :-(

On Fri, 06 Jul 2018 12:27:55 +0100, nothanks wrote:

On 06/07/2018 10:51, Bob Eager wrote:
On Fri, 06 Jul 2018 09:55:54 +0100, nothanks wrote:

Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi
repeater at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for
remote control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems
to think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

I was going to suggest the SonOff devices, but thought WiFi might
struggle.

The basic (~£4) ones can be hacked easily. Once done, you can access
them via a web page with two buttons on it - On and Off!


For SWMBO to use it I'd need a way to operate it by a physical switch
:-(

Another ESP8266 and a bit of hacking could do that too! But probably more
hassle than you want, although I must try it myself some time...

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 06/07/2018 12:27, wrote:
On 06/07/2018 10:51, Bob Eager wrote:
On Fri, 06 Jul 2018 09:55:54 +0100, nothanks wrote:

Hmm, I hadn't thought of going the IOT route. I could add a wifi
repeater at the nearest end of the house and have a dedicated SSID for
remote control of any outside "stuff".
I like the idea but I think my wife would struggle because she seems to
think that mobile phones are devices for hiding, storing discharged
batteries in or, at most, making phone calls with :-(

I was going to suggest the SonOff devices, but thought WiFi might
struggle.

The basic (~£4) ones can be hacked easily. Once done, you can access them
via a web page with two buttons on it - On and Off!


For SWMBO to use it I'd need a way to operate it by a physical switch :-(

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switch-Amaz...=sonoff+switch

Probably cheaper from china.

On 06/07/2018 09:45, wrote:
On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need
to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that
modulated control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable
... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


Thanks - they look interesting. I think the spec is "up to 70m" which,
could mean 1m - do you have any experience of the real-world range?


There is the problem.

I know that they work from 10m inside a house without the extra antenna
mentioned in the links.

It would be at least two weeks before I could test the ones I have
fitted for distance.

Give their tech support a call? It's not like you are wasting their
time, they get paid to answer your call and answer your questions about
their products.


--


Adam

On 06/07/2018 20:33, ARW wrote:
On 06/07/2018 09:45, wrote:
On 05/07/2018 17:50, ARW wrote:
On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I
need to be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is
there a gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house
and there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that
modulated control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable
... ?

Not quite what wanted but do have a look at

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS23TX.aspx
http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/TRS04RX.aspx

Or indeed anything else they make

http://www.phaselectronics.co.uk/Products.aspx


Thanks - they look interesting. I think the spec is "up to 70m" which,
could mean 1m - do you have any experience of the real-world range?


There is the problem.

I know that they work from 10m inside a house without the extra antenna
mentioned in the links.

It would be at least two weeks before I could test the ones I have
fitted for distance.

Give their tech support a call? It's not like you are wasting their
time, they get paid to answer your call and answer your questions about
their products.


Yes, I'll give them a call.

On 04/07/2018 23:33, wrote:
I have mains power going to a few things around the garden and I need to
be able to reliably switch them on/off from the house.Â* Is there a
gizzmo that will do what I want?
Wireless might be OK but the furthest is about 50m from the house and
there are some shrubs and trees in the way so something that modulated
control signals onto the mains supply would be preferable ... ?
Maybe worth looking at:
Quinetic Wireless Switches from TLC Direct.

Only used them on a loft light myself so far.