K
knalltüte27 Aug 2020 10:48Background:
I own an old house (about 270 years old) where my company and my apartment were located. As the office kept expanding with new employees being hired, I moved into a separate apartment due to space constraints.
However, this was not meant to be permanent. I wanted to have something of my own again, but this time “small but nice.”
After considering various options from tiny houses to mini houses, the decision was made to build a small semi-detached house and use one unit myself (about 65m² (700 sq ft) plus terrace and garden).
My brother is building the other semi-detached house, and both units will then be rented out.
High-quality, ecological, and sustainable construction was important to us from the start. A healthy indoor climate, photovoltaic system, heat pump, and controlled residential ventilation were therefore fixed requirements.
At first, I considered some home automation (implemented, for example, with Shelly devices installed later to control certain functions remotely).
But since our company is involved not only in general IT activities but also in software development, programming, and consulting on IT infrastructure and digitalization for larger organizations such as hospitals, and since my brother is the lead developer of a software that has been on the market for over 20 years and is the market leader in Germany in this field…
Couldn’t we do it ourselves?
Yes, we could!
“Coincidentally,” a bachelor thesis on an open (non-proprietary) smart home system was submitted to my brother (who teaches computer science at FOM among other things).
Based on this and other work that proved certain fundamentals, plus freely available information showing many other possibilities of a smart home, we formulated our requirements.
We wanted a “Smart Home” (as we understood it at the time).
We wanted to at least control lighting and blinds, have a front door with motorized lock, possibly video intercom systems, presence monitoring, etc. The wishes naturally grew as we learned what was possible. So, voice control via, for example, Alexa should also be possible (for those who find it useful).
Our key criteria were:
• Open system (no proprietary/cloud dependencies, etc.)
• All active components centralized in the distribution board if possible
• No “bus switches,” but “normal” Gira, Jung, etc. push buttons
• Affordable!
• The base programming can be quite complex (done by experts), but afterwards the system should be adjustable by “non-technical users” via a GUI (This alone could lead to lengthy discussions)
• We will do the wiring and programming ourselves (my brother and one of our partners are software developers, and I am an IT specialist)
• The wiring will be done with plenty of spare capacity and smart home compatibility.
-> Lighting circuits (lamps) all go directly to the distribution board
-> Outlets are wired room-wise to the distribution board and use 5-wire/three-phase cables so nearly any outlet can be switched later with small wiring adjustments.
-> All push buttons are connected with (plenty of) LAN cable directly to the distribution board
(Discussion about CAT7a/CAT8.x LAN cabling or 10DA took place: Result: Almost everything will be done as CAT7A duplex because, overall, it is easier to handle and cheaper for us.)
The result will soon be installed as a prototype in my unit (half a semi-detached house, about 65m² (700 sq ft)). The photo of the small sub-distribution board is only a small part of the test system currently being assembled! The Eltakos were installed only for comparison (space requirements vs. the Controllino) and will probably not be used in the finished system.
Almost anything “speaking” a smart home language can be integrated into the system via the appropriate binding.
The core hardware (the “brain” of the system) will cost about 1000 to 1500 euros (approximately $1100 to $1650). It mainly consists of the SmartHome Manager (Raspberry Pi) and Controllino Mega pure (Arduino).
The programming of OpenHub, etc. (open source) is done by our software developers/programmers.
Temperature, distance meters, motion detectors, humidity, CO2 sensors, and similar devices can easily be integrated. Small touchscreens (around 20€ (about $22)) as “cornerstone components” usually cost only a few euros.
I will be happy to report on further steps and on the prototype development once progress continues.
Notes:
The advantages of KNX are often mentioned, and some of these certainly apply. In our smart home, if the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware) fails, almost nothing works. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to run. However, the example described by @Mycraft: “… It’s enough to just connect another push button to the bus cable and configure it…” is hardly feasible in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the proverbial “unicorn” (ideal technician) is not there, and if the “system integrator” does come eventually, every small change or adjustment is extremely expensive. (These are the experiences of two people with KNX in our circle of acquaintances.)
Please do not fill this thread with pros and cons of the various systems. It only concerns “our” system based on the hardware and software components mentioned at the beginning – thanks!
I own an old house (about 270 years old) where my company and my apartment were located. As the office kept expanding with new employees being hired, I moved into a separate apartment due to space constraints.
However, this was not meant to be permanent. I wanted to have something of my own again, but this time “small but nice.”
After considering various options from tiny houses to mini houses, the decision was made to build a small semi-detached house and use one unit myself (about 65m² (700 sq ft) plus terrace and garden).
My brother is building the other semi-detached house, and both units will then be rented out.
High-quality, ecological, and sustainable construction was important to us from the start. A healthy indoor climate, photovoltaic system, heat pump, and controlled residential ventilation were therefore fixed requirements.
At first, I considered some home automation (implemented, for example, with Shelly devices installed later to control certain functions remotely).
But since our company is involved not only in general IT activities but also in software development, programming, and consulting on IT infrastructure and digitalization for larger organizations such as hospitals, and since my brother is the lead developer of a software that has been on the market for over 20 years and is the market leader in Germany in this field…
Couldn’t we do it ourselves?
Yes, we could!
“Coincidentally,” a bachelor thesis on an open (non-proprietary) smart home system was submitted to my brother (who teaches computer science at FOM among other things).
Based on this and other work that proved certain fundamentals, plus freely available information showing many other possibilities of a smart home, we formulated our requirements.
We wanted a “Smart Home” (as we understood it at the time).
We wanted to at least control lighting and blinds, have a front door with motorized lock, possibly video intercom systems, presence monitoring, etc. The wishes naturally grew as we learned what was possible. So, voice control via, for example, Alexa should also be possible (for those who find it useful).
Our key criteria were:
• Open system (no proprietary/cloud dependencies, etc.)
• All active components centralized in the distribution board if possible
• No “bus switches,” but “normal” Gira, Jung, etc. push buttons
• Affordable!
• The base programming can be quite complex (done by experts), but afterwards the system should be adjustable by “non-technical users” via a GUI (This alone could lead to lengthy discussions)
• We will do the wiring and programming ourselves (my brother and one of our partners are software developers, and I am an IT specialist)
• The wiring will be done with plenty of spare capacity and smart home compatibility.
-> Lighting circuits (lamps) all go directly to the distribution board
-> Outlets are wired room-wise to the distribution board and use 5-wire/three-phase cables so nearly any outlet can be switched later with small wiring adjustments.
-> All push buttons are connected with (plenty of) LAN cable directly to the distribution board
(Discussion about CAT7a/CAT8.x LAN cabling or 10DA took place: Result: Almost everything will be done as CAT7A duplex because, overall, it is easier to handle and cheaper for us.)
The result will soon be installed as a prototype in my unit (half a semi-detached house, about 65m² (700 sq ft)). The photo of the small sub-distribution board is only a small part of the test system currently being assembled! The Eltakos were installed only for comparison (space requirements vs. the Controllino) and will probably not be used in the finished system.
Almost anything “speaking” a smart home language can be integrated into the system via the appropriate binding.
The core hardware (the “brain” of the system) will cost about 1000 to 1500 euros (approximately $1100 to $1650). It mainly consists of the SmartHome Manager (Raspberry Pi) and Controllino Mega pure (Arduino).
The programming of OpenHub, etc. (open source) is done by our software developers/programmers.
Temperature, distance meters, motion detectors, humidity, CO2 sensors, and similar devices can easily be integrated. Small touchscreens (around 20€ (about $22)) as “cornerstone components” usually cost only a few euros.
I will be happy to report on further steps and on the prototype development once progress continues.
Notes:
The advantages of KNX are often mentioned, and some of these certainly apply. In our smart home, if the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware) fails, almost nothing works. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to run. However, the example described by @Mycraft: “… It’s enough to just connect another push button to the bus cable and configure it…” is hardly feasible in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the proverbial “unicorn” (ideal technician) is not there, and if the “system integrator” does come eventually, every small change or adjustment is extremely expensive. (These are the experiences of two people with KNX in our circle of acquaintances.)
Please do not fill this thread with pros and cons of the various systems. It only concerns “our” system based on the hardware and software components mentioned at the beginning – thanks!
I am curious to see how it develops. Unfortunately, this is initially only suitable for new builds. How about integrating retrofit sensors, switches, and actuators via wireless technology? This way, older buildings could be upgraded step by step, as long as there is at least power available for the devices.
superzapp schrieb:
The advantages of KNX are often discussed, and some of them are certainly valid. However, if the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware) fails in "our" smart home, almost nothing works anymore. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to operate. That said, the example described by @Mycraft: "... It is enough to connect another switch to the bus cable and configure it ..." is hardly realistic in practice. The user cannot do this themselves; the famous "unicorn" is not available, and if the "system integrator" does come at some point, every small change or adjustment is extremely expensive. (These are the experiences of two people affected by KNX in my circle of acquaintances). I think this is the general fundamental problem with any typical smart home installation: complexity.
Various wireless solutions can be extended quite easily. Just search for the new smart plug in the app, and it’s done. On and off via the app.
KNX is really challenging because of its openness and complexity. It bothers me a lot that I have to invest a four-digit sum just to obtain the software needed to configure the system. Technically, I can handle the problem myself. But for laypersons who have purchased a finished system and just want to add something? No chance.
I have already praised the DIY solution with Controllino and Raspberry Pi in another thread. But the complexity issue is almost even worse there. Whoever built it themselves will be very happy with the system, but if someone external (for example, a new owner) wants to make changes, they are basically powerless. You can only hope that an electrician can create a new system out of this mess.
As I said, I like such solutions for home use. But relying on many different parties contributing parts of the solution raises serious concerns about personal maintainability. On a Saturday night, the programmers at the company won’t be eager to fix your personal living room lighting.
-Edit- Thanks again for the detailed report. I hope you can keep us updated on how well everything works out.
The fundamental issue, in my opinion, is not the hardware but the software and the effort required to set it up. This is a service business and either comes at a premium or is done by yourself. Arduino and Pi are all well and good, but they are disposable products. Initially cheap investments, but consider your warranty.
miho schrieb:
Unfortunately, this is initially only suitable for new builds. How about integrating retrofit sensors, switches, and actuators via wireless? Really? You still think the huge range of already available wireless solutions isn’t enough? Seriously?
Tassimat schrieb:
But what about laypersons who have purchased a complete system and just want to expand it? No chance. Laypersons need to have their system designed by a systems integrator so that such changes are possible without additional costly software. Tassimat schrieb:
I think that is the general fundamental problem of any typical smart home installation: complexity. Hmm, that’s actually not the problem but the nature of it. Some things are simply complex—see cars, airplanes, etc. Both expand human possibilities and/or comfort, and both are more than complex. The smart home is no exception here.
Tassimat schrieb:
Those who built it themselves will be very happy with the system, but if someone external (a new owner, for example) tries to make changes, they are pretty much helpless. You can only hope that an electrician can build a new system from the mess.
As I said, I like such solutions for personal use. But spread across many shoulders contributing parts of the solution is very concerning when it comes to personal maintainability. On a Saturday night, the programmers from the company won’t be eager to fix your personal living room lighting. Yes, that’s why I’m rather skeptical about these solutions. It’s always interesting to see what some people have built for themselves, and no question, it takes skill.
But without standardization, it’s no more than a modern model railway layout.
Nonetheless, it’s a great project from superzapp, and I’m curious to see what comes next.
I admit, buying the ETS bothered me as well. But it was quite “affordable” during the summer sale. We told ourselves it would get lost in the overall background noise of the total costs. If I realize that we can’t make progress with it at the beginning ourselves, okay, that can happen. But in the end, it will have been a good decision in the long run.